to think we can come up with good ideas to save M&S

[FleurDelacoeur]

M&S definitely on the skids. Profits down, stores closing, Chief Exec saying radical transformation required. Fairly clear that this has happened because they're not listening to their core market, which I'd wager has a fairly large crossover with the MN demographic. So Steve Rowe, if you're listening, here are a few bullet points.

1. Scrap the Sparks card.
2. Sack your womenswear design team. All of them. Now.
3. Ditch the Per Una brand.
4. Rethink your over generous returns policy.

Remember that blue and white striped dress that was all over the press a few months back as the 'already sold-out Dress of the Summer', adored by the fashion editors and all over Instagram?

I had a look for it today on the website as I've got the 20% off vouchers whoopidoo and while it's sold out up to size 18, the reviews are terrible. Most say it's a totally different dress from the one featured in the press/social media - presumably M&S made some really nice press samples (fair enough, they're working months ahead), but when it came to the actual production run, they've changed the material/design/colours/proportions. I get that it's impossible to create a style that suits a wide variety of shapes and sizes, heights and ages, but making it a faux-wrap with elastic means it can't be adjusted, unlike a real wrap. Maybe it's cheaper?

Or, maybe what works on a size 8, 25 year old Instagram influencer doesn't look so great on the shorter M&S shopper? Like the pink dress. And those mad Florence & the Machine jacquard suits from last summer. Great industry exposure for a more fashion-focused young designer looking for the next step - bit crap for this size 14 fortysomething trying to buy a bloody summer dress.

Last summer I was looking for a smart casual top, went into M&S and my eye was caught by a rail of nice, brightly coloured tops a few yards away. Went dashing over to have a look, and actually recoiled when I got close. The material was so thick that they probably stood up by themselves, and looked as if they had been made from upholstery fabric. They felt rough to the touch as well. Who could possibly think it a good idea to make summer tops so coarse and scratchy? Or were they using offcuts from home furnishings?

Have less choose and more sizes in clothing. Don’t follow trends.

I used to buy everything in Marks, the jeans with their excellent rise range is all I buy for me now. Still get DH’s chinos ( excellent lightweight cotton for summer), formal jackets in natural fibres, casual hats and the odd belt and casual shoes. PP has already mentioned the Italian men’s suits, they were lovely but they’ve gone.

I live in fear of the jeans buyers being replaced - M & S is the only place offering a good range of high waisted or on the waist jeans. The mid rise is not for me, I want something that’s comfortable and stays put.

I don’t know why M & S bother with patterned fabrics, surely that puts people off buying coz you’re going to see the same thing everywhere.

I’m 60, got more spare cash than I’ve ever had and hopefully have another 20 years of spending it on stylish clothes in natural fibres...... from somewhere.

Having read this long thread, it seems to be pretty unanimous that the Per Una range is overdecorated, fussy, tacky crap, so just get rid of the whole range?, shockingly awful clothing, who the hell is it targeted for?
I can't understand why some clothing such as pants or dressing gowns are in between sizes, 10-12 or 14-16, i am a 14, I want clothing that fits a 14!
Shoes are great for half sizes, but now are either very high or in stupid colours, who the hell wears that metallic bronze /silver...unless you are on Strictly this week?
Bell sleeves, or 3/4 sleeves, or cap sleeves on t-shirts, er, No..
Boxy shaped tops, awful
Rails and rails of unsold jumpers with slogans or loose sleeves ,too short or half way down your palm , all in the New Year sale in my local store, original prices £30 upwards, really?
Handbags, rubbish quality £60 plus
Bling jewellery, just why, especially when it isn't that cheap
How many winter coats, drapey wraps are needed, again racks and racks of them in the New Year sale, wraps originally £39 now £10, you'd be fuming if you bought one at the previous price
Love the opaque tights
I also loved the breaded plaice that was stuffed with prawns in a sauce and fluffy jacket potatoes stuffed with mushrooms in a cream sauce , BRING THEM BACK ! rabitos spanish figs filled with brandy, divine, Dine in for £10 fantastic.
If they don't listen it will definitely be game over for the company, such a shame

The rosemary flavoured gourmet crisps..... 😍

I think M&S have failed to recognise that even their older customers are no longer 'old'.

This hits the nail on the head. I'm 42. I should be able to get most of my entire wardrobe from M&S with some more fashionable items from other places.

