Winning in womenswear Four gorgeous employees showcase a selection of our Autumn/Winter womenswear
Back to School
Meet the Experts
Focus on Food
Scruff-proof, art-proof, mess-proof‌ what more could you ask for?
One of our Horticulture Heroes spends a day at Chelsea Flower Show
We take a look at some of our fantastic, new products
Keeping you in touch July / August 2013 01 Cover V4 M&S Iss38.indd 1
12/07/2013 20:36
Inside the m&s garden at CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
6,000
roses were used in total in the M&S garden
06
Close-up
4 Rewarding work An update on your Choices and Perks
5 In Touch
Customers send their praise
6 Charity Challenge
A round-up of our two bike challenges and some of the events taking place in stores
7 Three cheers
Employees thank each other
25
550
exhibitors displayed gardens at the show this year
Features 14 Womenswear
In a bumper eight-page feature, four employees showcase a selection of our fashionable new Autumn ranges
3
Chelseainspired bouquets are now available to buy from M&S, each comprising 35 beautiful Kenyan roses
26
24
days it took to put the entire show together
26 Meet the experts
A Chelsea Flower Show special. An interview between one of our Horticulture Heroes and some of the people behind our silver medal-winning Sustainability Garden
24 Back to school
157,000
visitors attend the show each year
We look at some of the innovations behind our school uniforms to see what makes them totally and utterly school-proof
30 Your letters
Spotlighting your ideas
31 Competition
10 Food special
We bring you four pages of mouthwatering Food news
Magazine heroes
We couldn’t have created this issue of YOUR M&S without these colleagues
‘It’s fantastic to see such positive feedback from employees about our new Choices and Perks.’ Gary O’Neill, Reward Manager
‘It’s great to see a focus on the wonderful products we develop in Foods. We definitely know how to make every day delicious!’ Stacey Hooper, Food Brand Marketeer
Puzzles and prizes: your chance to win one of the gorgeous outfits from our womenswear shoot
‘I loved working with our four employee models on the womenswear shoot. They were so professional and look amazing.’ Lottie Tarpey, Product and Style Manager, womenswear
‘Being some of the frst people to try on the Autumn womenswear outfts was a real treat.’
Hello! Welcome...
WOMENSWEAR Turn to page 14 to read what four M&S employees think of the A/W ’13 ranges
04 Go online now! Look out for the digital version of the YOUR M&S employee magazine. It has all of the fantastic stories from your regular magazine, plus some extra articles for you to read, enjoy and share with your colleagues. See Today@M&S for details
14
12
I’m sure that you’ve seen the wonderful coverage of our Autumn/Winter 2013 womenswear ranges in the press over the past few months. In this issue of YOUR M&S, some lucky employees were invited to model a selection of the outfts before they arrived into stores, and we think you’ll agree that they all look gorgeous! Turn to page 27 to see how you could win one of the outfts. It’s not just us ladies getting a makeover this issue, as it’s time to start thinking about uniforms for the new school term – turn to page 22 to read more.
CLARE GOULTY EDITOR, YOUR M&S
Contact
Picture credits
If you have an idea for a great news story, please ask your BIG rep to send it to us.
Cover photography: Dan Kennedy. Hair and make-up: Laurence Close Styling: Anna Woodham
Clare Goulty, Editor – extn 183283 Internal email: Internal Communications External email: Internal.Communications2@ marks-and-spencer.com Post: Internal Communications, Marks & Spencer, Waterside House, UG East, 35 North Wharf Road, London W2 1NW
Other images this issue: Hannah Edwards, Shutterstock
This magazine is printed on 50% recycled paper. Please do the right thing by passing it on to someone else or recycling it after you have read it.
Story to tell? Email Internal.Communications2@marks-a nd-spe ncer.com
02-03 Contents V3 M&S Iss38.indd 3
17/07/2013 11:37
BU S I N E S S
Dear colleagues... A lot has happened at M&S recently that makes me feel proud of our company and what we can achieve as a team together. As you read this, our customers will be seeing the first of our Autumn clothing ranges in stores and online. Teams across M&S have worked hard to make this happen and to deliver improvements to our products and to our in-store environment. We want to become famous again for our style and quality and the positive write-ups we’ve had in the fashion press are a step in the right direction. Thousands of you joined one of our Fashion Army sessions and you will know that we now need to give our customers a really great experience when they shop with us. Staying close to what makes M&S special, our new Make your Mark programme will focus on another issue that’s hitting our society hard – youth unemployment – as we provide 1,400 work placements to 16- to 24year-olds who are finding it hard to get jobs. I would also like to extend a big thank you to everyone who has helped our communities by taking part in our Charity Challenge activities, big and small (see page 6). As you’ll read on page 9, at a recent M&S Plan A conference the former US Vice President Al Gore said that M&S “...sets an example for the entire world”. I know that it’s your energy, passion and determination that helps make the ‘M&S Difference’ – and will continue to do so as Autumn approaches.
