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Original poster

So M&S have sacked their head of fashion

245 replies

Isthebigwomanhere · 11/07/2019 15:55

They say their fashion needs to move on at a pace according to sky news.
I say they just need to read the numerous threads on here and bloody listen to what people are saying!

OP posts:
Ninkaninus · 12/07/2019 14:34

Yes.

And by realising that maybe everyone wouldn’t choose or be able to buy more expensive, but I think many would. I really think there are plenty of people like me. Surely there are enough people willing to buy to carry it?

They shouldn’t be trying to compete with supermarkets and/or market their stuff at young things with less disposable income and an appetite for fast and flimsy fashion. They just shouldn’t.

But I think it is going to be very difficult to actually come up with a model that would work. Change also always alienates some people and I suppose they would rather hang on to a failing model and existent customers (even if it’s only for a few more years) than be radical about changing it. And they possibly couldn’t even if they wanted to, I guess.

SaveKevin · 12/07/2019 14:35

Lidl and Aldi even do their own Charlie bingham type range. Whilst the food is generally better at m and s. Is it double the cost better?
I’d argue, no it’s not

Fibbke · 12/07/2019 14:36

Lidl and Aldi even do their own Charlie bingham type range

Boak

Floisme · 12/07/2019 15:20

I agree menswear is better quality pretty - I buy it for myself sometimes. But it's less trend led and I imagine that must make a big difference as it means a store can buy in bulk and repeat order without worrying that the stuff will be obsolete by the next season.

I really don't think you can blame this on any one retailer. I will hold up my hands - I didn't complain when the price of clothes began to fall. Up until the early 90 I'd always had to either save up for clothes or buy vintage, even though I had a reasonably decent job. I was very happy when I found I could afford to buy myself something new every month.
I didn't foresee the consequences, either for my wardrobe or for the economy. All the sewing factories near me shut down long ago and in their place are retail parks where people earn a fraction of what they'd have made as a sewing machinist by selling clothes we used to make ourselves. And they say irony is dead. It was a big reason for the Brexit vote in my opinion.

Ninkaninus · 12/07/2019 15:28

Yes menswear is a completely different kettle of fish. Let’s be honest here: without being too sexist about it, the average middle aged man is a) likely to be a creature of habit, and b) likely to stick to the same formula for years and years and years.

Ticklemeelmo · 12/07/2019 15:46

It's not just M&S, the entire UK high street is mostly choc full of shapeless, flammable polyester shite. I know we are getting fatter as a nation but it's pretty hard to find things that are actually fitted and flattering.

Same with shoes, it's hard to get decently priced leather shoes, most are pleather and seem designed to fall apart after a few wears. I'd always rather buy a few quality items than hordes of cheap stuff, and I think over the past few years M&S has tried to hard to compete with Primark instead of focusing on making quality well-made clothes

Ninkaninus · 12/07/2019 15:48

To be fair to M&S they do some really quite good leather shoes.

Alsohuman · 12/07/2019 15:52

Shoes seem to be the classic case of you don’t get what you pay for. I used to love L K Bennett but they don’t last at all. They don’t appear to be made for walking in.

NotAgainKen · 12/07/2019 16:25

The sale rails in my local M&S are a sad indictment of where it's at right now: rails and rails of garish, slippery, shapeless garments that no one wanted in any size. There's loads of it. Some most things make you stop and think, Seriously, HOW did this get off the drawing board? The sheer waste of time, resources and fabric is painful.

XingMing · 12/07/2019 16:39

@Nink, having written negatively about MS crap this morning, I return to report, with a Blush that I saw and bought two pairs of mules, in salmon and black, there in the last gasp of the sale this afternoon, and I am thrilled. They are dainty, elegant and have a cute wooden ball heel. So it's NOT all crap. But I went in to buy a Pixi mascara in blue-black, which has been ... discontinued.

Ninkaninus · 12/07/2019 16:44

Yes, there are some true gems. I have a few pairs from there for work and I always get compliments on them.

Congrats on your sales find(s)!

DearLady · 12/07/2019 17:59

High street clothes are pretty dire now... Most brands used to do good leather shoes & handbags. And nice jewellery / accessories. But it’s all in indistinguishable from Primark now.

