M&S to make London Fashion Week debut

Fresh from its recent fashion show at Silverstone, M&S announced on Wednesday that it will unveil its debut London Fashion Week (LFW) collection to a global audience this autumn.  

It comes as the business celebrates 100 years in the fashion industry and will see the brand on the official LFW runway schedule. It’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting schedule with McQueen returning to LFW, Christopher Kane making his Mulberry debut there and now M&S too. Its show will also be streamed live.

The core of the collection on show for the retail giant will be a see now, buy now offer of womenswear and menswear. The range will be available for purchase online and in flagship M&S stores nationwide as well as in key international markets.

We’ve become used to retailers showing at major fashion weeks and Topshop used to be an LFW regular. London-based Cos also shows on the runways regularly, although NYFW tends to be its chosen event. But it’s more unusual for such a diversified, family-focused retailer as M&S to be part of a one of the ‘big four’ fashion weeks.

However, that recent Silverstone show demonstrated how it’s more than capable of creating a fashion-focused catwalk-worthy collection.

CEO Stuart Machin said the LFW event will “build on the M&S Summer show and our world-first pit lane catwalk at the Silverstone British Grand Prix”.

Given that it also comes at a time when the British Fashion Council is aiming to make LFW more relevant to a wider audience across the UK (and beyond), CEO Laura Weir highlighted that it’s “a global platform for creativity, innovation and cultural influence, showcasing the very best of British fashion to the world. As one of the great icons of the British high street, and a valued patron of the British Fashion Council, M&S has played an important role in the nation’s retail and cultural story for generations”.  

She added: “Its debut shoppable collection at London Fashion Week is a significant moment, demonstrating how heritage, innovation and accessibility can come together to connect exceptional British design with consumers in new and relevant ways. It is a powerful example of how fashion can inspire, engage and reach audiences far beyond the runway”.