Bella Freud x Marks & Spencer- Will you be shopping the collection?

[Britpopbaby]

I’m liking the scarf and blouse.

That is so pathetic. It's as awful as the Karen thing. Anyone who buys this needs to take a look at themselves.

I must admit, I know it's very, very wrong but I do have the occasional wry smile when I read about Generation Z giving Millenials a hard time. What goes around comes around etc. (I know, I know not all Zedders or Millenials!) But Lord help us all once Generation Alpha have finished cutting their teeth.

Anyway back to Bella. I see the blazer's now sold out in a lot of sizes although I'm sure there will be returns. I might have taken a punt on the brown cricket jumper too but I'm watching the cash plus the mohair content put me off.

Maybe someone prefers it to a plain jumper.
If I wore a slogan, I'd prefer it to be something meaningful as people will try to read a slogan.

I tend to see them as an 'I can afford a £££ jumper' sort of statement.
Ironically, slogans suggesting stylishness (e.g. 'vogue') usually look cheap.

I hate everything apart from the pinstripe jacket and trousers, which I've bought.

I'm a bit concerned it might look mannish as I'm tall with broad shoulders, but if it does it'll be going straight back.

I don't do slogans, so the jumpers do nothing at all for me.

Please report back @DramaAlpaca - would be good to know what the suit is like.

Surely the point of Bella Freud was that they were easily recognisable to other women in the know, and subtly signalled you were the type of woman who could spend £600 on a slogan jumper.

I saw loads of women wearing them in Holland Park for example.

In the M&S version, you are just a woman with Honey written across your tits so all the appeal of the product is gone.

Slogans are out I'm afraid - normcore at the moment - come on M&S catch up

Nah it looks a bit shit!

@DramaAlpaca I bought the blazer in store this morning - i am 6ft and don’t think it looks mannish on me at all. I’m not particularly broad though. I’m raging the long length trousers sold out!

I think being in the know still is the point, and that's what separates it from Live, Laugh, Love. Okay it doesn't show you've spent £600 on a jumper, but it shows you were up at 8am on day of release to snap up a piece from a fairly limited collection, that still is hardly cheap.

The snobbery on this thread is quite funny. I wonder if we'll see lots of 1970 jumpers on Vinted as women rush to separate themselves from gasp an M&S shopper.

I love M and S, mostly. It's Bella I don't like! I do like the pinstripe blazer.

I worked in retail a million years ago and the feeling was re fashion-once it hit M&S it was over...

The snobbery on this thread is quite funny. I wonder if we'll see lots of 1970 jumpers on Vinted as women rush to separate themselves from gasp an M&S shopper.

Do FO! I spent the 80s and 90s mixing M & Ess with MaxMara, Armani, Jil Sander … The white vests, the men’s cashmere, tights, leggings, wool … Years and years of Good Plain Stuff that someone who grew up with handmade clothes and Vogue would be perfectly proud to wear. So don’t tell me that turning away from them later was snobbery. It was exercising judgement.

I know they’re supposed to be undergoing a resurgence. I’ve passed through a few shops selling the new things and haven’t yet seen anything to tempt me back.

@ANagsHead err, not sure why you think what I posted was either to or about you... What on earth makes you think it's appropriate to tell someone to fuck off over a slogan jumper?! I'll take your judgement with a pinch of salt, thanks.

It’s odd to me that the 90% merino 10% cashmere jumper (sold out) is £129 when there’s a 100% cashmere one for £139. It says the merino one is oversized, but the largest cashmere one would be oversized on someone smaller.

A friend used to work in Reiss - she said a polyester dress could cost the same as similar silk ones.

If anyone is keen to get the striped blazer it’s still in stock in size 18, with skirts in size 16 or 20 and trousers in all sizes above 10. I’m about to empty my basket which has a blazer and skirt in it.

I wish it said how long the mini skirt is, though. I ordered one, plus jacket and trousers earlier but expect the skirt will be too short and the trousers too wide for my short, fat legs.

I've seen one of the jumpers, sold out at £129 being sold on ebay for £200. Sharks!

Skirts are very short

I got the red bag and the pink scarf. Mainly because I’m obsessed with pink/red/leopard print.

There's quite a lot on Vinted too at inflated prices. The grey jumper RRP £139 on for almost £100 more. Although it seems to be back in stock at M&S, I'm not sure whether that would be returns/cancelled orders or another drop.

Ironically I have not bought anything! I liked the black and white knitted vest but wasn’t keen on the fabric composition.

It's all ghastly.

Like Next when it changed from being quality clothing in the 80s, to the tat it is now.

Who wants slogans on clothes?

The pleated skirt (that matches the blazer) is shorter than I expected but I quite like it, even though it's too short for me. I think it un-formalises the effect of a pinstripe suit and makes it look more fun and even a little bit cheeky.

I'm quite surprised by some of the strong opinions. I get why some people find it all a bit bland and safe and well... M&S, but I don't quite understand the 'ghastly' reactions.

I'm 5ft 9 @Octoberaddsagale and this is the skirt on me. I didn't get it as felt, even with opaque tights, it was a little too short.

Gutted to have missed out on the long length trousers online as I tried the regular ones on in store and I liked the them.

Waiting for the longer length jeans to arrive as they were nice on store (but definitely too short).

I also bought the Nature jumper and the pink Honey top (obsessed with Ursula Andress).

Thank you for the photo, @Zampa.

I'll wait until mine arrives. I'm only 5' 3" tall, and relatively short waist to knee as well, so I might be OK.

Can you report on the quality of the Bella Freud x M&S things?

Edit - Interesting. I didn't add the magic link to M&S. It must be an automatic MN thing.