But last week I walked in full of hope, yet walked out empty-handed, with this simple realisation: at 33, I'm too old for Topshop.

My relationship with it began as a secret affair in the mid-Nineties. I was starting my career as a fledgling 'Voguette' (a junior on the magazine) at a time when the look was designer labels and the Holy Grail was Tom Ford's Gucci  -  all Seventies velvet trouser-suits and satin shirts.

But my fledgling wage meant that designer was a no-go, so instead I made clandestine trips to Topshop, cutting the labels out of my purchases and fibbing about where they came from.

But in 2002, a winning fashion formula was born  -  new owner Philip Green plus brand director Jane Shepherdson equalled fabulous Topshop. I was in love. 

Philip Green and Kate Moss at the launch of Kate Moss range of TopShop

Add to that the internet, which changed the speed of fashion: the international shows were no longer a closed book as images of new season looks were beamed around the world for everyone to see, just seconds after they'd made their runway debut.

Topshop started 'interpreting' the designer looks so quickly and precisely that it was damn hard to tell the difference between their affordable versions and the real McCoy.