High street retailer Sir Ralph Halpern dies aged 83
Flamboyant 80s businessman and contemporary of Gerald Ronson remembered for building a clothing empire
Jewish high street retailer and multimillionaire boss of the Burton Group in the 1970s and 80s, Sir Ralph Halpern, was remembered this week following news of his death at the age of 83.
The son of Jewish Viennese immigrants who lost their fortune fleeing the Nazis, Halpern founded Topshop in the late 60s before turning a company making annual £100m losses in 1977 into a clothing champion making £180m a year by 1987.
Thrice married, he was the subject of several kiss-and-tell tabloid scandals, notably his affair with a 19-year-old model.
At its height, his empire included Dorothy Perkins, Principles, Racing Green, and Evans, with one pound in every eight spent on clothing in the UK being spent in his stores. Jewish community grandee Gerald Ronson once helped him buy Debenhams.
A fan of Margaret Thatcher and mentor to future retailing figures such as Stuart Rose at Marks and Spencer, Halpern believed that “retail is showbusiness” and became known for his love of gold Rolex watches and fleet of glistening motors.
He was the first businessman to earn a £1 million salary but was asked to resign at the end of the 80s, when the group’s share price tumbled.
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