Topshop apologises for removing feminist pop-up stand from flagship Oxford Street store

The retailer has insisted the decision "in no way reflects its stance on feminism".

Feminists Don't Wear Pink (And Other Lies) is a collection of articles written by female authors and compiled by columnist Scarlett Curtis.

The pop-up aimed to raise money for the United Nations initiative Girl Up, which provides leadership training for young women.

In a series of tweets, Penguin Books claimed that the stand had been dismantled just 20 minutes after being assembled earlier this week.

The publisher's statement read: "Today sees the release of #FeministsDontWearPink (And Other Lies), a collection of writing from a group of amazing women on what feminism means to them.

"To celebrate this timely book, we had agreed to host a pop-up with Topshop, with products supporting the UN charity Girl Up.

"For anyone hoping to visit the pop-up, after a huge amount of work on this ground-breaking partnership we assembled our stand this morning and were raring to go – however, just twenty minutes later it had been dismantled by Topshop.

"We're working on finding another place to host our pop-up and the amazing products that support Girl Up.

"In the meantime, thank you for your support.

"This book aims to prove that the word 'feminist' is accessible to everyone. Today's events suggest there is still some work to do."

Topshop has since apologised, and vowed to donate £25,000 to Girl Up.

In a Twitter statement released the following day, the retailer wrote: "Yesterday we made the decision from a production and creative standpoint to retract the Feminists Don't Like Pink (And Other Lies) pop-up from one of our stores.

"We are sorry – this is no way reflects our stance on feminism and we will be making a donation of £25,000 to Girl Up.

"We continue to fully support the sentiment of the book, Scarlett Curtis, feminism and equality."

Scarlett – who's the daughter of filmmaker Richard Curtis and cultural commentator Emma Freud – shared her thoughts on Instagram.

Alongside an image of the assembled pop-up, she wrote: "I’m so sorry to anyone hoping to visit our Topshop x Feminists Don’t Wear Pink pop-up this week.

"Yesterday was an extraordinary and heartbreaking example of the alive and kicking patriarchy and still trying to figure out how we all feel about it.

"Our team at Penguin is the most incredible army of women and I am ridiculously lucky to be working with them.

"Everyone is a bit shaken but working through it.

"Not allowed to say much yet but let's just say if you dismantle our shop you better believe we’re coming to smash the patriarchy down in return."

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