Behind The Logo: Topshop

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BEHIND THE LOGO: These days, it’s all about brand names. Who’s wearing what? But do we actually know what labour goes on behind the designer label? In this article, we go behind the logo of Topshop. Owned by Sir Philip Green – 7th richest man in the world with a fortune of about £5 billion – Topshop is under the branch of the Arcadia group, which also owns Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Miss Selfridges and many other clothing brands. It was founded in 1964 by Jessie Pearman and since then, Topshop has become a major style specialist and one of fashion’s biggest success stories. Capturing the spirit of the times every season, it has seized the imaginations of fashion-conscious shoppers and industry insiders alike. But in 2007 and even more recently this year in November, the Arcadia Group has been accused of using slave labour to make their latest fashion range. Arcadia doesn’t own the factories that supply their shops but they are meant to have representatives in all their factories to make sure that their code of conduct is being kept. But shockingly – or not so shockingly if you’ve guessed the way this article’s been going - conditions in their major factories in Mauritius and in Britain have been well below the standard. Compagnie Mauricienne de Textile (CMT) and Star Knitwear both supply Topshop and Topman. They recruited Indian, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi workers, promising 5 times more pay than they actually received. Then in order for the works to go to Mauritius, they would pay up to £725 – equivalent to up to 7 months wages for them. Once in Mauritius, the workers were paid from 22-40p an hour – 40% below the local average wage. Astonishingly, in one of the factories, wages were set according to race – with Bangladeshis being paid substantially less that Sri Lankans. The conditions inside the factories were horrendous. Interviewed by the Times, 32 year

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