Marc Bolland, CEO
PEOPLE
The home of your reward As you will already know, Choices, the online portal where you can access your reward and benefit needs, and Perks, a new discount scheme, were both launched in April. Perks gives you access to 1,500 offers in travel, utilities and electronics, as well as a number of specially negotiated discounts under M&S Exclusives, including healthcare and M&S Energy. Employees can also get discounted gift cards through Perks, so log on and have a look.
‘Great new name, great new site, great new look!’
We have also been busy working on the second phase of Options, set to launch later this summer. This will see the introduction of some new salary exchange benefits and the incorporation of existing ones, such as Childcare Vouchers. More information will be coming your way soon. So far, we have received fantastic feedback from employees. Here’s what some of you had to say...
‘Love the new ‘Really easy Choices site and to use – felt familiar, yet fresh Perks. Loads of brands and some and new.’ great offers.’
All about reward If you haven’t already logged into Choices, then make sure you log in with the username and password that was sent to you in April. Enjoy! We ran a competition to celebrate the launch of Choices. We are thrilled to announce that Carol Lappin, from Braehead store, won an iPad Retina Display, Susan Lynch, from Bexleyheath store, won an iPad Mini, and Linda Pike, from Ilford store, won an iPod Touch. Congratulations! July / August 2013
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DON’T FORGET TO ENCOURAGE CUSTOMERS TO DOWNLOAD THIS GREAT APP AND USE IT IN-STORE WITH OUR FREE WI-FI.
05 YOUR M&S
News
SERV ICE
M U LT I- C H A N N E L
Handled with care
Every day we receive emails and letters that demonstrate how M&S employees are In Touch with our customers. Here’s a selection of the stories we loved
Caroline Inglis (below left), a Customer Assistant in Lingerie at Eden High Wycombe store, always puts the customer first. The Store Manager received a call from a customer who had brought her teenage daughter in for her first bra fit. Caroline was friendly, polite and, most of all, sensitive, making the young girl’s first bra fit a memorable one. Service with a smile Beverly Simply Food store has reported that it is constantly receiving positive feedback from customers about Adam Hindes’ polite manner and attentiveness. One reported that she
always makes an effort to go to his till as she knows he’ll carefully pack her bags and put them in her trolley. A helping hand Lisa Butler, a Customer Assistant in Womenswear in Hedge End store, went beyond the call of duty when helping a lady near closing time. The customer was flustered as she was trying on more than 20 outfits for a special occasion. Lisa made her feel at ease, gave honest opinions and recommended shoes and accessories. The customer spent more than £400 and was so delighted with Lisa’s service that she emailed the store to sing her praises.
Feeling ’appy Are you a smartphone user? Make sure you download the M&S Shopping App – the flagship store in your pocket. The app is available for iPhone and Android by searching for M&S in either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Remember that you can also use your discount card online at M&S.com. To register, simply log on to your M&S.com account with your employee discount code (from HR) to hand.
PL AN A
Carry on cleaning A big well done and thank you to the 4,000 M&S employees who took part in our second annual Big Beach and Waterway Clean-up back in April, helping to make it the biggest and best yet. Thanks to you, we were able to clear 30,000kg (that’s 4,000 black bags) of litter from 163 locations, covering 300km of coastline and waterway. The Big Beach and Waterway Clean-up is part of our Forever Fish Campaign that sees M&S team up with the Marine Conservation Society to protect sea life from rubbish that they could otherwise ingest or become tangled up in.
A team of volunteers on one of Aberdeen’s beaches; Top right, Joanna Lumley and helpers in Southend-on-Sea
July / August 2013
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09/07/2013 12:36
£11,38 7!
CHAR IT Y SPECIAL
Up for the challenge June saw our largest-ever fundraising event, the Charity Challenge, take place. The challenge consisted of two bike rides – L’Arc to Arch and BIKE24 – plus a host of activitiess taking place in stores around the country. Between 6 and 9 June, 60 M&S employees and suppliers cycled 282 miles from our L’Arc de Triomphe store in Paris to Marble Arch store in London. BIKE24, which took place between 5pm on Friday 21 and 5pm on Saturday 22 June, was a 24-hour endurance event with 1,400 M&S employees racing around the Rockingham cycle track, with each lap raising crucial funds in support of our five charity partners: Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Action Medical Research, the Marie Keating Foundation, Action Cancer and Prostate Cancer UK. We received dozens of emails from stores that hosted wonderful events to help surpass our Charity Challenge goal of £1 million (the final total is still being counted and will be announced shortly). Sadly, we can’t feature all of them here, but on behalf of all the charities we would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who took part in an event, no matter how big or small. W I N N I N G I N WO M E N S W E A R
AS WELL AS TAK
ING PART Sam Holde IN L’ARC TO n from Bolto ARCH, Sam n Middlebro 22 M&S st Holden from ok store cy ores in the Bolton cled to ever north west In just five da y single on region, star ys, he cove e of the ting every da red 340 mile charities. W y from his ho s and raised hat an incred me store. £1 ible achievem 1,387 for ou r five deserv ent! ing
Mor e tha n £1,3 00
THE DEPARTMENTS IN CASTLEPOINT STORE
£3,52 5
competed against each other to raise funds for the Charity Challenge. Events included a book sale, tombola, staff riding a static bike in store and live mannequins, all of which raised an incredible £3,525.45. In addition, Paula Dunbar from the catering unit had all her hair shaved off outside the store, raising £220.
