M&S takes the catwalk plunge

Marks and Spencer held its first ever London Fashion Week show at the Design Museum on Friday with 310 guests including celebrities like Joan Collins and Ian Wright.

Fashion with a small f

M&S womenswear director Maddy Evans described the collection's message as 'fashion with a small f, not a capital F', balancing contemporary trends with practical comfort.

“"fashion with a small f, not a capital F"”

Half the pieces under £50

All clothes went on sale as the show began, with half priced under £50 and the most expensive item, a leather coat, at £450.

“with half of the pieces under £50”

Contemporary without being cutting edge

The collection picked up on current trends like sharp kilts, low-rise slouchy denim, and neutral palettes with red pops, rather than trying to define the next fashion direction.

Diverse casting reflects customer base

Models of varying ages and body sizes were chosen to reflect M&S's 23 million customers, with nods to the brand's 100-year fashion history.

“were chosen to reflect our 23 million customers”

Second place in style perception

M&S now ranks second behind Zara in style perception, with director Maddy Evans saying that's exactly where they want to be as 'fashion for everybody'.

“"Zara are the cutting edge of fashion, and we are fashion for everybody."”

London Fashion Week gets fresh momentum

M&S's show is part of a broader resurgence for London Fashion Week, with McQueen returning from Paris and Christopher Kane joining Mulberry.

The gamble paid off

Celebrity guests like Joan Collins and Kemi Badenoch expressed enthusiasm for pieces, suggesting M&S successfully bridged the gap between fashion world credibility and high street accessibility.

“Joan Collins declared the coats "very chic"”