Marks & Spencer to trial fashion-only store amid clothing resurgence

British high street giant Marks & Spencer could be pivoting its retail strategy as it looks to trial its first fashion-only store at the Battersea Power Station.

Situated in London, the location would aim to primarily target younger shoppers in response to an increase in sales among the consumer group, as was stated to The Telegraph, which initially reported the news.

The site, which is scheduled to open in autumn, will be designed akin to a boutique, thus taking on a smaller format compared to Marks & Spencer’s typically larger-scale department stores.

Inside, it will house beauty alongside a selection of women’s and menswear, capitalising on a surge in fashion sales the retailer has experienced in recent years, particularly in regards to lingerie and cashmere jumpers.

The store was described by Marks & Spencer chief executive Stuart Machin as a place to “showcase the best of Marks & Spencer clothing and beauty at outstanding value”.

If the trial is successful, we could expect to see more fashion-only stores by the retailer open across the UK.

It comes amid an ongoing store rotation strategy at the company which has been led by Machin since early last year, and was initially introduced as an investment into Marks & Spencer’s omnichannel future.

The programme looked to inject 480 million pounds into “bigger and better stores” across the UK, an initiative that has slowly taken shape over the past year through the backing of regional retail networks and closure of underperforming locations.

Following an upheaval to its clothing category, however, it appears there is promise here after all. This was already evident in the company’s financial results for 2023, when clothing and home sales in the UK rose 5.3 percent.