M&S has had another strong holiday season, with its clothing and home division outshining competitors and building on its recent resurgence.
Despite McKinsey stating the wider fashion industry’s outlook for 2025 appears to be a continuation of the sluggishness seen in 2024: revenue growth is expected to stabilize in the low single digits, M&S defied these odds with a 1.9% increase in sales over the 13 weeks leading up to 28 December.
At the heart of this success is M&S’s commitment to continuous improvement, driven by what CEO Stuart Machin describes as a culture of “being positively dissatisfied.”
The retailer is also confident of its resilience in the year ahead, as Machin says M&S will avoid ‘big job losses’ in 2025 despite mounting cost pressures following Labour’s fiscal budget.
But why is M&S so upbeat when so many other retailers are bracing for job cuts and store closures – and what does this mean for how they will perform in the year ahead?
A resilient market performance in a tough environment
Despite the wider market for clothing seeing a decline, M&S has bucked the trend.
Its clothing and beauty division not only grew but also gained market share, as core categories like denim and knitwear “outperformed”, reflecting the brand’s focus on quality, style, and value.
Globaldata senior apparel analyst Pippa Stephens explains that its strong performance is a result of its “focus on modernising its clothing designs, which is enabling it to draw in more young shoppers”.
She said that in core clothing categories like denim and knitwear, “consumers appreciated its quality and value for money when shopping for items they will get a lot of wear out of”.
“Customer demand for practical yet stylish options, from reliable denim to cozy knitwear, allowed us to stay in sync with their needs over the festive period,” said Machin.
M&S’s performance contrasts sharply with other fashion retailers struggling in the current climate, such as New Look, which is considering store closures, Next, which warned of slowed growth, and Quiz, which is delisting.
Quality, style, and value at the core
This Christmas cemented that M&S’s clothing and home division is well out of turnaround mode, and has re-established itself as a market leader, both in sale and style terms.
Machin credits this performance to M&S’s focus on quality, style, variety and value – as the retailer offered classic essentials and on-trend pieces during the festive season.
“We want customers to think of us for all their needs,” says Machin. “From those core pieces like denim, knitwear, and outerwear to standout items like the blue velvet suit in our autumn collection, we aim to offer something for every wardrobe and every occasion.”
As the CEO pointed out, the goal is simple: “M&S is a great business, and it’s our job to break records in food and fashion.” While food has always been a strength for the retailer, its clothing division showed that a customer-first approach, coupled with strong product innovation, can deliver results.
Globdaldata‘s Stephens added that M&S’s focus on “enhancing its style credentials within clothing, alongside its heightened appeal among a broader demographic of shoppers, allowed it to maintain strong growth momentum throughout the festive period.”
Focusing on digital transformation
As digital shopping continues to rise, M&S has focused on enhancing its online presence to cater to evolving consumer preferences. Its website and app improvements have created a seamless shopping experience, ensuring customers can easily access the products they want, whether for holiday shopping or everyday essentials.
“The improvements to our digital platforms have been key in enabling our customers to shop in a way that’s convenient and personalised, whether they’re browsing in-store or online,” said Machin.
The holiday season saw a significant rise in online orders, reinforcing the importance of M&S’s digital investments. The M&S app accounted for 34% of total sales, up from 31% last year.
What’s next for M&S in 2025
Machin said that M&S has gone into “2025 shifting up again and raring to go,” Machin stated. The retailer is focusing on driving efficiencies across its supply chain and product innovation, with several key opportunities in its sights across clothing and home.
Machin noted the opportunity to further optimise store ranges and space, saying “there’s even more opportunities to drive newness” and reduce stock options.
The biggest growth opportunities seem to be in expanding M&S’s online presence, particularly in womenswear and menswear, as well as developing the kids category further.
As Machin stated, “we still think that’s a big opportunity for us”.
Meanwhile, Stephens thinks M&S’ core categories like knitwear and denim “have strong potential for 2025, after also outperforming in its latest quarter, with consumers appreciating the versatility and quality of these ranges as they focus on the value for money of their purchases”.
“With these areas having been transformed over the past couple of years to be more modern and appeal to a younger customer, they are poised for ongoing growth,” she explained.
The Globaldata analyst also said collaborations are “expected to be a big growth area, following the excitement around its partnerships with Sienna Miller and Bella Freud in clothing, and Kelly Hoppen in home, as links to these well-known personalities help to increase its style credentials”.
“It is also yet to be seen whether it will be launching more third-party brands this year, with this strategy having helped it draw more consumers to its website and stores over the past few years,” Stephens added.
Overall, M&S appears poised to build on its strengths in quality and value while innovating through digital, product development and store optimisation.
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