'Girls. Sienna Miller x M&S just went on sale,' went the message on my school mum WhatsApp group last year. It was 6am and we all should have been getting our kids snack boxes packed. Instead, we were shopping, sharing links to what we were snapping up from the second Sienna collaboration before it sold out.
And it’s not just my school mum set. Bang-on fashion collaborations like that with Sienna and Bella Freud helped M&S’s fashion sales soar last year - all whilst subtly shifting its demographic younger. The M&S x Bella Freud customer was, on average, ten years younger than the womenswear average. Perception is shifting too, with style perception amongst audiences up 6% YOY with improvements across all ages but most significantly amongst 35–54-year-olds.
That momentum is what’s behind M&S products now frequently going viral and selling out. Those suede brown loafers you’ve seen all over TikTok? The carrot leg jeans that have now sold 20,000 pairs and counting? The message is clear: forget your kids’ school uniform, M&S is now the one stop shop for your own new season wardrobe.
Director of M&S womenswear Maddy Evans believes what’s behind the recent success is a two-pronged promise - fashion nous but with value baked into it. Plus, her team’s obsession with tracking audience data and responding with clothes British women want to wear. 'We tested the mini skirt trend and when it performed really well for our audience, we went big on the trend,' she said at M&S’s spring/summer preview. 'The same is true of more bikinis and a renewed focus on crochet as the key knitwear for those changeable spring days.'
Now, the much-anticipated spring collection is finally here - all hard working, hard wearing but with high fashion kudos, here are my highlight of the M&S spring collection. And, now that the sun's out, there's no better excuse to shop.
Shop: My M&S Spring Highlights
The suede trench coat
www.marksandspencer.com
When I touched this, I honestly couldn’t believe it wasn’t suede. This taps into that 70s boho trend that’s filtered off the catwalk into real life, but at a brilliant price. Think of this coat as an instant outfit. Throw it over the most basic jeans and a tee and you’ve got a ready look.
The summer kilt
www.marksandspencer.com
Remember that navy kilt that went viral last year? Our publisher asked her mum to go to M&S in Essex to track it down. This lace version is the summer spin. Perfect for work but also for park picnics where, I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for a longer length skirt. The navy has just landed, and the white version is coming soon.
'The' spring jacket
www.marksandspencer.com
There’s a reason why this jacket has already sold out a few times over. It looks so much more expensive than the £65 price tag. The perfect transitional piece, this is a school run to office commute look sorted.
The perfect spring jean
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M&S is the leading denim retailer in the UK. We’ve written about the Carrot leg jean endlessly, but for me last summer it was the palazzo that was the hidden gem. These front pleated jeans are what I’ll be seeking out for a touch of denim newness. The high waist, wide leg is super flattering and can be dressed up with sandals and a shirt for work and worn at the weekend with trainers and a knit. The denim is super hard wearing too, so you can stick it them in the wash as many times as you need. Clue: a lot.
The cow print fisherman sandal
www.marksandspencer.com
I often overlook M&S for footwear, but when I see its edit at press days I realise how great the shoes are. Comfort is king as you’d expect, but increasingly the offering is really trend led too. These sandals in the cow print that’s been everywhere are a good example – and at £49.50 you won’t be afraid they’ll pick up scuffs in the playground.
Shop: More M&S Spring Collection
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