The Big Easy – in store now
This week was all about press shows as retailers launched their Autumn Winter 16/17 collections and after reading my recent post on M&S we were invited to meet style director Belinda Earl, who was interested to hear what we thought of the A/W 16/17 range.
I started the day reading the Vogue review which stated “EARTH-SHATTERING news from Middle England’s retail cornerstone, Marks & Spencer will be joining the see-now, buy-now model for autumn’.
I have to admit I was confused by this, as the whole ‘see-now, buy-now’ thing is indeed big news for high end designer brands who realised that their six months ahead runway collections are all over social media instantly, meaning that 1. consumers want to buy them straight away and 2. the high street stores are able to have “versions” of them available at the same time their ranges hit the stores.
‘See now buy now’, makes sense for brands like Burberry, to allow consumers to instantly buy catwalk looks and ensure their covetable new season collections stay exclusive – but I couldn’t quite get why it mattered to M&S. But it was definitely a clever way to promote their latest in-store range at the press show.
The Big Easy
Keen to remain positive and desperate to like the range, I put these thoughts to the back of my mind and concentrated on the clothes.
We started with the “Big Easy” collection which is available in the stores right now. Revolutionary because it encompasses pieces from all of the M&S brands, the collection is minimal, trans-seasonal and indeed easy to wear. Neutral colours, high quality fabrics and understated styling, with a variety of price points there’s nothing not to like – and we did.
Moving onto the the four key looks for the season Belinda explained ‘we want to make the collection more modern and relevant and be more up to date with our consumer and to create a more cohesive message across the store by buying less options but buying more deeply into them, meaning there will be two colourways rather than four, ensuring there will be more stock of the best colours’.
She added ‘we also can’t do these more minimalist styles in poor fabrics, so we’ve worked hard at getting the fabric quality high”.
Ever the realist, I asked- “it all looks great here – but what will it look like for my sister in law in Doncaster?”
Belinda explained ‘We will put elements of each collection in every store, with the key pieces sitting at the front of the store to make a credible impact and bring in newness. Some of our customers in the more local store shop M&S every day, so we know newness is important to them. Our new CEO came up through the stores, he understands the challenges we have and is determined to get it right. But for our customer the go-to is online – with the Alexa range, we saw big interest in shops obviously, but the real, huge surge was on-line. And our best customers shop over both stores and the internet seamlessly’.
Highlights for us included a velvet dressing-gown coat and trouser suit (above – but why don’t they come in navy or black?), great quality outwear, exclusively designed prints and well designed tailoring with just the right amount of detail.
Overall, we feel things are looking up at M&S and they are striving to create good quality clothes that we actually want to wear – but as always we will reserve judgement for when we see them in real life – in that Doncaster store.
As I’ve said before – lifestyle people, it’s all about lifestyle!!
I bought the white shirt dress in the photo above – it had a lovely feel, but was too pale on me with my blonde hair and northern European skin. It was also a bit too transparent for my conservative office, but too smart for me to wear when not at work – I did like it though, it was good quality and expensive-looking, especially for the price. I would have kept it if it was, say, navy.
Also bought the ecru denim culottes and love these – high-waisted, very fitted around the waist, good details (though not completely convinced by the exposed zip) and I think they will prove to be very practical (despite the pale colour!). ‘
I live rurally and work in London – not sure to what extent I resemble your SIL in Doncaster but I don’t usually shop in M&S for clothes (except for the children’s school uniform). I like the look of this range though, especially what you’ve featured above (which mostly isn’t yet available online).
I don’t shop in M&S except for food (all the time for food. It is a joy). I do like the olive parka and dark blue dress shown in the photo, and yes, I would buy and wear if (a) the fabric isn’t rubbish (b) I could actually find it (either in a shop or online – almost all my clothes are bought online as I have lost the ability to find stuff in a real shop).
All looks a bit same old same old to me and derivative. The asymmetrical skirt is a definitely a nod to punk a la Jean Paul Gautier’s kilts. I live in the Shires which should he be M&S heartland, so not sure what version of this collection we’ll get.
As so often withM&S they get details and colours a bit wrong. Elastic acted cuffs on the green parka…. The over large print on the animal print dress. I doubt if that pink on the velvet trouser suit flatters anyone … Why not navy?
Odd looking collar and extra cuff bits on the tweed coat. Split sleeves will be out of fashion by Autumn.
Girl is lovely with fabulous jacket. The warm jacket looks adorable on you as the blue colour gives a warm feeling this will enhance more when you will have a shaped eyebrow that will enhance your personality and make you look glorious. Good sharing.
Thank you fnf mods
I’m really interested in it and would like to find out more. Could you please add new things to your blog when you learn more? nytimes crossword
The “see-now, buy-now” model is definitely an interesting shift, especially for a brand like M&S. I agree with your point that it makes more sense for high-end designers where exclusivity is a key selling point. For the high street, it feels like it’s more about speed to market and capitalizing on trends that are already visible. I’ve been thinking about how this impacts consumer expectations across the board, and it makes me wonder if eventually all retailers will have to adopt some version of it to keep up. I wrote about a similar approach to trend forecasting on OrbitDash CC and found that the faster you can iterate, the better. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out for M&S’s A/W collection.
