So the collection that's meant to save M&S is here...

[Whitershadeofpale]

what do we think? sorry it's DM couldn't see it anywhere else.

I think there's some beautiful pieces, especially the suit in the first pic. But some of it seems very expensive. I'd like to seem them up close to see if the quality has improved on recent years.

[LaurieFairyCake]

There are only a couple of things I would buy as it looks very high fashion/for tall people or very expensive to me. I can't imagine wearing leather trousers or a dress at all

I like the suit and in the article it says there are good dresses but apart from the floor length (again for tall people) they're not pictured.

[orangepudding]

Some of the clothes are expensive. I wouldn't pay a lot of money for M&S clothes are the quality have been really poor lately.

I don't see how the collection will save them.

[bunnymother]

If the quality and cut matches the price, I will be looking and I think it could mean M&S does actually become a store lots of women buy from. At the moment I own some jewellery and gloves and that's it. Despite buying most of our meat and convenience food from there, I just bypass the clothes as they look awful. I think there are people out there who would buy clothes from M&S if they were better.

[flanbase]

Horrendous - who wears a white coat costing over £300

[Sonotkylie]

I love that suit and a couple of other pieces, but overall like M and S generally, it just 'misses' me. I look at each thing and think 'that would be nice but is a bit too long', or 'hmmm but it looks a bit boxy' and that's before I get on to what sould suit me or work for my lifestyle, or indeed any quality issues. I think it comes back to the fact that no one shop can do everything for you once you get beyond about 25, and you have to pick the bits that work out of different ranges. But its more positive the Per Una ...

[Sonotkylie]

More positive THAN Per Una

[MarshaBrady]

I think it's a good way to go, however the price is probably too high for some of it.

[flanbase]

It's huge prices for a high street shop

[DameFanny]

But people don't go into marks forhigh fashion - they go for staples. Show us the staples!

[pocketandsweet]

I think some of it looks gorgeous.... The stores though drive me crazy. I often find it impossible to locate the things that look good in advertising/editorials. The fact that I often have a 3 year old in tow means that if I have I spend 20 minutes trying to locate one nice thing I will probably give up.

[KristinaM]

fashion.telegraph.co.uk/columns/lisa-armstrong/TMG10057358/Marks-and-Spencer-Great-if-you-can-find-it.html

Telegraph link ( for those of you who don't do the DM)

[GreenLeafTea]

Too expensive!! I agree that Marks should be the place to go for well made staples at a reasonable price. I don't think fashionistas shop there.

[PeterParkerSays]

The discrepancy in prices is huge. Love the suit, prices just about manageable, but there's a flowing skirt further down that's £200. I'd wear the skirt but not for that price. They aren't high street prices. I couldn't afford Reiss or hobbs etc but could afford M&S on the odd occasion they had something decent. Now, it seems not.

[ubik]

I like Hobbs and bits from TKMaxx, also Oasis and I am nearly 40. I looked at th new M&S stuff and just couldn't imagine wearing it. I think Liz Jones is right ( never thought I would say that) and it is for age 50+ -they are the ones with the disposable income I suppose.

Glad to see they have got rid of the appliqué and smocking.

[francesdrake]

OMG. Tights with built-in gel pads in the toes? Have they let The Apprentice candidates loose in there?

I agree with Dame Fanny: it's all about the staples for me. Not just the month-in, month-out stuff like denim skirts or black t-shirts, but also the six-month staples that are somewhere between fashion trends and classic, like the autumn/winter jacket, or summer sandals that you can wear with jeans into autumn.

The thing is, none of that editorial collection will be available outside the flagship stores. I guess that means M&S preserves the exclusive 'waiting list' feel of the key pieces, but is the halo effect on the brand really worth annoying the regional customers, if all you're giving them is more polyester bias cut frumparama? Will it be available on the website? A lot's going to depend not on the editorial coverage but on what's actually shipped out to the stores, and available to buy.

[FrancesFarmer]

I can't imagine buying clothes in M&S, although I buy tights and underwear there. It's just not an appealing place to shop for clothes - it lacks the glamour and excitement of more upscale department stores and boutiques or even the higher end high street stores.

It's a bit like Boden - sometimes you see an item that looks ok but then you pinch yourself and realize that it will probably be dowdy and a waste of your time.

[Hopefully]

I think it's a good move. The fact is that it simple isn't possible any more to have good quality and cheap prices - shops are having to choose one or the other. M&S has (presumably) gone for quality, other shops are going for price. There is a thread here every other day bemoaning the lack of quality in high st stores, so if they've managed the fabric quality/cut/style to go with those prices, people will pay, I reckon.

[Hopefully]

I also think the DM link has picked some of the most expensive pieces, because they're wankers. The Telegraph link has pieces with much more civilised prices.

[Piemother]

Yy to hopefully
I like it. Maybe I will buy some work stuff from there. I love by a flagship that's so huge I only know where kids clothes and food is after 5 years!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

that the DM has picked up £22 scarf
£45 jumper

and not about the fabrics or finer points.

I think M&S should concentrate on :
underwear
tights
shoes
jumpers
T shirts
sensible,practical coats
trousers
their well recieved jeggings
leggings
non frouffy shirts
school uniform (the DC clothes are meh but school uniform is good value and well made)
Menswear (I can't be going into racey Menswear shops)

• toileteries
  cosmetics
  food
  homware
  
  They've tried to branch out too far and it doesn't work.
  
  I'm their target audience customer:
  late 40s
  standard size 14/12 and 5'5". Size 5.5 feet
  children
  not fashion savvy but I like nice things
  some disposable income
  wanting quality,well made clothes that wash and wear well

[MarshaBrady]

yes good ones on the Telegraph site. That cream short coat is very good, think some of the stuff is pretty spot on in terms of design.

Simple, not frllly fussy etc

[SorrelForbes]

some beautiful Chantilly lace lingerie that should give far more expensive brands a run for their money

No it won't. Not unless they sort out their fitting/sizing

[ADefiniteMaybe]

Just looked at the telegraph link and, yes, I really like it. I think I am also their target audience; late 40s, size 12/14 and someone who enjoys clothes but maybe more style conscious safe than fashion led. There are lots of things there I would like to buy. The High Street can be a bit young/fashionable/cheap and I think this is a good shift to a gap in the market.

[ifancyashandy]

Bloody hell, I really like some of it! I buy a lot from Whistles, Jaeger Boutique, Hugo Boss, Reiss etc and pay a fair whack for quality / good styling. Would need to see it in the flesh but love the white coat, wine and black outfit and most of the others. Not the sequin dress though. Looks cut for me too - am tall and size 10-12.

Will investigate further...