Forever 21 set to arrive in Glasgow

In a sugary world of whipped cream, cupcakes and cherry chapstick, Katy Perry champions her version of California as the sun-drenched destination for the glamorous and scantily-clad.

Across the Atlantic and here in Glasgow the girls are rain-drenched, pale, cold, buttoned-up tight in heavy coats. Katy’s Californian fantasy land might as well be orbiting Jupiter. But this attitude is shifting as American’s answer to Topshop, Forever 21, is coming to Scotland's largest city.

The brainchild of Korean-born Californian Do Won Chan, Forever 21 has stores in almost two dozen countries. Impressive, given its humble beginnings as Fashion 21 in eighties California – ironically marketed at the middle-aged – where now the brand has become synonymous with youth.

After the first UK store was opened in Birmingham last year, a London flagship store was launched this summer. Blogger and Storm model Bip Ling was the face of the launch, prancing with a bundle of balloons in a citrus shade of chiffon. Standout Fall pieces are floral tunics, tribal patterned blouses and pony print leggings; hardly bikinis and rollerblades, but it retains the fun and freshness of Katy’s California.

The 60,000 square foot store is expected to open in 2013 as part of a major Buchanan Street development by the Land Securities group. Considering the site’s proximity to the existing high street giants that Forever 21’s style seems to amalgamate – H&M, Topshop and Miss Selfridge are a matter of yards away – Glasgwegians ought to prepare to make a little room for the not-so-alien Forever 21 on their wardrobe rail.

Repeatedly hitting the headlines over the course of a 27-year history, Diane Von Fustenberg, Anna Sui and Gwen Stefani have all filed lawsuits against the company for allegedly duplicating their designs. Nevertheless, the brand bottles the throwaway fashion of a fast-moving generation, keen to copy the catwalk for cheap.

The thought of donning ‘Daisy Dukes’ may send shivers down your Scottish legs. But fear not, a more accessible slice of the Golden Coast is coming to a shopping bag near you. Katy would mostly certainly approve.