£145
sed more ty ari ch a than £1,300 with er. nt Walnut Whip tow by building a gia nate to do to d ke as re Customers we s employee or gues either help wax an had been ips Wh t lnu Wa how many chocolate used to create the e. tur ruc rst supe
NNAIRD rai EDINBURGH KI leg wax and
BOURNEM OUTH
STORE or in-store cycl ganised a sp ing challeng onsored e on a stat with the ch ic bike, a ra ance to win ffle extra holiday h ndbag au ha days, a bake ction, job sw -off, ap and spon waxing! All sored ches their hard w t ork raised £1 45.52.
Marching forward Our Fashion Camps, held by our Fashion Army, took place around the country in June and July, with a total of 2,000 employees from all stores that sell womenswear attending hands-on events in London, Harrogate and Edinburgh. The purpose of the events was to explain our ‘winning in womenswear’ strategy and make sure that all stores were ‘fashion fit’ for the arrival of the Autumn/Winter ranges on 25 July. All employees who work in womenswear and VM should have been involved in a cascade, held by those who attended Fashion Camp. Speak to your Store Manager if you haven’t received yours yet. July / August 2013
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07
Well done!
YOUR M&S
News S E RV IC E
Three cheers
Coffee Army M&S Hospitality has picked up yet another award by winning the Essential Café Award 2013 for the training campaign, the Coffee Army. The Coffee Army is a training initiative that focuses on serving great coffee as fast as possible in M&S Cafés and at our hot food counters. So far, the results have been outstanding, with a 95% approval rating on efficient queue management, 92% on customer greeting and 99% on process and efficiency in the last mystery shop audits. What a result! Keep up the good work everyone.
The Coffee Army with their award
S E RV IC E
Your opportunity to thank your colleagues for their support, dedication, efficiency and humour – or simply for just being themselves business, including M&S extras and rregional, and national BIG minutes. Nominated by m CHESTERFIELD BIG C
Jakki Hordon (Section Manager, pictured top right) and Lea Bland (Customer Assistant), both from Barrow store, worked incredibly hard carrying stock up and down stairs on a busy Friday when the lift was broken. Nominated by ANN ROACH, Customer Assistant, Barrow store
A distressed customer in Hedge End store approached Hazel Young ap tto report that a mother had aaccidentally spilled hot coffee over her baby’s arm. Hazel acted promptly by running cold p water over the baby’s arm w aand making sure she was seen by a store first aider. Hazel received praise from the customer aand colleagues for her quick thinking h and concern. Nominated by DEBBIE DARLING, BIG Chair, Hedge End store
We would like to nominate Linda Brookes (bottom right) for all the hard work and dedication she has put into the Chesterfield BIG group over the years. Despite working part time, she devotes a great deal of time and effort keeping the store up to date with what’s happening in the
Q UA L I T Y
On my shopping list Kasia Wyrobek, Store Manager for Złote Tarasy store in Warsaw, Poland, talks us through the products she loves this season. ‘I love shopping at M&S – you can come here with your whole family and everyone can find something for themselves. It’s a brilliant company to work for too – there’s always such a great atmosphere and the products are high quality. I especially love the delicious chocolate.’
06-07 News V3 M&S Iss38.indd 7
1
SHAPING SLIP
I love this shaping slip, every dress fits perfectly and it hides any body imperfections. Glamour Waist Sculpt™ Wear Your Own Bra Slip T32/5921, £32.50
2
PRETTY PRINT
This gorgeous dress is both elegant and feminine, and perfectly highlights a woman’s silhouette. Cotton Rich Floral Print Prom Dress T42/0279, £69
3
PERFECT PLATFORM
These platform sandals are perfect with jeans and dresses, and are very comfortable. Studded Platform Sandals T02/9349, £29.50
4
SUIT UP
This suit is stylish, but at a great price. Every man should have at least one like this in his wardrobe. Limited Collection Slim Fit 2 Button Plain Suit T15/2005, £164
5
SWEET SCENT
This perfume has a twist of fresh fruit with flowers and reminds me of summer. The bottle is lovely, too. Limited Collection Butterfly Eau de Toilette 90ml T22/2007A, £12
11/07/2013 22:29
M U LT I- C H A N N E L
A sweet success story Store Manager Ryan Kerr achieved the highest Browse & Order and iPad sales in the business when he managed our Brent Cross store. Here, he tells us why they were so successful… “Brent Cross store launched Browse & Order Hubs (B&O) and selling with iPads in November last year. The first task was to identify the Customer Assistants who were not only comfortable with the technology but confident enough to provide a hightech selling service to our customers. Within our first week, we were in a top three position for B&O sales. Secondly, we trained all 80 of our GM Customer Assistants on how to complete online orders and adopted the strapline ‘nothing is out of stock’, which resulted in increased traffic at the B&O hubs. Two out of three ain’t… good But there was still more to be done as although we had achieved success with online orders and B&O, we still had one more channel to tackle... I think it’s fair to say iPads proved to be slightly more challenging. Laura WadeGery, Executive Director Multi-channel E-commerce, visited the store and set us the task of delivering the same success with iPads. Again, we needed to select the right people: Customer Assistants who were comfortable with the
technology but also had a natural selling ability. Once we had chosen the team, we didn’t set any targets as we wanted them to gain confidence first. We celebrated success when each individual got their first order, using lots of positive reinforcement and recognition during team briefs. As the team grew in confidence, the competition across the departments started. We used this in a fun way to drive the teams’ appetite to convert more orders, and it worked. We never had to actually set a sales target; the team started at zero orders in week one and, through their own competitive spirit, orders have kept growing and growing until eventually we saw an incredible 500% uplift in iPad sales.
