So M&S have sacked their head of fashion

[Isthebigwomanhere]

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!

Agree totally about all the collections! I’ve always thought it was confusing. It’s the assumption that you’re supposed to know what each of the collections mean that gets me. I have no clue and I can’t be arsed to search in 8 locations to work it all out.

I’m a huge fan of their linen trousers too. I buy a pair of black and a pair of navy every year. I live in fear of them discontinuing them.

M&S stores tend to be big though - much bigger than an Oasis or most Nexts. I think putting all the trousers together, all the tops together etc might lead to a bit of a warehouse (not
Warehouse 😀) look which doesn’t sit with the higher quality/higher price point change the majority here seem to want.

I think M&S we’re trying to aim for a John Lewis type layout. JL have large stores and they don’t put all the trousers together - they group by brands - I think M&S are trying to do similar with their collections. The problem they’ve got is that there’s not enough delineation between their collections style-wise (especially since Per Una seems to be not quite as awful as it was).

If I go into JL looking for a holiday maxi-dress or a pair of navy work trousers, I don’t need to look in all the brands - I know a couple where the style I’m after is likely to be. With M&S, they could be in any of the collections - there’s too much overlap - so I have to search the whole place.

I don’t want to look at all the trousers together, all the coats together, etc. I like their collections. If I want the good stuff, I head to the Autograph section.

M&S do lots of things well. I’m wearing a multi-way bra from M&S and it is bloody great, perfect for tops with cutaway shoulders and very comfortable. The Rosie underwear range is excellent too. I’ve got a gorgeous cashmere scarf from last winter. Their bedding is fab. The food wipes the floor with the rest of the high street. It must be difficult trying to hit a price point that requires quality to be compromised.

I agree on collections. You might think that’s what you want, all trousers together and so on, but if you went into a huge store like M&S and it was nothing but rails of trousers, rails of shirts etc etc it would look awful - very old fashioned, uninspiring, and dull.

But they do need to pare it right down. Three or four main sections, with a clear and coherent design story to each one - work, casual/holiday, smart, classic. So that you know where to go to find the type of trouser/top/dress/jeans you need.

From today's Guardian
" This week Marks & Spencer’s clothing boss Jill McDonald lost her job in part for presiding over what has been dubbed “Jeansgate”. M&S sells more jeans than any other UK retailer, shifting 570 pairs an hour every day of the year – around 5m pairs in total. But McDonald failed to buy enough stock for a collection promoted by TV presenter Holly Willoughby, so it sold out – resulting in empty rails in store for almost a month."

Seriously? We don't all want to look like Holly Willoughby pretending to wear M&S

No, but enough people probably do that they should have ensured there was stock to cope.

People who are on telly every day hold a huge amount of advertising sway over a sizeable market.

It would take more than clothes from M&S to make me look like HW.

Just arrived at my local store. This is absolutely what is at the heart of M&S's problems. Who, just who would buy this?

It's per una, nylon and £49.50!

Nylon? Are you sure?

Well if it looks like a duck and waljs like a duck. Perhaps it's called polyester but this one is shiny just like a 60's Brentford nylon sheet. It is the biggest horror I've seen in there for several seasons. It's also a deep fuschia and a combination of synthetic and warm will create breathtaking dark sweat patches.

I've always had a soft spot for M&S.

But this year was pretty much a desert (some years are). Apart from the scarves.

A few pretty skirts.

But wasn't tempted generally.

BUT I'm 5 foot 6 inches and big boobies. All their tops especially seem to stop at my waist. I think they cater for women around 5 foot?

Their tops are generally fine on me. I’m 5 foot 5 and busty.

I have the same problem MalagaMinx, especially with t-shirts/vest tops, mostly too short. On the rare occasion they seem long enough when I buy them, a couple of washes and they’re not...

I like Autograph, its well made and simple but if Im going to spend £250 on a leather jacket or £130 on a leather skirt, then I’ll go to All Saints or Reiss as the cut and style will be far better.

I find m&s clothes just too boxy and frumpy generally. There’s always something that’s just a little bit off or a little bit naff, such as pocket placement, skirt or top length, trouser width or neckline.

I also find that their skirts and dresses with a back zip never fit flush - I always have a lump where the zip ends - normally where the crack of my arse starts.

You can easily find all the trousers in colours or sizes on line. I rarely go into a M&S store. Do none of you shop on line? It’s so much easier.

Also M&S have huge stores. They a not a little section of a supermarket. Or a niche ship like Uniqlo. Where are their shops? I know of one. Lots of these comparisons are, frankly, not going to stock huge shops. Boden has about 2 shops.

M&S actually need to close more shops. Or scale them back when they are huge. I find the larger shops better and do find jeans in one place. However you certainly do if you shop on line. Is everyone in the dark ages on this thread? Who pops into M&S now? Oh yes, MN complainers!

Oh yes. I forgot. As for those cut off leather trousers: my new Poetry catalogue has the same! Different colour but the same. They Are Fashionable! You cannot stock a giant enterprise without stocking modern clothes.

I pop in all the time. I live right next to a big one, and it’s quite a nice new one. I buy from them in store and online (most of my clothing buys from other retailers are done online, M&S is pretty much the only one I physically visit regularly).

Bubbles I work in the middle of nowhere and I very much enjoy a turn around the shops for an hour at weekends. If I order from m&s I collect in store, try on and return immediately. I also like to feel the fabric and see how something hangs before I buy.

Stock control as well as design has been a big problem for years. And not just when they design something good and it flies off the shelves. Basics - plain white school shirts for girls already sold out in all sizes! Simple white knickers - discontinued. Bras in a 30" back nowhere to be seen.

They need to get the basics right but seem to be focused on big changes that boards seem to like - you don't get investors swooning over someone coming in and saying "we're going to make sure school uniform is always available throughout July and August", they want to hear "we've identified the 35-45 women as key growth segment so we'll design 2 new collections targetting them"

I do a bit of online clothes shopping (eBay aside) but much prefer to see and try things and not faff about with returns.

Not sure if my link will work but has anyone seen this blog?

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.instagram.com/www.instagram.com/marksandspencer_rachel/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.instagram.com/www.instagram.com/marksandspencer_rachel/?hl=en

She makes M&S clothes look great - although I worked with her for a bit in the late 90s and she generally looked great in anything that she wore.