Beyonce and Topshop to launch new athletic streetwear brand

Topshop's most famous customer Beyoncé is taking her appreciation of the British brand a step further: on Friday, the US-american singer has formed the 50-50 joined venture company Parkwood Topshop Athletic Ltd. with the multinational retailer. According to WWD, the first 

brick-and-mortar and online stores of the new athletic streetwear or "ath-leisure" brand could be launched in the fall of 2015 at the earliest. Topshop is expected to reveal further details about the deal in London today.

New brand Parkwood Topshop Athletic is full-fledged business

“This is not a collaboration. This is about building a brand and building a business — a separate, proper business, with separate overhead and a separate office,” said Topshop owner Sir Philip Green in an interview with WWD on Sunday.

According to Green, the first idea for the new venture came about in February of this year when he and Beyoncé were generally talking about doing something together in the athletics sector. Further details were discussed in May and June before Beyoncé signed a joint venture agreement with Topshop on Friday.

“I have always loved Topshop for their fashion credentials and forward thinking,” confirmed Beyoncé, adding that she'd work with Topshop's product development team to “create and produce a technical and fashion-led collection” and would “participate in all aspects of the partnership.”

On the agenda is now to find a name for the new Topshop-Beyoncé collection as well as hiring staff and establishing an office, most likely in New York. The new collection will include clothing, footwear and accessories and targets women looking for functional gym, dance or sportswear.

Photos: Beyonce (Tony Duran), Topshop at LFW