The next suede skirt: M&S autumn range looks to find new must-have

http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/may/06/marks-and-spencer-autumn-preview-next-suede-skirt

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Marks & Spencer fashion made headlines twice last month. First it was announced that, after almost four years of decline, sales of general merchandise – including womenswear – rose 0.7% in the final quarter of the last financial year. Secondly, its tan suede 70s midiskirt – already seen on every fashion week front row – finally went on general sale, swiftly selling out despite costing £199.

The precise relationship between these two events is not easy to unpick. Despite the fanfare surrounding the suede skirt and the pink coat which preceded it as the mascot of M&S fashion, the reality of the business is that such high-end purchases make up only a tiny percentage of sales.

M&S’s new sourcing directors, Mark and Neal Lindsey – the brothers widely credited as key drivers of Next’s success, tempted out of retirement by the M&S chief executive, Marc Bolland – would justifiably claim more credit for the turnaround than the skirt. On the other hand, the garment’s photogenic appearances on the likes of Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo have leant glamour to the company’s financial reports.

Related: This season's cult item: The Autograph suede skirt

Even if the power of the skirt is totemic, fashion is important at M&S. In an ever-more sprawling marketplace, the skirt or coat of the season gives the brand an identifiable face which customers can recognise. And it is the catchy fashion message that motivates the largely female customer base to shop – even if, once in store, she fills her basket with tights and ready meals.

At a preview of their upcoming autumn fashion ranges, the style director, Belinda Earl, and her team were unwilling to be drawn into the game of spotting the next suede skirt. (“We didn’t single out that skirt – that was you,” they point out.) There are, however, several “hero” pieces ripe for fashion page stardom.

A coral and cream leopard print coat at £159 balances Paris Fashion Week appeal (very Louis Vuitton catwalk) with the perennial British high-street siren call of animal print. A pair of stack-heeled suede knee boots for £99, which work with both the mid-thigh and maxi-length hems of the season, show definite fashion frenzy promise. A black velvet jumpsuit (£59), scheduled to drop in time for party season, is another one to watch.

Related: Marks & Spencer clothing sales rise for first time in four years

The most influential names and trends from the catwalk are adroitly referenced. An ultra deep V-neck rust coloured tunic, styled over an ivory polo neck, is a clear nod to Céline. The 1970s trend which continues from this season into next is signalled by berry and rust tones, printed silk blouses, wide legged trousers and chunky heeled sandals. The continuing rise of menswear influences is reflected in a three-piece tweed trouser suit for day, and a sleek corduroy velvet cocktail trouser suit for evening.

The M&S modus operandi is to steer the customer gently towards new looks, without scaring the horses. When I note the array of alternative autumn coverups – ponchos, capes, blanket coats – and comment flippantly that cardigans are over, Earl corrects me that “cardigans have moved on”. For next season, customers in search of cosy jumpers will be guided toward fluid, longline two-piece knitwear looks which share DNA with the latest Stella McCartney collection.

Related: The summer of suede: will M&S strike gold with ‘timeless’ skirt?

Pragmatic factors of affordability and availability are crucial. M&S has learnt from autumn 2013, when the buzz around the pink coat was undermined by the frustration of customers unable to source it. This spring’s £199 suede skirt was sold alongside a faux-suede version for £39.50 which became a hit in its own right. Earl said: “Quality is our USP, and that is about fabrication, but also design detailing and how well-made something is. Our customer gauges value not just by the price but by how often she wears something.”

The high-end Best of British range, which is designed and produced entirely in the UK, makes bold raids into the territory of Jaeger and Burberry with a house check cashmere scarf and painterly silk day dresses. Trainers made in Bolton in collaboration with Walsh, the company that produced sports shoes for the 1948 British Olympic team, will sell for £109.

Frances Russell, M&S’s trading director, namechecked the Lindsey brothers as key allies in the fashion team’s continuing drive to modernise the company. She said: “Working closely with the new sourcing directors means that we can react very quickly now to catwalk, to street-style, to celebrity. That is a real challenge to our suppliers, because of course what they would prefer is big orders placed early. But from a customer point of view, it is much better.”