Key facts
- Marks & Spencer celebrated 100 years of fashion with its first London Fashion Week show.
- The collection featured contemporary styles inspired by the brand's archive.
- The brand aims to attract younger shoppers while retaining its core older audience.
- Models of diverse ages, sizes, and genders were featured in the show.
- M&S's fashion, home, and beauty market share increased from 9.6% in 2022-2023 to 10.2% in 2025-2026.
Marks & Spencer marked a century of selling fashion with its inaugural London Fashion Week catwalk show, aiming to reposition itself as a contemporary fashion destination. The event, held on Friday, showcased 43 womenswear and 10 menswear looks inspired by the brand's archive, with a focus on current trends and accessible price points, with half the collection priced at £50 or less.
Experts and shoppers noted a shift in perception for the retailer, which for a long time was seen as having a "fusty reputation" and being less valued by younger people. Chioma Nnadi, head of editorial content at British Vogue, observed a "fresh energy around the brand," attributing it to a new marketing strategy and a focus on "newer styles and relevant trends" without compromising on quality. Brand strategist Farron Clark stated that it is now "officially cool to buy your clothes from the high street retailer," highlighting M&S's success in appealing to women under 35 while still satisfying its core older audience.
Fashion influencer Perrie Sian commented that the "real height of fast fashion is behind us," with consumers now seeking "foundational pieces" for capsule wardrobes that are durable and well-made. She noted that shoppers are "willing to spend a little bit more" on items that "wash well and are made of cotton, not acrylic or polyester."
Following struggles during the Covid pandemic, M&S returned to growth in 2022-2023, with its fashion, home, and beauty market share reaching 9.6%. This figure increased to 10% in 2023-2024 and 10.5% in 2024-2025. Despite a hit in 2025 due to a cyber attack, the market share for fashion, home, and beauty now stands at 10.2% for 2025-2026. Nnadi also pointed to M&S's investment in its retail spaces, creating "welcoming, new and fresh" environments that offer an "accessible luxury" feel, which contributes to the in-person shopping experience being viewed as an activity by younger generations.