I used to like M&S but I'm not surprised they are struggling to sell womens clothes, WARNING MAY BE UPSETTING

[Behooven]

Says it all...

I think M n S should investigate their buyers, I'm sure someone is trying to bring that store down .

Can anyone explain to me how Per Una is still going? It's horrible and where all ruffles and flounces go to die!

MadHattersTeaParty are you saying fleece pyjamas with a fox stencil aren't in vogue? Next you'll be saying fleece jackets with fox faces aren't fashionable! Personally I prefer fleece ponchos with a cat stencil! £8.99 from Donny market!

Wow! Saying that, if red is more your colour River Island has similar red, patchwork flare trousers...!

It looks like Tommy Hilfiger may be to blame.

Equally vile.

I don't understand how they keep getting it so wrong. I think mrscrabb has it right; M&S should be where you go for decent quality basics, at reasonable (but not necessarily cheap) prices. Admittedly I don't spend a great deal of time discussing M&S's womenswear strategy, but when this has come up with friends and family they've all been of the same opinion.

Why don't they just stick to that? Is it just not profitable enough anymore?

There's always rails of stuff like this in the sales. Is there a very untalented designer (possible related to the ceo) on the books?

What annoys me more than anything is that, on the rare occasion they produce something reasonable, the size 12s sell out immediately. Does it not occur to them to produce more of the popular sizes?

When all that is left are size 20 short, does someone not think 'We won't order as many of those next time?'. Gives me the rage.

Per Una was created to use up the EU Haberdashery Mountain Cerseirys as soon as all those surplus buttons, ribbons and frills have been haphazardly attached to random items of clothing then it will no longer be required.

They are getting it wrong because they won't listen to their customers.

I've told assistants many things they need to change, get told to email HO as they wont listen to the staff. I've tried. They don't listen to customers either.

Morriszapp

One of M&S's 'fashion' bods was on TV the other night preening about their £200 brown suede skirt that sold out last summer. Great. But what about the 58796 other products that no one wanted?

Nuff said, Behooven.

i quite like them

MorrisZapp Not only is it a camel toe waiting to happen, you also have a great bloody big triangle pointing at said camel toe

Did anyone hear the fashion 'experts' on R4 PM saying that the problem was that M&S clothes are designed for 30 somethings when their customers are 60 somethings? Bollocks. Their clothes are designed for women of any age ..who are on glue.

An M&S women's wear dept is like a jumble sale in a badly lit warehouse.

I saw those earlier when I was checking out the sale, my first thought was honestly "oh dear god". They're not the ones either, take a look at these three other M and S beauties.

Haven't bought anything there for a long long time. Guess that's why their top bloke is retiring?

Am I the only one who thought the suede skirt that everyone raved about last year was bloody hideous?

its so fucking BASIC isn't it?

look at what's in fashion/on trend
choose what the common woman would wear from it
make it a size 14 friendly
manufacture

I do love the Per Una threads , I mean come ON
www.marksandspencer.com/3-4-sleeve-bobble-striped-jumper/p/p60077972

"But I'm fairly sure that stick thin teenagers from the 1970s aren't shopping in Marks and Spencer."

I was a stick thin teenager in the 1970s and I can never find anything I like in M and S except for bras - and yes I used the MN measuring guide, but not being well endowed I find that they offer plenty of choice for my size.

I still go in optimistically just in case I see something I like. And occasionally I do find something, but generally I agree with the above comments.

I can't understand why they have got it so wrong. The basic principles of marketing are: listen to your customers and then try and anticipate your customers' needs, and they clearly aren't doing this.

Who are the people that make these woefully wrong decisions?

LOL stopfucking

Even the model isn't bothering to conceal her 'What the actual fuck?' expression.

Years ago when I needed office type wear and maybe for a wedding, M&S was my go to store. It would end with me buying not just one blouse but a skirt,a jacket and maybe a pair of shoes as well. It has been a very long time since I bought anything there. Even their bras are super padded ,little string numbers totally unsuitable for 38DD norks. Hopefully when Mark Bolland goes ,there may be someone who comes along and says "Hey,why don't we ask Mumsnetters?" Well I can dream cant I?

lets send this thread to their CEO

seriously pay me $4m plus share bonuses, I'll help you out!

I thought it was ugly too Cerseirys, the kind of thing that looks good on Alexa Chung but frumpsville on everyone else.