MNers needed for exclusive 'behind the scenes' with key folks from M&S fashion - London Thursday 4 Dec - vouchers to be had! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We have been asked by the team at M&S to find 8 MNers to go along to an exclusive - invitation only - "behind the scenes" event at M&S Marble Arch on Thursday 4 December - this is a chance to chat to the design and buying team at M&S about their womenswear range this Christmas and to get some top advice on the range.

The event is open to existing M&S womenswear shoppers, those who used to shop there and those who don't use M&S for themselves.

The day will run between approx 9.30/10am until about 1pm and will include a delish M&S lunch.

The format will be as follows:

On arrival - you'd be asked to go ‘shopping’ around the store for half an hour and to select 3-4 items for yourself that you like and think you would buy.

MNers would then take these to the M&S press showroom to try on if desired and have the chance to talk to the M&S team about the items picked, whether having tried it on you would buy it and if not and why not. There will also be a chance to discuss what wasn't picked up and why not.

Belinda Earl - Style Director will be calling in and will chat a bit about how the business works, what she thought when she came to M&S, how she tries to make sure what M&S offers meets the need of all their customers.

This will lead to an open discussion with other members of the M&S senior womenswear team about MNers top 3 loves and hates about M&S, what your ideal M&S would look like/sell, what are your favourite shops, what is most important to you in clothing. The group will also ask MNers - if MN ran the Womenswear business what 3 things would they do?

The event will have a Christmas theme - with a showcase of party and event clothing for women and some of the kids/mens too as well as lingerie. And of course - some of the Christmas food and drink will be served!

Travel costs can be covered.

As a thank you for attending you will be given £50 of M&S vouchers - which can be spent on the day or afterwards

Those attending will be sent a list of questions, loves and hates submitted by MNers and asked to think about them during the discussion

In return we'd need you to post your feedback on the event to a thread on Mumsnet. We'd also like you to take some photos during the day and to add these to the thread.

Please note, M&S may well use your comments from the thread, from the day, photos, and photos they take at the event on their website, and possibly elsewhere - please only apply if you're happy with this.

If you'd like to attend please add your details here and we will be in touch with selected MNers shortly

If you can't attend but would like to submit a question for the M&S team - please add them here - no guarantee it will be asked but we will ask MNers to include as many as possible.

Thanks
MNHQ

I will complete the survey when I have more time, but I want to know why their sizing availability in 12/14 is so dreadful. There are things I want to buy, but unless I get there as soon as the item hits the shops, it’s sold out of everything but size 8 and size 20+.

Consistency is very poor too. I actually managed to get some trousers in a 12 and a 14 and I was so stunned I bought both pairs (they were cheap and ideal for work). However, I cannot fasten the 12s but the 14s have room for another person in there as well as me. How Can That Be?

Also, M&S dresses appear to be cut for men . All the shoulders are massive. Now it’s fine by me if you are aiming at the transvestite market, but you could tell us so we don’t waste our time trying on things that are never going to fit.

I have what I would say is an average build, typically English pear shaped. I should be M&S’s dream customer. I have a reasonable disposable income and want decent quality well priced clothes, not cheap and disposable and not expensive high fashion – middle of the road ordinary is totally fine by me.

I actually like quite a lot of their clothes, which I know is something I shouldn’t admit on here. I have a massive out of town store near me and I would happily get most or all my clothes there as I don’t particularly like shopping and it would be very easy to do.

But I buy hardly anything because you either don’t have my size or if you do, the shape is totally wrong. In M&S sizing, I must be a size 8 shoulders, size 12 norks (but 30FF/32F bra size so not much in the way of bras obviously) size 10 waist and size 14 hips. Why is the waist so big on a lot of M&S clothes?

I was in my local branch today. I was looking for work clothes - had about £150 I could spend.

Wanted to get a couple of work dresses, maybe a skirt. I found NOTHING. I'm late 40s, size 12, want a couple of stylish dresses - like Me and Em, Toast, COS, long sleeved and stylish workwear but a £50 price point rather than £100. Why don't you do this?