I’ve held on to shoes, dresses, coats that I got in Oasis, Warehouse, Topshop, pre-recession. M&S could fill this gap in the market for women my age, now we’re grown-ups...

beanaseireann · 12/07/2019 20:59

Ive just been in to Penneys/ Primark
It's Penneys in Ireland where the brand originated.
Fast, cheap fashion. Just awful.
Teenagers want to save the planet and are far more ecologically aware than my generation but the fast fashion of ghastly polyester, viscose, plastic shoes, bags etc would make you weep for the earth.

OhTheRoses · 12/07/2019 22:19

I do not understand the fondness for M&S shoes. Afaiac they come with complimentary blisters.

Ninkaninus · 12/07/2019 22:26

Not for me.

It’s not by any means the only place I shop for shoes (I have maybe 5-6 pairs from there), but I’ve never had any problems with blisters from their shoes (and anyway a lot of good quality shoes require some breaking in before they are comfortable to wear).

Alsohuman · 12/07/2019 22:28

Some of the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned have come from M&S.

BloomedAgain · 12/07/2019 23:29

Yes. I love their shoes and boots.

TroubleWithNargles · 12/07/2019 23:36

HELLOOOOO,

MARKS AND SPENCER, ARE YOU THERE????

Ask the public what they want you to sell. Or read the numerous threads on here. We are telling you over and over again what you need to do. For crying out loud.

Not sure why I'm wasting my time bothering with this, they ain't never going to listen, are they? Not until it's too late and then we will all be saying "we told you so".

AlexaAmbidextra · 13/07/2019 01:04

My main issue with M&S is their terrible sizing. I reliably pick up my size in most other shops (H&M excluded), but not M&S. It seems to cater to apple shapes.

They also cater to those with long bodies and short legs. I’m the opposite so things don’t fit properly lengthwise.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 13/07/2019 02:20

So, on the back of this thread I popped into M&S today to have a look.

It's dire. Full of dreadful dresses with random frills, patterns i wouldnt be seen dead in and odd lengths.

The per uns stuff is as fugly as ever.

There wasn't one item I would want to buy. If they cant cater for me - middle aged, middle income- then they are doomed.

I suspect that they will eventually drop the clothes and just become a food store.

Notanotheruser111 · 13/07/2019 03:40

I’d like them to let us Australians have access to the whole range and the better sales and offers.

And OT but just Incase anyone from Next is reading the thread. Fuck off With your Aus site, no sales ect you were so much better when we could just order from the UK.

TheStuffedPenguin · 13/07/2019 07:03

At least they got rid of the Per Una tops and dresses with matching necklaces attached - grim!

I would love a return to when M and S used to sell quality leather - once got a beautiful buttercream knee length leather coat from them. Get rid of Classics . Have less ranges in stuff. Agree with the person who said there are enough people to pay for quality . Love them for the basics - ie their jeans are the perfect length for me and I know a bra in a certain size will fit ! I suppose I really just want it to be like an expanded Autograph with a bit of hippy thrown in Grin

user1498572889 · 13/07/2019 07:20

I love m&s but some of the clothes in there are shocking. I look and wonder what an earth they were thinking when their buyer chose them. Then in a few months time I see tons of then in the sale and I know I wasn’t the only one thinking they Were horrendous.

nakedscientist · 13/07/2019 09:57

I like per una in general. I hate boring clothes, love their linen trousers. I'm an apple shape and like an elasticated waist these days!

There's lots of stuff I like in M and S. But the bra sizes are too limited, their stock is too low in general, of different sizes, and they don't have to be all things to all women.

sluj · 13/07/2019 10:14

Get rid of all the daft "collections". I don't want to wander around a massive hangar looking for my trousers in 8 different locations. I want to go to trousers and see what you have.

This

I am one of those shoppers who loses heart and inclination after 15 minutes of darting about the store from collection to collection. I want to see every pair of trousers in the same place. I also get disheartened when I see something that looks nice but is in the "Classics" collection and I don't consider myself old enough yet. I know it's just a label though. Just stick them all in a trouser section.
I also don't want to go all over the store to see if they have that top in a different colour because they have carefully coordinated the blue ones with the jeans 50 feet away. 😁

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