But the clothes are designed for old fashioned middle aged and retired women circa 1995. I look around M&S and no woman I know from 40 to 80 would wear the stuff.

The only thing I will say is that I got some good maternity wear online from them last year: some leggings, jeans and a dress. I spent more because the last batch I bought from new look on asos was such appalling quality, it was unwearable after a couple of washes.

But even then, all the available M&S maternity wear was black. No other colours at all. I would have liked a dress in a rich plum wine colour, but alas....

I've just looked on their website at dresses. Ye Gods. Most of them are truly awful.

I've just revisited the OP's opening post and had a look at M&S's annual report for 2017. They are a massively profitable company. Profits may be down, but they still paid decent dividends, including a special dividend, to shareholders. They are still the biggest clothing retailer in the UK.

For a company the size of M&S to close the number of stores they have said they will is both a reflection of their size and a decisive move. A business like the Co-op, for example, might choose to keep unprofitable stores open because they provide a local amenity and they have a different approach to CSR.

All that said, I completely agree that trying to be a player on the fashion market is not their strength and I stand by my comments upthread about Per Una, etc.

Did anyone from M&S actually read all this and take anything on board?

Stick to food, good basics, school uniform, proper underwear and nice kids stuff that isn’t covered in paw patrol and over sexualised clothes for toddlers.

The classic collection is beginning to look more like what I want. I’m only 31 ffs. Good staple cardies, plain t shirts in good colours and well fitting trousers in proper fabrics.

Stop padding your bras I'm a DD I don't want to be bigger it's not a modesty panel it's fucking PADDING two layers of fabric is plenty to keep my nipples covered

Reduce food packaging.
My favourite shop for food, but I try not to buy from there anymore because of the guilt over the crazy amount of packaging they use.

I would like clothes similar to Jigsaw - nice fabrics, classic cuts - mixed with the kind of detailing that Cos do so well.
There should be an upmarket range rather than Per Una. A range with more luxurious fabrics rather than trashy details.

Posher bras too. I'm not rolling in cash, but bras should be made of softer and luxurious fabrics rather than being so scratchy. I don't bother looking in M&S for bras because I find them so cheap feeling on the skin. I get bras from shops like Fenicks or Debenhams which stock 'brands' as I'm a 32F and need good bras.

What astonishes me is that anyone in their design team looks at many of the garments and actually thinks they might appeal to anyone at all. You can see immediately you walk into the women's clothes section that many of the items will never sell and will just be piled on rails in sales a month later. There are way too many absolutely hideous things- across all their ranges. Really awful prints, cuts, fabrics and styles. Anyone with an iota of dress sense could go through the collections and tell them what they are wasting millions on so why their design team can't, I don't know.

Ok I actually emaiied the manager of my huge new local store as the clothes were soooo bad I photos them and put them on FB. I camor describe the hideousness of them.

My friends range from 19 to 87 and no one bit no one liked or would buy this shite.

The response was ‘thanks but we know what our core customers like’

I am 50! Would t be seen dead in their clothes.

Bright orange patterns, huge ridiculous flappy sleeves, nothing in my size, far too much navy, far too much material and mid calf length the most unnatractive length ever.

But hey they know what they are doing

Per una?? Really honestly who buys that? Hideous

And I will say what I say about all of these reports. It is not that these companies are failing. They are just not incresaing their profits by as much as they want to. It is sheer greed. The billionaires who own them are not making as many more billions as they think they should. Another alternative is they accept lower profits- everyone who works in the public sector has accepted wage cuts effectively over the last 8 years and that has been deemed acceptable by the capitalists. Why shouldn't they accept making a few million less than they want when they are still making millions in profit?

Start a marketing campaign claiming that Percy pigs cure all sorts of diseases sales will soar sky high

The website - take a slim attractive model, then dress her in a bizarre ugly combo that nobody would ever, ever want to emulate.

Have stock in my Size. Simples!!

Hoardingqueen

it seems to be pretty unanimous that the Per Una range is overdecorated, fussy, tacky crap, shockingly awful clothing, who the hell is it targeted for?

My stepmother absolutely loves Per Una. It enfabrics her lifestyle precisely.

My ex-MIL too sticky!

I buy the Roma waist trousers and shorts as long as they are plain. I'm long waisted and they fit me. Most trousers don't and are never long enough waist to crotch