Marks & Spencer

[french_chic]

M&S in Uk has really lost its competive edge it had in the past and is known now as the company which has goods made in the UK with bad quality and expensive. Their fashion really sucks, and most of the designs except uma are very eighties sort of feel. Their designs and prices cannot compete with most departmental stores like Debemhams, Self-fridges, BHS, H&M who are really quick to adopt the previous season's runway designs into the streets.

However, I still go to M&S to stock up on underwears and biscuits.

 

[Acid]

^^ its not the department stores its losing out to.......

its the supermarkets like tesco and asda which bring out clothing lines
who the hell wants to get all their wardrobe while they buy their food anyway

such cheapskates, and generally the type of people responsible for ruining good trends

 

[mdankwah]

m&s just alientaed it's customers by confuisng them with so many choices, i'm all up for the food and clothes but what's with the furniture and the bitter war over ownership of the brand.

but i do agree with you Acid about the Cherokee range at Tesco and George at Asda and the most annoying thing of all, people tapping thier arses twice in those Asda tv ads.

 

[helena]

m&s just alientaed it's customers by confuisng them with so many choices, i'm all up for the food and clothes but what's with the furniture and the bitter war over ownership of the brand.

The furninture is really nice I think. I agree about too many choices but they are axing per una (about time its shockingly bad - and influenced bu junya w not in a good way though). I think the Limited Collection range they did recently is really nice - better quality & modern classic with some interesting fabrics. Cropped pants & lovely chiffon blouses - and some nice jewellery.

if they could get their shoes lines sorted out it would be much better.

I have always liked M&S - there's a safe-ness and comfortability about it thats reassuring. Their food is great - love raspberry royale trifle (yum) and the quality produce.

Its not high fashion & its not trying to be - i think it should be aiming at the Zara market - quality & classic but affordable. The George and Florence +Fred lines are too low end I think. Really disgusting.

Acid - get thee to M&S womenswear next time you are there & see what you think. Its not all bad I hope you'll find.

 

[softgrey]

i got some lovely tights there...
i shopped at the covent garden store almost daily while i was in london...i really enjoyed the prepared foods...especially the soups...and the mashed potatoes with kale...great sandwiches that we don't have here...super fresh and tasty...while still reasonably priced and little effort...

wish we had some better choices here...prices are getting out of control in my area...

 

[helena]

what soup did you like ? - I love the spicy lentil & tomato! All this food talk is making me hungry.

 

[softgrey]

i think there was some stilton leek and potato...and some creamy mushroom...
the mashed potatos were absolutely sinful though...mmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

 

[Acid]

i think that food is really M&S's strong point, however their 'simply food' stores are failing

thats also to the likes of Sainsburys and Tesco leading the market.
and in central london especially WAITROSE

i think that if M&S could become more like a competitive supermarket as well as offering their yummy ready meals then they could do a lot better

 

[Alura]

Their food department is famous! I also remember they had some great chocolate bars. Sadfully M&S went broke in The Netherlands, all stores were being closed a few years ago. I think M&S has a strong reputation when it comes to lingerie, didn't the Queen of England buy lingerie there?

 

[Acid]

the other problem is.......once one superstore launches something which is making them a lot of money.......every other superstore will do exactly the same thing. especially with clothing ranges......they pretty much all end up looking the same too because theyre just ripping off rip offs........ and if they are all the same......people will buy which ever one is cheapest
the sad thing is they end up forgetting about what they did best just to try and out-do everyone else

 

[mdankwah]

i think that food is really M&S's strong point, however their 'simply food' stores are failing

thats also to the likes of Sainsburys and Tesco leading the market.
and in central london especially WAITROSE

i think that if M&S could become more like a competitive supermarket as well as offering their yummy ready meals then they could do a lot better

i don't really agree with you on the simply foods comment but waitrose is very clever that they concentrate most of their stores in central london and in return people buy their stuff compared to a waitrose in brixton or some other place

 

[helena]

but waitrose is very clever that they concentrate most of their stores in central london and in return people buy their stuff compared to a waitrose in brixton or some other place

sorry I don't understand - why is that clever. surely if you buy at waitrose they don't care if its central London or Brixton? can you explain?

we don't have waitrose in scotland

 

[mdankwah]

^
brixton is just and example, but the only waitrose i know are in central london so there must be a reason why waitrose is not distributed around,

there are m&s, tesco, sainsbury and all the others scattered all over the place.

Maybe waitrose just has a target audience

 

[Acid]

there are waitrose all over the place, its just obviously in rich areas like Belgravia, Gloucester Road, Kings Road, people like to buy the 'specialist' foods as well as the ordinary things.
u've seen the waitrose adverts right? those salmons which are rolled in smoked oak chippings and such.......they can tripple prices of foods by doing things as silly as that

 

[mdankwah]

^
thank you, just what i was trying to say

 

[helena]

MARKS & SPENCER is planning to spent £1 billion on a new store concept across the UK.

^^^ some good news for the troubled store. I really want M&S to do well.

 

[helena]

MAKE IT MY M&S

CAMERAS flashing like strobes, lots of bare flesh on the catwalk, a panel of top fashion editors in the front row along with model Laura Bailey and gorgeous models posing and pouting in huge shades for the photographers: it wasn't the usual way for Marks & Spencer to announce the arrival of its latest collection. But then, nothing about the event in SW1 yesterday was run-of-the-mill M&S – least of all the clothes. For spring/summer 2006 you could literally fill your wardrobe with it and your label-snob friends would be none the wiser: antique lace shrugs, dresses of crocheted cotton or pleated chiffon, gauzy printed blouses over loose, layered vests, short and long shorts, plenty of romantic broderie anglais and cardigans in every colour to finish the look. Part vintage-inspired, part Edie Sedgewick cool, part office lady chic, with a touch of Roland Mouret's galazy inspiration to keep things just so, this was surely the most desirable "Your M&S" has ever been. Look out for it in stores from January 2. (November 23 2005, AM)

^^from www.vogue.co.uk

 

[Becky_da_da_da]

I love the food and Sparks. Some of the Per Una stuff is cute, but I don't really shop round there that much.

They do bras and knick knocks that last forever though!

 

[vintage_princess]

The only thing I like about Marks & Spencers is the food. I spend all my vouchers in the food hall.

 

[Elegance.Is.Refusal.]

i've started a love affair with M&S i have hats and bags the new collection of clothes look good too i just havent bought any of it yet.

still love the food though and the wine its just too good.

is anyone else buying the clothes or accessories? i think most of my friends just assume i get them somewhere other than M&S though.