Orders have kept growing and growing until eventually we saw an incredible 500% uplift in iPad sales.
Success is all about the team We believe that the success we have had with Browse & Order hubs and iPad selling comes down to identifying the right individuals with the right selling approach, training them well so that they are confident with the technology, celebrating success and, of course, making it fun! CHARITY
Winning ways The 2012 Marcel Wanders competition was won by Heidi Schekira (VM, Bromley store) and Amy Jennings (Graduate Commercial Manager). This May, the pair were treated to their prize: a trip to Marcel’s studio, including a luxury stay at the Andaz hotel in Amsterdam, designed by Marcel.
08-09 News V3 M&S Iss38.indd 8
STIRRING UP SUPPORT Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is on 27 September, so it’s time to start preparations. The campaign launches in September and runs in all cafés and Food Halls for the whole of the month with a goal of raising £750,000 for the charity.
A donation will be given to Macmillan from sales of all sandwiches and cakes in cafés. An exclusive celebrity recipe book and pin badge will also be sold in cafés on behalf of the charity. Remember that you can use your volunteer day on 27 September to help fundraise.
12/07/2013 16:31
YOU TOLD US THAT WE NEED TO REDUCE OUR WASTE, TELL CUSTOMERS MORE ABOUT PLAN A AND HELP YOU GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COMMUNITIES.
09 YOUR M&S
News
PL AN A SPECIAL
GREAT IDEAS! Earlier this year, we asked you to help shape the next stage in our Plan A journey. We held brainstorming sessions; our Plan A Ambassador, Joanna Lumley, posed a BIG Idea; and, of course, we asked you to fill out a short questionnaire enclosed in YOUR M&S. We had a fantastic response, with thousands of ideas and suggestions, which just goes to show how much you all care about Plan A. For the most part, your suggestions fell into three categories: that we need to reduce our waste, that we need to get customers more excited about Plan A and that you want to do more to support your local communities. We are working hard to address all these issues, but our first step involves community. As we all know, youth unemployment is at its highest in the UK since records began, but at M&S we are committed to making a difference. So we are thrilled to announce that we have introduced a fantastic new youth employability retail scheme called Make your Mark. It launched on 1 July with the leading youth charity , The Prince’s Trust. Aimed at individuals aged 16-24 who are not in education or employment, the programme is designed to provide participants with four weeks’ meaningful work experience as well as building confidence and a real opportunity at starting a career. CEO Marc Bolland commented: “Youth unemployment has become one of today’s key social issues and we want to lead the charge for businesses to do more to tackle it head on.” Former US Vice President Al Gore
M&S CEO Marc Bolland
Our recent Plan A conference, which took place at Wembley Stadium in June and was one of the UK’s biggest ever sustainability gatherings, was attended by 1,200 delegates, including key M&S suppliers, and focused on the future of Plan A. Keynote speaker – former US Vice President Al Gore (above left) told attendees that “M&S sets an example for the entire world.”
Don’t forget, Plan A is a journey, and we need your continued help and commitment to help it evolve. July / August 2013
08-09 News V3 M&S Iss38.indd 9
Bright sparks We have won Retailer of the Year for the second year running at the Energy and Cleantech Awards, and our Ilford store was awarded the Green Business Redbridge Gold Award for general energy and sustainability performance. Congratulations to everyone and Regional Energy Manager Neil Coleman for all their efforts.
Plan A has saved us £135m over the past year – 29% more than in the previous 12 months! What an honour Congratulations to our Plan A Ambassador, Joanna Lumley, who won campaigner of the year at The Observer Ethical Awards, and our per una Fashion Consultant, Hilary Alexander, on her OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
11/07/2013 22:30
WE ARE ALL SO PROUD TO BE CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF PERCY WITH THESE FANTASTIC NEW PRODUCTS, ONE OF WHICH OUR CUSTOMERS HELPED US TO CREATE. SARAH LOXTON, PRODUCT DEVELOPER
FOOD FOCUS
Happy birthday, y, Percy Our very own Percy Pig turns 21 this month – can you believe it? When Percy Pig first arrived in stores in 1992, no one could have known he’d soon be a cult figure. Loved by fashionistas and pop stars alike, Percy has appeared on the catwalk at London Fashion Week and his offspring, Percy Piglets, on UK Vogue’s 2008 hot list. To celebrate his landmark birthday, we’ve launched three new products.
