Does anybody else get disappointed when a brand they like ends up in M&S?

[Spiracles]

M&S seems to be gobbling up everything.

Kitri, Albaray, Never Fully Dressed, Nobody's Child, Chinti and Parker...

I'm not even including Baukjen and Hush. Although obvs the next one would be ME+EM.

I find some brands I like, doing interesting stuff, then they end up on M&S 😥

Ha ha. I agree with your last comment.

I don't have a problem with seeing other brands in M and S, Next etc. I prefer to see and touch clothes before I buy.

I have seen a lot of Nobody's Child clothes online and thought they looked nice then when I have seen the real article in M and S I find that most of their dresses are too low cut for me.

I don’t see it as any different to what Next have done. You can get all sorts from them.

Love it as where I live it’s hard to get stuff delivered and returned, but with M&S it’s easy. So I was miss out on these brands as no where local stocked them. Here it’s outdoor clothing shops or nothing.

I always assume the brand needs the M&S connection in order to remain viable. (Not the one-off collabs but those taken under the umbrella permanently.)

I haven’t actually bought clothes at M&S this century - but yes, if the brands I do buy became permanent M&S partners I would be (can I speak frankly?) a bit shocked. And mortified. And would probably stop buying them.

(I am very sorry.)

You can already get a small selection of Rixo from Next. I think it’s brilliant. I love the accessibility.

As most of the old department stores have closed, I think it's marvellous! Even better when stores have some of the ranges on the racks. I'd also order from M&S rather than the retailer direct because returns are easier.

On the other hand, the clothes are far nicer.

Op, try JL own brand. They have the nicest staples, and I doubt they will sell them elsewhere. And not everywhere has a John Lewis.

I agree OP, I get that brands need the wider exposure and access but it just makes everything so homogeneous now.

I just bought both my teenagers coats from Superdry (can’t believe they are back in style as a brand) via M&S because they sold them and if they hadn’t I would have bought them from another brand because I don’t live near a Superdry so I wouldn’t have been able to return them if I had needed to.

This is a good thing.

I know what you mean. I consider myself M & S shopping as separate to other shops. I go there for basics and if I'm looking on there I do not want to see a Ghost dress or whatever.

It does make the brands feel less special to me.

Whatever I think though, it clearly works for them for some reason our they wouldn't be doing it.

I like M&S carrying other brands. When DH was an employee I used to buy all my favourite brands (Seasalt, Fatface etc) through the M&S website to get the staff discount.

Well thanks for name dropping loads of brands I’d never really heard of and which don’t have branches close to me @Spiracles My introverted heart has somehow agreed to attend multiple Christmas events so maybe I can find something suitable. Although big boobs, big menopausal belly and short legs may still struggle 🤷‍♀️😮

Yes I agree with this. M&S’s brand is shrinking and with it the guarantee of quality. I’m not interested in overpriced niche brands. Debenhams, which was an actual department store, went to the wall and now M&S is now filling that space.

Why does it matter that they end up on M&S if they're still the same brands?

It's a good thing as it can be delivered to store, especially as I live in one of those postcodes which is often excluded. I don't understand the concept of gatekeeping brands and wanting them for yourself. I'd have no idea what brand someone was wearing unless it was emblazoned across the front.
That said, I invariably set the filter just to show M&S as I get fed up with results full of stuff that are out of my price range.

I don't care what brand something is. Surely it's more original to just pick and choose what you like no matter what brand (or none) than to follow particular brands?

I bought a beautiful light brown leather jacket from Lipsy ( through the Next website) years ago. I've worn and worn it. It's fabulous. I live in rural Herefordshire. We don't get many cool things because we are in the middle of nowhere. I still ( at 60) care very much about what I wear. Without huge brands doing this with other, smaller brands, I wouldn't have the opportunity to even know that Lipsy existed.

I haven’t actually bought clothes at M&S this century - but yes, if the brands I do buy became permanent M&S partners I would be (can I speak frankly?) a bit shocked. And mortified. And would probably stop buying them.

Really? I'm not getting at you, obviously you think what you think, but I can't get my head round this?

I think it is great that these brands are now on MandS. The site is easy to navigate. As said by pp, it probably the only way these brands keep going. You can get decent brands of men’s shirts on them too.

You are being ridiculous. M&S needed to rescue itself by becoming more like a department store that offers space to other brands. The brands you like have chosen to sell through M&S.

I just hope they don’t go down the same route as BHS. I went to BHS to buy their clothes, bedding, home wares etc and not other names. Miss BHS for basics.

I’m slightly disturbed that Mumsnet create automated clickable links though!

Exactly, someone in some fancy clothes shop complimented my trousers the other day, they're from Lidl!!!

Eh?