Key facts
- Marks & Spencer will hold a catwalk show at London Fashion Week in September to mark its 100th anniversary.
- The show will feature the retailer's latest women's and menswear collections.
- CEO Stuart Machin aims to position M&S as a key fashion destination for younger consumers.
- Items showcased will be available for purchase immediately after the show.
- The strategy includes trend-driven product drops and social media virality.
- M&S has previously held fashion shows in Ibiza and at Silverstone.
Marks & Spencer is set to participate in London Fashion Week this autumn, marking its 100th anniversary in the fashion industry with a dedicated catwalk show. The British high-street retailer will present its latest women's and menswear collections, aiming to bolster its image as a contemporary fashion destination.
Chief Executive Stuart Machin views the LFW debut as a significant opportunity to showcase M&S designs on a global platform and accelerate its transformation. The move aligns with efforts to attract a younger demographic, shifting away from its historical reputation for 'frumpiness,' a term previously used by its former CEO. The strategy involves trend-driven monthly product drops and creating viral items that resonate on social media platforms like TikTok.
Retail consultant Catherine Shuttleworth noted that M&S's participation signals confidence in its fashion credentials. The collections featured in the show will be available for immediate purchase online and in larger stores, a departure from the typical lead time for luxury brands. This approach has already seen success with affordable interpretations of luxury trends, appealing to customers in their 20s and 30s.
The retailer has previously held fashion shows in Ibiza and at Silverstone, and has enlisted celebrity ambassadors such as Gillian Anderson and Claudia Winkleman, alongside collaborations with Sienna Miller and Bella Freud. These initiatives, along with stocking other brands like Nobody's Child and Ghost London, have been credited by retail expert Elizabeth Stiles with elevating perceptions of the business.
Despite these efforts, some shareholders have voiced concerns that the focus on younger shoppers might alienate M&S's traditional customer base. Feedback from customers, including Machin's own mother, suggests a need to balance trend-driven items with more classic styles that cater to a broader age range. Consequently, future collections, including those for the September show, will incorporate pieces designed to appeal to a wider demographic.
M&S holds over 10% of the UK's total clothing sales market share and serves 12 million female customers. The company's journey includes a period outside the FTSE 100 in 2019, from which it returned four years later, and a significant cyber-attack in 2025 that disrupted online sales and impacted profits.