NEW
Percy’s Pig Pen
NEW
And here are a few of our old favourites…
Filled candy sticks, again in the special Percy flavour. 100g, 90p
Percy and Penny
Percy in a Twist
Together at last – our two sweethearts in one bag. The flavour – strawberry – was chosen by our Facebook fans in a campaign we ran in April, the first time we’ve asked our customers to help us create a new product. 170g, £1.49
Gelatine-free fizzy twists in the special Percy flavour. 100g, 90p
Percy Piglets, 170g, £1.49; Percy Pig and Pals, 170g, £1.49; Phizzy Pigtails, 170g, £1.49; Percy Pig Cake, £10; Percy Pig Household Towels, £2.25
NE
W
July / Augustt 20 2013
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Biscuits for baby
11 YOUR M&S
News
A charming shortbread tin fit for royalty. Contains our delicious all-butter Scottish shortbread. Duke & Duchess of Cambridge Scottish shortbread tin, 450g, £6
Any excuse for cake Make any occasion an extra special one with a delicious cake, iced with your own personal message. Each cake is made to order using only the freshest ingredients. Placing an order couldn’t be simpler and can be done online, in store, over the phone or on our mobile app, and can be delivered to any M&S store with just seven days’ notice. Here are a few of our favourites…
Fit for a queen We’ve commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation with these Coronation Duo Shortbread Tins, filled with all-butter Scottish petticoat tail shortbread, £10.
Teddy Bears’ Picnic Cute icing teddies picnicking on an all-butter sponge, filled with buttercream and raspberry jam. 1kg, £40 – serves 32.
Noah’s Ark One for animal lovers – a chocolate sponge ark filled with chocolate ganache. 3kg, £45 – serves 50. Giant Colin the Caterpillar Chocolate sponge filled with buttercream, coated in chocolate. 2.29kg, £35 – serves 40.
Also available Number Cakes, delicious all-butter sponge, filled with buttercream and raspberry jam. Available as a single digit from one to nine (20 servings, £25), or two digits of your choice (40 servings, £50).
July / August 2013
10-11 News V4 M&S Iss38.indd 11
Our royal products – in particular the beautifully decorated biscuit tins – are perfect collectors’ items to celebrate these special events. Tara van Bommel, Food Brand Marketeer
Wetting the baby’s head d Baby fever has hit M&S. To celebrate the birth of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s baby, we have launched two new drinkss and a commemorative biscuit tin (see above).
Baby Royale, 750ml, £4.99 Sparkling cocktail made with white wine, Williams pear juice and vodka.
Pear to the Throne, 1 litre, £2.19 Refreshing juice drink with Williams pear juice and Willamette raspberries.
12/07/2013 20:29
FOOD FOCUS
This isn’t just any lunch break
We’ve heard a rumour that éclairs are the new cupcakes…
As part of our Make Today Delicious campaign, we’ve launched a new TV ad, ‘Reclaim your lunch hour’. The ad highlights some of our innovative food on the move products, such as Pork Salad Bites or Lamb Kofta Open Flatbread (both pictured below), to help make every food moment special – whether it be on a picnic, train trip or just lunch away from your desk.
That’s a wrap Aromatic Lamb & Chicken Kofta with mango and a red pepper dip, £3.50
Don’t miss out Triple Chocolate Polka-Dot Éclairs and Raspberry and White Chocolate Éclairs, both £1.99 for two
Berry good Most of M&S’s British blueberries come from a family-run business that’s been growing mouthwatering fruits for nearly 50 years
Pick of the season Bite-sized Vietnamese-style Marinated Pork Salad Bites, £3.50 for six
Sweet tooth? Here’s some of our favourite treats from our Great British Summer line... Taste-tastic Mini Mixed Fruit Meringues, £1.99 for three
For the chocaholics Choux pastries with chocolate mousse. £1.99 for three
Feeling fruity Mini Macaroons in a variety of flavours, £5.49 for 12
July / August 2013
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12/07/2013 20:24
13 YOUR M&S
News
Viva Italia! In July, we launched 13 upgraded lines in our Italian meals range, including Spaghetti Bolognese, Lasagne, Spaghetti Carbonara, Chicken Arrabiata and Chicken, Tomato & Basil Pasta (pictured). When improving these recipes, we focused on the quality of the ingredients, adhering to authentic Italian recipes to ensure that we continue to deliver the best possible dishes. Let us know what you think, email us at Internal. Communications2@marksand-spencer.com. F U N F O O D I E FAC T S
On a roll
Shelling out
End to end, all the sandwiches, wraps and rolls that we sell in a year would stretch from the UK to Australia.
All the eggs we use in a year in our sandwiches weigh as much as 100 London buses.