The point about Marks & Spencer potentially adopting a “see-now, buy-now” model is really interesting, especially coming from a retailer that often feels a step behind the fast-fashion cycle. It makes sense for high-end brands that want to capitalize on immediate social media buzz, but I wonder how it will translate to M&S. Will they be able to produce updated versions of trends quickly enough to compete, or will it just mean their core pieces are available sooner? I’ve been playing around with some online puzzles lately, like Mahjong Solitaire CC, and find that the “instant gratification” aspect of solving a level is quite satisfying. I’m curious if M&S is aiming for that same feeling with their collections.
The “see now, buy now” concept really is fascinating to think about, especially when a brand like M&S, which has historically operated on a different timeline, is considering it. I appreciate the distinction you make between high-end designers and how it trickles down. It makes sense for Burberry to capitalize on immediate social media buzz, but for M&S, it feels like a bigger strategic shift. I’ve always admired their quality basics, and I’m keen to see if this new model impacts the feel and accessibility of their core pieces. I actually explored some of the challenges of fast fashion versus lasting style on lily lovebraids, and it makes me wonder how M&S will balance trend responsiveness with their established reputation for durability.
The mention of “see-now, buy-now” really caught my eye, especially in relation to M&S. I agree that for high-end brands, it makes perfect sense given how quickly trends disseminate on social media. It feels like a natural evolution for them. However, I’m curious how M&S plans to implement this. Will it be across their entire range, or just specific collections? I wonder if this shift will impact the quality or pricing of their garments. I tend to associate M&S with reliable staples, and I hope this move doesn’t compromise that. It’s a big change for a retailer with such a long history. I’ve been looking at how different retailers are adapting to faster fashion cycles, and it’s fascinating to see these strategies unfold. Interestingly, I wrote about a similar approach to real-time engagement for online services on OrbitDash and found that quick adaptation is key.
The “see-now, buy-now” concept is definitely an interesting shift, and I can see why it would be confusing when applied to a brand like M&S. It makes so much more sense for luxury brands to align their runway items with immediate availability, as you mentioned with Burberry. I wonder if M&S’s approach will be more about making *similar* styles accessible faster, rather than exact runway replicas. It’s a challenging balance to strike between trend responsiveness and maintaining their established brand identity. I’m curious to see how they implement it and if it impacts the perceived value of their collections. It reminds me a bit of how quickly trends can cycle through, and how important it is to have tools that allow for rapid visualization of changes. I wrote about a similar approach on AI Room Designer and found that speed and responsiveness are key for consumers in many areas.
The “see-now, buy-now” concept is definitely an interesting shift, and I understand your confusion about M&S adopting it. It really does make more sense for the high-fashion brands where the instant gratification of seeing a runway look and being able to buy it immediately is part of the appeal. I’ve been following a lot of discussions on this topic, and I wrote about a similar approach on lily lovebraids and found that for accessible brands, it’s more about bridging the gap between what’s shown and what’s available quickly. I wonder if M&S is aiming for that, or if it’s a more nuanced strategy. The collection itself looks promising though – that olive parka is rather chic!
The “see-now, buy-now” model M&S is exploring is really interesting, especially when contrasted with high-end brands. It makes complete sense for luxury labels where runway immediacy drives demand. I’m curious to see how M&S navigates this on the high street, where price point and accessibility are key. I wrote about a similar approach to product launch immediacy on myink ai and found that customer feedback loops become even more critical. I do like the look of that olive parka, though – it seems like a practical yet stylish option for the season. I hope the fabric quality lives up to the visual promise.
The “see-now, buy-now” concept mentioned in the Vogue review definitely seems to be the big talking point. It’s interesting how M&S is approaching it, especially when you compare it to high-end designers. For luxury brands, it makes total sense given how quickly trends spread online and how quickly high street retailers can then replicate those looks. I’m curious to see how M&S navigates this – will it truly offer immediate access to new pieces that feel fresh and exclusive, or will it be more of an evolutionary step for their existing model? It’s a bit like trying to guess the next word in a daily challenge, you need to see the pieces to really judge their immediate appeal. I wrote about a similar approach to trend response on Wordleos and found that consumer anticipation is key.
The “see-now, buy-now” concept is fascinating, and it’s interesting that M&S is considering it. I agree that for high-fashion houses, it makes sense to capitalize on immediate social media buzz. For a brand like M&S, though, I wonder if the logistics of turning around production that quickly would impact quality or price. I’ve seen some brands try this with mixed results; sometimes the quality suffers when speed is prioritized. I’m curious to see how their A/W 16/17 collection actually lands and if this model will be a success for them. It feels like a big shift. I’ve been exploring different business models in strategy games, like those on FrontWars.io, and the implementation of new mechanics can be tricky but rewarding if done right.