I wanted a plain black shirt - nothing doing.

I was also looking for work trousers - wanted a pair of floppy wide legged high waisted Katherine Hepburn-y trousers - again surely these are a basic that people would want to buy over and over?

I actually love the M and S website for ordering online to pick up next day - get most of kids' uniform that way. But your senior boys trousers - the skinny ones that are always sold out - make more of them!

Agree with Oakley, was in Marble arch and saw lots of shirts on the special display - none in the 12 or 14

Flagship klaxon

Ilkley

I got a lovely jumper (not stylish I grant you, but very cuddly), and a great leather handbag in M&S this year and I've got some good knickers from them so I'm reasonably well-disposed, but please please please send StatisticallyChallenged or SorrelForbes to have a word on the subject of bras. Honestly, M&S could clean up if they got a grip on their bra fitting, especially if they cemented a monopoly on the teen girl market and hooked them for life.

Apparently they're planning to prune their range back a bit, which I think is an excellent idea.

Just to elaborate - if M&S moved to bra-guru sizing then there's no way that the New Looks/Primarks/Asdas could compete, because the range of sizes needed would be so much larger. M&S could cope because they've got the volume, but the cheap retailers couldn't.

I've completed the survey. As a 54 style conscious woman, I should be able to find lots in M&S. I don't though. And even if I do find the occasional item, it rarely fits well or is quite the right colour. I so want to be able to like M&S and shop there but for years, the only department I regularly use is the food department.

I'm glad I looked online before going to buy a bra the other day - none in size 30 back. Just why?

I filled it in, but I doubt they'll fund my travel expenses from Manchester!
I'd like to see them run these regionally, and actually listen to the views of potential customers.
I hope they start listening about the erratic bra sizing, they have access to huge amounts of fitting data from women visiting their stores. If they used it to make bras to fit those women they could make huge amounts of money!

I'm glad I looked online before going to buy a bra the other day - none in size 30 back. Just why?

Exactly Marrog! They do that thing from the 80's where they add 4 inches so apparently we are 34!!!! They need to get with the programme!

assistant I was 28F... she looked at me and said "you're not Jordan, you know" and recommended I try a 36B

Speechless

I had a similar experience in M&S, told the lady I'd been measured as 26GG, she laughed and said "you can't have, that's not a real size. Try 34B, that'll do the trick!"
I walked straight out of there. I could get a 34B on over my hips without unfastening it!

If you invite one of the bra interventionists, maybe they could do a compare and contrast fitting with an M&S fitter. On a MN volunteer!

Well I have unavoidable work commitments that day. Shame, as I have strong opinions on where they're going wrong with womenswear (SHIT short fibre cashmere, and where have all the really good quality basics in black, white, grey gone?)

ME TOO PIRATE
I once was recruited to model and sashay down a catwalk in Marks in London. We were 'picked out of the crowd' and styled.

we almost WEPT with laughter

£50? For almost 4 hours of peoples' time?

And in M&S vouchers? They do know, don't they, that that is completely counter to the Market Research Society's code of conduct?

Well I was free and like giving my feisty opinion. Thought it sounded fun but was hoping to hear earlier than this!

And in M&S vouchers? They do know, don't they, that that is completely counter to the Market Research Society's code of conduct?

That's a good point - I usually get paid much more for previous market research - should be more like £80? BIWI Can be our Union Rep - I'll second strike action......

They are cutting it fine for people buying train tickets etc...

it takes a week to buy a train ticket?

They get more expensive the later you leave it...

but they are paying travel

Given the highest travel cost category was "over £20" I suspect they'll quibble the walk-up fare, which is easily more than the vouchers for the day.

i would then tell them to feck orf and not just any old feck orf

It would be great to know ASAP as time is marching on and pretty sure most of us are getting busier and busier in the lead up to Christmas. Next week is 'on pause' for me until I know one way or another about this. I've got loads to fit in...

Please can you let us know on the thread when the lucky ones have been chosen? Thanks!

Taps foot impatiently !