“Customers come to us for great quality food they can trust. We will continue to focus on delivering this through innovation and newness, as well as offering great value.” Steve Rowe, Executive Director Food
12-13 News M&S Iss38.indd 13
Trending We like to make sure that we have our finger on the pulse, such as the recent trend for low-alcohol drinks. Point customers in the direction of our summer punches, white wine and rosé spritzers, or low-alcohol lagers and ales.
09/07/2013 11:43
14 YOUR M&S
Womenswear
Fashion forward Four employees showcase some of our favourite looks from the Autumn/Winter ranges, while Style Director Belinda Earl tells us how they took shape When I joined M&S, we spent time with the team talking and listening to customers and employees. The messages we received were very clear – when it comes to clothing, our customers want style and quality as well as items that fit well and flatter. So, in addition to simplifying our sizing and reducing the number of our ways by 10%, we have upgraded many of our garments with better fabrics and more attention to detail. Then we reviewed our brands, giving each one a clearer identity and providing more definition of what each one stands for so they’re easier for our customers to shop.* Each is equally important, but our new range, M&S Collection, is our core range, and you can see some of the gorgeous clothing modelled here by Laura and Evone. We’re also helping our customers with wardrobe building by improving the way clothes are displayed in store; we will be presenting M&S Collection in clear outfit ‘rooms’ and we will also have more outfits on mannequins to inspire customers and fewer crowded racks. Our website, M&S.com, will also provide our customers with lots of new, exciting wardrobe-building ideas. Our coat range will increase by 80% and we’ll have a bigger and better dress offering. Overall, we’re injecting more style and quality into our brands. For instance, under our new Quality Charter, we have exclusively created Staynew™ technology, an amazing innovation that keeps clothes looking new by reducing pilling and keeping surfaces looking smooth wash after wash. We believe that for Autumn we have started on our journey to raise the bar. We will be delivering aspirational, beautifully made clothing and quality will be at the heart of everything we do.
arl E a d n i l Be ctor Style Dire
14-21 Womenswear V3 M&S Iss38.indd 14
Quality Buttons will be specially attached to ensure they stay fixed
Evone, Switchboard Operator, Westfield White City wears M&S Collection
‘This white no-peep shirt is a great fit – it’s brilliant that we are paying close attention to the basics as well as the more fashionforward pieces. The coat is gorgeous – it’s really chic and modern, and the fabric feels lovely. I love the entire outfit.’ Coat, T49/1248, £79; Shirt, T43/1642, £12.50; Treggings, T57/4999, £129; Bag, T83/7045, £35
* See page 21 for details
11/07/2013 22:38
15 YOUR M&S
Womenswear
Laura, Solicitor, Paddington office wears M&S Collection
‘This is a very chic look. I’m more of a trousers girl, but this outfit looks fantastic. It’s practical but stylish. The jacket is really light and warm, and it’s bang up to date with biker styling. You can feel that the quality is very high – even in small things, such as the zips.’
M&S Collection – our brand new range – is all about best-in-class style
Jacket, T49/2036, £69; Roll neck, T38/3947, £75; Skirt, T57/7497, £35; Bag, T83/0504a, £89
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11/07/2013 22:55
20 YOUR M&S
Shwopping focus
Looking for elegant clothes that are luxurious but affordable? Autograph is for you
“We’re getting back to the heritage of M&S and putting the pride back into our brand. We want to be best in class – edited perfectly.”
Russell s e c n a r F ear Womensw Director
Bobbi, Assistant to Head of Product PR and Head of Government Affairs, Paddington office wears Autograph
‘I love this look, it’s very 60s – really fashionable but smart and plush. Everything feels very expensive, even though I know it’s not, and the detail is great. All the clothes I’ve seen today look fantastic – I can’t wait for them to be available to buy.’ Coat, T50/1139, £139; Shirt, T43/1642, £12.50; Necklace, T06/3365A, £19.50
July / August 2013
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Dawn, HR Administrator, Bishopbriggs wears M&S Collection
‘This top is so soft, it’s as if you’re not wearing anything at all. I love the neck detail, it’s a perfect day to evening outfit. Everything looks and feels so elegant and upmarket – not high street – but I know that it’s actually all really well-priced. The quality of all the items seems to be much higher than before and the clothes feel more tailored.’
We’ve really focused on fashion, fabrics, fit and finish
“As a symbol of our new era, M&S Woman has become M&S Collection.”
Russell s e c n a r F ear Womensw Director
Jacket T59/0663J, £69; Jumper, T38/7101, £29.50; Jeggings, T54/9031, £25
May / June 2013
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20 YOUR M&S
Shwopping focus
Evone wears per una
‘I love this coat – especially the fit and length. It’s stylish and feels high quality too. You could dress it up or down and it’s perfect for autumn and winter – I’m sure I’ll be buying it when it comes into stores.’
