Topshop hits back after Banks blast

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TOPSHOP has defended Kate Moss's input to her new fashion collection after she was criticised by Jeff Banks.

The Welsh designer questioned how much creative input famous faces such as Moss and Madonna had in their clothing ranges at Topshop and H&M.

In yesterday's Western Mail he was heavily critical of the high street trend of featuring ranges by celebrity "designers".

And having fun at Moss's expense the former presenter of BBC television series The Clothes Show asked, "Can Kate sharpen a pencil or draw a matchstick man? I wouldn't put money on it."

A spokesman for Topshop hit back at the comments, saying, "Kate Moss has had a huge input in the range from every level, from the design concept of the garments to the fitting and the logo.

"The fashion industry may be a different place to the one Jeff Banks is used to. Top designers like John Galliano don't cut patterns, they have pattern cutters. That's the industry. Kate Moss isn't a full-time member of staff and she isn't a trained fashion designer, however we see her as a fashion icon.

"Most brands have made quite a lot of money out of copying what she wears.

"She's been in the industry since she was 14, she's been surrounded by the best designers and attended a million and one fittings and shoots.

"She's hardly in a factory stitching clothing, but she's been totally involved from the beginning."

Writing in his column for the June edition of WM, our sister glossy magazine, Banks said, "I'll bet she just grabbed one of her many Prada bags, rifled through her wardrobe... and turned up at Topshop's head office in Oxford Street for a quick hour's briefing with the in-house designers and buying staff."

He said, "I'm not against celebrity endorsement, but to claim the product has been actually designed by the celeb simply beggars belief."

Banks was also critical of the "M by Madonna" range of clothes which went on sale at H&M in March.

He said, "I think she's a very talented singer. Have clothes played an equal measure in her success as her ability to hold a tune? Sure they have. But can Madonna design clothes? I'd like to see the sketches and watch her cut a pattern."

A spokeswoman for H&M said they did not want to comment.

Banks said the trend was unfair on real designers who spent years training to reach the top.

The Topshop spokesman responded by saying, "We are the biggest single supporter of young British talent and feature a new British designer every month.

"During London Fashion Week Topshop sponsored the collections of more than 30 designers."

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