Marks & Spencer news and archive

Marks & Spencer CEO steps down, appoints new leadership team

British department retailer Marks & Spencer has announced its chief executive officer of six years, Steve Rowe, will be stepping down as part of its planned succession programme. Rowe, who will be leaving after the company announces its preliminary results on May 25, has been with the retailer since the age of 15, working his way up and serving...

Podcast

Podcast: UnEdited speaks to lingerie design expert Soozie Jenkinson

In this episode, UnEdited speaks to the head of lingerie design at Marks & Spencer Soozie Jenkinson about the critical lingerie design elements. Listen to the podcast below. Source: UnEdited via Spotify Photo credit: Unsplash

BusinessFeatured

Marks & Spencer swings to full-year loss, plans more store closures

Marks & Spencer says it plans to close more stores after swinging to a full-year loss as lockdowns took their toll on the business and in particular its clothing sales. The British high street giant reported a pre-tax loss of 201.2 million pounds in the year to April 3, compared with a profit of 67.2 million pounds a year earlier. After...

People

Marks & Spencer appoints new virtual merchandising boss

Marks & Spencer has appointed Ben Wittmann as its new head of virtual merchandising. Wittmann, who will start the new role in August, is currently senior director of omnichannel marketing and visual merchandising for Gap Europe and has previously worked at a number of fashion retailers including Zara, Selfridges, Topshop and Banana Republic. In...

PeopleFeatured

Marks & Spencer reshuffles management, joint COOs announced

Marks & Spencer has announced a reshuffle to its management team as it pushes forward with its transformation strategy. Chief transformation and strategy director Katie Bickerstaffe and managing director of Marks & Spencer’s Food division Stuart Machin are to become joint chief operating officers. In her new role, Bickerstaffe will give...

People

Marks & Spencer appoints Mars Food president as non-exec director

Marks & Spencer has appointed Fiona Dawson to its board as a non-executive director, effective May 25. Dawson is currently global president of Mars Food, and has held other leadership positions at the company including president of global retail and Mars Chocolate UK, and European marketing vice president. She will join the Marks & Spencer...

Retail

On a deserted Oxford Street, department stores are downsizing

London’s West End, in particular the shopping thoroughfare of Oxford Street, Soho and Mayfair, was, in pre-covid times, a haven for shoppers and fashion. But not anymore. With stores closed and a retail industry facing unsurmountable pressures, the UK’s world-class shopping destination is under threat. Oxford Street is perennially empty, with...

Retail

Marks & Spencer adds Joules, Phase Eight, Hobbs and Seasalt to line-up

Marks & Spencer has reportedly struck deals to add four new labels to its womenswear line-up in the spring. When stores reopen after the UK’s current lockdown is lifted, the high street giant will sell clothes by Joules, Phase Eight, Hobbs and Seasalt both in-store and online, The Times reports. Marks & Spencer chose the brands because they have...

BusinessFeatured

Jaeger to cut 233 jobs and close all stores as M&S finalises deal

The joint administrators of Jaeger have announced that 233 jobs will be lost at the fashion retailer following the completion of its acquisition by Marks & Spencer. Advisory firm FRP announced Friday that it has secured a deal for the sale of the stock and supporting marketing assets of the Jaeger brand to Marks and Spencer. As part of the deal,...

BusinessFeatured

Marks & Spencer buys Jaeger out of administration

Marks & Spencer has acquired loss-making fashion retailer Jaeger out of administration for an undisclosed sum. The purchase includes the acquisition of Jaeger's brand and stock, but not its 63 remaining standalone stores. Jaeger, which was previously owned by Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM) Group, fell into administration in November along with EWM...

BusinessFeatured

Marks & Spencer Christmas sales slump, clothing hit by store closures

Marks & Spencer has reported a slump in sales for the typically busy Christmas period, driven by significant drops in its clothing and homeware departments. For the 13 Weeks to 26 December, group Q3 sales dropped 8.4 percent to 2.77 billion pounds. UK sales fell 8.2 percent, or 7.6 percent on a like-for-like basis, to 2.53 billion pounds, while...

Fashion

Marks & Spencer signs call to action over forced labour in Xinjiang, China

Marks & Spencer has become one of the first companies to formally sign a call to action over human rights violations in Xinjiang, China, where Uighurs and other minority groups are reportedly being forced into manual labour. In December, a new report released by the Washington-based Center for Global Policy found that more than half a million...