Quality We are using French seams, in which the raw edges have been fully enclosed
In per una we see touches of everyday glamour. We designed the clothes to be sophisticated yet feminine
Jacket, T62/3908J, £69; Top, T43/8581, £15
May / June 2013
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WANT TO TAKE A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF OUR PHOTOSHOOT? SCAN THIS CODE TO SEE THE VIDEO OR VISIT http://bit.ly/12G8yKo
YOUR M&S
Womenswear
Dawn wears per una Speziale
‘This dress is great, it’s very sophisticated and flattering. I’d wear it to a special occasion, such as a christening. The leather jacket is great too – you could wear it day or night. They both fit really well and the quality is evident.’
Laura wears M&S Collection
‘This isn’t the kind of thing that I would usually pick for myself, but it’s actually really cool – the dropped waist makes it very on trend. I feel so chic and elegant and it’s very smart so I could wear it to work. It’s comfortable too, and the fabric feels opulent.’
Jacket, T62/6501J, £269; Dress, T62/6009H, £85
“We’ve been listening to our customers’ desire for sleeves. More than 85% of the per una range now has sleeves.”
Russell s e c n a r F swear n e m a o d W n Beli Director
Dress, T42/0151, £45.00; Bag, T83/0634C, £15; Necklace, T06/6093N, £17.50
Comfort INSOLIA™ will be added to highheeled shoes for extra comfort
July / August 2013
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20 YOUR M&S
Womenswear
Bobbi wears Indigo
‘I’ve always been such an Indigo girl. This top is great and the cardigan is really funky. I’d never normally consider buying a cardigan but this one is very cool. In fact, I love pretty much all the clothes that I’ve seen on the shoot today – the quality is fabulous, you can feel it in the fabric, and the colours are so on trend. A lot of thought seems to have gone into every aspect of the design.
Limited Edition is all about fashion designed for everyday life – we work hard to interpret the catwalk trends and make them fabulously wearable
Laura
Indigo is our casual chic range – one for the boho babes
wears Limited Edition
‘This dress is lovely, really feminine and versatile. The detailing, such as the black lace, is gorgeous. It’s great that it’s long-sleeved. The jacket is my favourite item. It’s really on trend but easy to wear. It’s quite East London, which is a look I love, and great quality too. I’ll definitely be buying this when it comes out. I adore the bangles and the bag.’ Dress, T69/7806I, £45; Jacket T69/3201J, £59; Bag, T83/6630L, £29.50, Bangles, T06/4147L, £19.50
Cardigan, T66/2191, £39.50; Jeans, T66/3107, £25; Dress, T66/8275, £35
July / August 2013
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HAVE YOU SEEN THE WOMENSWEAR DVD THAT INCLUDES A PREVIEW OF THE WOMENSWEAR RANGES? IF NOT, ASK YOUR STORE MANAGER
What our brands stand for M&S Collection As our core range, garments within M&S Collection are designed to be best in class by combining design, quality and innovation, ensuring that the clothes fit and flatter. M&S Collection offers interpretations of the key trends of the season to deliver stylish outfit solutions.
Limited Edition Part of M&S Collection, Limited Edition provides a perfectly edited selection of front-end fashion in a range that fits, flatters and forgives. ‘Edition’ reflects the seasonal nature of the product – when it’s gone, it’s gone.
Autograph Autograph delivers a truly exquisite product at affordable prices: designer luxe and understated elegance without the price tags. The range offers a stylish and contemporary collection of premium quality clothes with immaculate attention to detail.
per una Per una offers customers everyday glamour and sophistication, whatever the occasion, to ensure they turn heads. Considered colour combinations and refined detailing allow the wearer to stand out from the crowd. Per una Speziale is inspired by Italian couture.
Indigo Indigo is about exceptionally fitted, authentic, casual chic clothes, with the perfect mix of style, quality and great denim – all at incredible value. Garments are pretty and feminine with a modern, trend-aware attitude.
Classic
May / June 2013
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Classic showcases timeless, modern and elegantly coordinated pieces with fabrics that are great quality, easy care and soft to touch at great value. Garments are comfortable yet practical with seasonal newness.
