{"id":89469,"date":"2025-09-27T20:02:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-27T20:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/89469\/"},"modified":"2025-09-27T20:02:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T20:02:19","slug":"are-we-getting-old-or-is-marks-and-spencer-trendy-now-heres-what-an-ms-buyer-has-to-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/89469\/","title":{"rendered":"Are we getting old or is Marks and Spencer trendy now? Here\u2019s what an M&S buyer has to say"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is M&S cool, or am I just old? That is a question I have pondered on more than one occasion in the past few years.<\/p>\n

While I\u2019ve been a loyal patron of their food hall for quite some time, their fashion offering was always less appealing to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then, Sienna Miller launched her first collection with the high street giant last summer, and my interest was piqued.<\/p>\n

Very much an extension of the actress\u2019s signature style, the 33-piece edit could only be described as boho perfection.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Featuring 1970s-inspired patterns, ruffled maxi dresses, and a pair of leather mules I still regret not buying, it was a sell-out success.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A couple of months later, Bella Freud released her signature edit with the entire collection gone within 24 hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The evidence spoke for itself: M&S was back.<\/p>\n

\"M&SM&S Collection: Cardigan \u20ac65, Top \u20ac54, Skirt \u20ac78<\/p>\n

If you, too, have been drawn in by their quiet reinvention, rest assured: it\u2019s them, not you.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dependable but admittedly not always stylish, the retailer\u2019s buying team has been making a concerted effort to change that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe lead in the market on trust and quality,\u201d M&S womenswear director Maddy Evans (who joined in 2019 as head of buying from Topshop) tells me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut over the last three to four years, we\u2019ve been trying to change style perception. A lot of work has gone into updating, modernising, and making it feel more contemporary.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That effort has paid off with customers aged under 35 now among the retailer\u2019s top shoppers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to their 2025 interim report, M&S is now ranked second for style compared with sixth in 2022.<\/p>\n

\n Fashion, home and beauty sales increased 3.5%, and both womens and mens grew in categories such as jeans, knitwear, and tops, with strong seasonal campaigns and collaborations helping to drive that.\n <\/p>\n

Autograph, M&S\u2019s premium\/signature range, also saw a huge jump in sales, growing by 47% as customers invested in higher quality, versatile products at the top end of the range.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t intentionally gone about designing for the young,\u201d continues Evans, explaining that it\u2019s much more of a holistic approach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about doing anything differently \u2014 we didn\u2019t want to alienate our top-paying customers \u2014 it\u2019s just about broadening our appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Achieving that requires a multi-pronged approach, one which includes diversifying their product lines (for example, stocking skirts in various hemlines) and making new fabrications available.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"CrocCroc PU trenchcoat, \u20ac125<\/p>\n

Behemoths like Zara, ASOS and Shein are constantly dropping new products, something modern shoppers have begun to accept as the norm.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Remaining relevant in the hyper-fast-fashion world is challenging. M&S say they are doing it by focusing on quality and longevity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe make sure to prioritise investment pieces,\u201d says Evans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got more leather, more suede, and more wool content in our knitwear this year because we want our products to last. You need to think about ways to wear so that pieces live in people\u2019s wardrobes for longer, and they can wear them multiple times.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

An embellished blazer, part of the new season line, stands out as a prime example.<\/p>\n

Other initiatives include a commitment to using 100% recycled polyester by this year (looks like they\u2019re on target, Evans confirms), a focus on only using responsibly sourced materials and a new resale option they launched last week in partnership with eBay.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On whether she\u2019s noticed a shift in the age profile of those coming in-store, Evans says that she has.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI observe more mums and daughters shopping together, which is exactly what we wanted. I said at the outset that if we got to the point where we\u2019ve got product in the mum\u2019s wardrobe that the daughter wants to wear or in the daughter\u2019s wardrobe that the mum wants to wear, then we\u2019re on to something. That is your sweet spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having gotten an exclusive preview of the new AW 2025 range over in London last week, I can confirm that it\u2019s very, very good \u2014 dare I say, one of their best in recent years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bursting with texture and colour, it\u2019s an exciting mix of heritage and fun.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"M&SM&S Collection: Coat, \u20ac140; Blazer, \u20ac95; Trousers, \u20ac65; Bag, \u20ac50<\/p>\n

