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After leaving South Africa and losing Ivy Park, Topshop will now shut down all its U.S. stores

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Topshop closing all its U.S. stores
Topshop closing all its U.S. stores

After officially closing its doors in South Africa last year, Topshop has resolved to close all 11 of their U.S. stores as the brand continues to battle.

According to Business Insider, Topshop parent company Arcadia Group proposed these closures as part of a restructuring deal amid financial difficulty. The website reports that Topshop will, however, continue to sell its clothing online through its wholesale partners.

Topshop follows its fellow beleaguered Victoria’s Secret, which recently shared its plans to close 53 stores in the U.S. – and, according to CNN, is because more women are deserting the brand for lingerie startups and big retailers. Both Topshop and Victoria’s Secret have been accused of not keeping up with the times when it comes to fashion.

READ MORE: As Victoria’s Secret CEO resigns, will the lingerie company finally realise "fat" and trans women are sexy too? 

However, Topshop’s woes go beyond its supposed outdated business model, the allegations of misconduct against Arcadia Group chairman Philip Green towards his staff saw Beyoncé buying back her Ivy Park clothing line from the Topshop brand. 

The move to gain complete ownership of her brand Ivy Park, a sportswear and athleisure styled clothing brand, came after chairman of Arcadia group and parent company of Top Shop, Philip Green was accused of sexual harassment and racism toward staff.

In the wake of the allegations, Beyoncé's fans and activist group, Equity Now, called on the Drunk In Love hitmaker to cut ties with Philip Green, since she has "put herself forward as a women's right activist" said Yasmeen Hassan, one of the Equity Now activist in this BBC article

READ MORE: Beyonce in trademark battle over Ivy Park clothing line

The Beyoncé Collection took to Twitter to announce the move to cut ties with Philip Green and Top Shop in this tweet that read " Beyoncé has ended her joint venture with Sir Philip Green after allegations of racial and sexual harassment, buying his 50% stake in Ivy Park [...]".

The tweet was met with much praise and applaud from her fans or the Beyhive as she affectionately calls them. Here are some of their tweets.

READ MORE: ‘Beyoncé gave me confidence,’ says trans impersonator

"Always putting her money where her mouth is" 

Some simply called her a queen and celebrated with their fave Beyoncé gifs:

While Philip Green "categorically" and "wholly" denies the allegations held against him as mentioned in this BBC article, we do give King Bey a big thumbs up for not turning a blind eye and living up to the reputation she's made herself as an activist for women's rights and equality.

READ MORE: Laverne Cox is the face of Beyonce's new Ivy Park fashion campaign

The Ivy Park collection will now be available for sale on the brands website. It is not certain whether the group will be entering another joint venture with other fashion retailers as yet.

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