DESPITE AN expected 40 per cent drop in overall profits due to the recession and the fall in sterling value, Marks & Spencer yesterday celebrated its 30th year in Ireland with a buoyant fashion show in Dublin’s historic City Hall.
It was attended by Kate Bostock, the retailer’s executive director of clothing, who flew in from London for the occasion.
The show opened with a winning navy pinstripe shift (€60) worn with a sporty fedora and a pink patent clutch setting the show’s jaunty mood for spring.
In the elegant neoclassical surroundings, guests were treated to a panoramic presentation of the new offerings divided into nine themes including “new cruise” and “glamazon”, with sections on denim, rainwear and lingerie and introducing the store’s new Portfolio range for “the over-forties and over” which 56-year-old former supermodel Marie Helvin is promoting.
Bostock, one of those tipped to succeed chairman Sir Stuart Rose in 2011, defended the categorisation of a brand aimed at “older” women.
“It is not about age, it is about attitude,” she said. “Our core customer talked about things she wanted – and she had lots of requirements: she wanted longer sleeve lengths, more modest necklines, more quality fabrics and more flattering fits.”
But the results are sombre and safe rather than sexy and chic and colours such as lime and brown less than alluring, though a shirtwaister in heavy black jersey offered a dependable everyday classic.
There was more fun and youthfulness in “spring showers”, in which colour worked more effectively with its upbeat line-up of macs and trench coats in shades of pink, coral, yellow and green worn with striped or gingham dresses, maxi Madras cotton halternecks and polka dot umbrellas.
Fearless style-conscious urbanites could sequester the currently trendy harem pants for €30 among “leisure and lingerie”. In well-styled shows such as this one, the clothes always look better than they do spread out exhaustively on acres of hangers. Many items stood out, such as a simple navy shift that could be worn in many ways; a bold black and white summer dress; a tea dress in a floral print; some good bracelet-sleeved jackets and many appealing pieces of slim, sleek “relaxed” knitwear in cool, neutral colours.
The finale ended on a safari theme, a sporty summer staple with a line-up of animal print flouncy skirts, linen trousers and Nehru-style jackets, perennial favourites enlivened with gold or silver lurex coats which at €150 were the most expensive items in the show.