Those who rely on the retailer for long-lasting staples will be kept happy with argyle knits and sleek, double-breasted wool coats, while those after something a little more daring will be drawn in by luscious, faux furs and a snakeskin co-ord that demands attention.<\/p>\n

At 29, I\u2019m hardly Gen Z, but I was thoroughly impressed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Personal favourites include a khaki barn jacket sure to be a viral hit (they\u2019ve already had several online sensations so far this year), a pair of red, Ganni-esque cowboy boots, and the new M&S ski collection, the retailer\u2019s latest innovation, which expertly straddles the line between fashion and function.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Accessories also feature heavily and include chunky, jewelled necklaces, studded bags, and your choice of statement earrings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shimmery dresses and red-hued pieces are likely to be the focus this end of the season, but the buying team have also provisioned for the inevitable December fatigue with all things sequined, bedazzled or otherwise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When that time comes, and come it will, winter whites and rollneck jumpers you can easily transition into your early spring wardrobe will be your saving grace.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"M&SM&S Collection: Coat, \u20ac125; Cardigan, \u20ac52; Skirt, \u20ac52<\/p>\n

Of course, not every piece hits the mark, but that\u2019s where a good belt, boot, or bold lip can do the heavy lifting.<\/p>\n

The entire edit has its finger right on the pulse of fashion, an impressive feat considering the buying team often has to make decisions on what next season\u2019s designs will look like nine to 12 months in advance.<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe continuously test products to see what resonates, and over a period of time, you can start to get a sense of what\u2019s going to work and what\u2019s not,\u201d notes Evans.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n

\u201cCustomer feedback is also really important, as well as our own intel around what\u2019s happening in the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

For lingerie director Charlotte Davies, it comes down to knowing their audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one thing that we pride ourselves on is that we really understand women of all shapes, sizes, and demographics, and we make sure that we cater for that range. For example, when we\u2019re talking about the shapes of bras and knickers we\u2019re going to stock, we make sure we have a big collection and a broad appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this collection, we are covering everything from soft, cosy loungewear pieces, all the way through to slightly sexier, more seductive, sheer lingerie looks,\u201d agrees Soozie Jenkinson, head of design.<\/p>\n

\"M&SM&S Collection: Croc PU Trench Coat, \u20ac125; Jumper, \u20ac57; Skirt, \u20ac57; Shoes, \u20ac57<\/p>\n

Trend forecasting is, as you can imagine, a fickle business, especially given the breakneck speed at which the internet cycles through fashion fixations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Obviously, the runways provide ample inspiration, but so too does social media. \u201cWe have to have what I call our \u2018creative antennae\u2019 up all the time,\u201d explains Jenkinson.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to look at what\u2019s happening on social media, what\u2019s happening instantaneously, versus long-term trends. It\u2019s about making sure we\u2019re looking at the most important womenswear trends and then blending them with what\u2019s happening in the lingerie market, and creating something that\u2019s unique for our customer.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s the verdict \u2014 is M&S cool again, or am I just old? The answer, I think, is a little of both.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yes, the new season stock is considerably chicer than it used to be, but I\u2019ve also matured beyond wanting barely there going out tops that hardly survive the night, never mind multiple wash cycles.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve grown up, but so has the brand \u2013 and it\u2019s morphed into something genuinely covetable.<\/p>\n

All that\u2019s left to do now is make a beeline for the Grafton Street branch to get my hands on one of the fabulous Penny Lane coats before it sells out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Is M&S cool, or am I just old? That is a question I have pondered on more than…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":89470,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[79,18,19,2902,17],"class_list":{"0":"post-89469","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-insight","12":"tag-ireland"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89469","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89469"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89469\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}