11/07/2013 00:51
Marching forward in fashion Many of you may have heard whisperings of our Fashion Camps, or have been lucky enough to attend one. Either way, here’s a little bit more information about the events…
Held by our very own Fashion Army, five Fashion Camps took place around the country – in Harrogate, London and Edinburgh – to reawaken our fashion senses and prepare in-store employees for the exciting arrival of the Autumn/Winter womenswear ranges
The days comprised several sessions, where employees learnt about all the hard work that went into the ranges, as well as what the competition has been up to. Other sessions covered M&S’s heritage and an overview of the new womenswear presentation principles
July / August 2013
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Your M&S
Fashion camp
Attendees were treated to a fashion show featuring some of the A/W ’13 garments, which have started to arrive in stores
The events were attended by 2,000 employees, including Store Managers, Section Managers, Stylists and VM
After lunch, Brand World sessions were held, allowing employees to get a first look and feel of the gorgeous new products
The day also featured some gorgeous male dancers to get the crowd going
All employees were asked to dress to impress our talent scout, who was roaming the venues looking for models for our Christmas Conference
July / August 2013
The events were a huge success and we have had hundreds of comments to say how motivational the day was and how excited they are for Autumn launch. Attendees will hold three-hour cascade meetings in their store, ensuring that everyone in womenswear and VM is fashion fit for Autumn
FULL MARKS Our kids’ uniforms are jam-packed with unique innovations to make them completely and utterly school proof I am art proof
I am shove -ina-bag proof
Stainaway™ is our unique high performance finish that helps to prevent everyday stains and makes them easy to wash out
With Supercrease™ the creases last, so you don’t have to iron them back in after washing
I am pong proof Freshfeet™ with silver technology – Sanitized™ Silver – keeps shoes fresh and odour free
Don’t forget to remind customers that they can order school uniforms using shop Your Way
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“One of our most exciting new innovations is Adjust-a-hem, which allows trousers to be let down an extra 1 ¼ inches of fabric length as kids get taller, meaning trousers last longer.” Chinthaka Mandawela, Product Development Technologist
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Your M&S
Back to school
I am splash proof Our Stormwear™ technology repels both water and stains to help stay dry and looking smart
I am history proof Our Stay New™ fabrics are made with technology that reduces colour-fading and bobbling, helping clothes look newer for longer
I am kick- about proof
This innovative breathable coating – Scuff Resistant – means everyday rough and tumble leaves no marks
“Every season in schoolwear we continue to build a heritage of core innovations into each and every style.” Rebecca Thompson, Head of Innovation and Quality, Kidswear
July / August 2013
I am whatever the weather
Trapping air molecules between the skin, Thinsulate™ lining keeps kids extra warm while remaining breathable, for great comfort and warmth
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our silver medal for m&s’s sustainability garden at the rhs chelsea flower show
Your M&S
Chelsea Flower Show special
Meet the experts
Chelsea Tinley, one of our Horticulture Heroes from London Colney store, meets M&S’s Flower Product Developer, Simon Richards, and a leading Landscape Designer, Nicola Sallis Chandler, at the very first M&S garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Chelsea Tinley Why did M&S decide to have a presence at the Chelsea Flower Show this year? Simon It’s been a dream of ours to
exhibit at Chelsea for a long time, mainly to raise our profile both within M&S and within the horticulture industry, and to show that as a business we are serious about flowers and plants. We also felt that we had a great story to tell – that in flowers we follow the same provenance and sustainability principles as M&S food. Where better than here at Chelsea, the ultimate horticultural destination? Chelsea Can you tell me a bit about the garden and the meaning behind it? Simon We created the M&S
garden with Sallis Chandler and our Kenyan flower growers, Finlays Horticulture, to show the different processes they use in their sustainable flower production. On its farms in Kenya, Finlays has developed methods to minimise the use of precious natural resources – most importantly, water – and to reduce the impact of flower production on the local environment. Our exhibit showed the different stages of production, from the mechanics of rosegrowing to the final display of the product as it’s sold in our UK stores.
Our Chelseainspired bouquets To celebrate our exhibit, we created some stunning Classic Rose Bouquets (£35), each comprising 35 beautiful Kenyan roses. Choose white, pink, yellow or tutti frutti. All available to order online.
Chelsea What was it like working with M&S to design the garden? Nicola Absolutely fabulous! We
loved working with M&S and Finlays – everyone was so passionate and the feedback we’ve received from the public has been fantastic; they loved the story behind the garden. We were lucky enough to go to Kenya too, to witness the growing process ourselves, which was so enlightening. We were thrilled with the silver medal we were awarded for the garden. It was hard work, but we’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Chelsea How long did the designing and planning process take? Nicola Simon first contacted us
over a year ago. In fact, we all visited the show last year for inspiration. The exhibit was grown in a nursery in Surrey, but we had just six days to put it together on site.
Interview swap Simon We know nationwide which colour roses people prefer, but it often varies from store to store. What sells best in your store? Chelsea Burnt orange – they are
so different to the more traditional colours on offer and people comment that we don’t stock enough of them.
Simon Do people ever ask for flowers that we don’t sell? Chelsea Around Mother’s Day
this year, we found that a lot of people were asking for a greater variety of plants, as opposed to flowers – so perhaps this is something we could look into for the future.
Simon What difference has being a Concept store made? Chelsea It has made a big
difference to us. Previously, we used lots of buckets and roundels to display the product, but now everything is laid out in a much more presentable way and our department looks more like a florist. As a result, people buy more.
Simon Did you enjoy your day at the Chelsea Flower Show? Did it inspire any ideas for flowers that we should be selling? Chelsea I loved it, it was
absolutely beautiful and very inspiring. In fact, afterwards I showed my colleagues all of the photos that I had taken and we consequently changed some of the displays in-store. For example, we made a gorgeous front feature out of the roses and used colour-blocking in the design to mirror the Sustainable Garden exhibition. It’s been working really well and we’ve received great feedback about it. July / August 2013
From left to right: Nicola Sallis Chandler, Simon Richards and Chelsea Tinley
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A natural landscape Lakeside planting protects the local ecological systems and native flora and fauna.
Behind the scenes Back in May, we showed our very first exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Along with Sallis Chandler Landscape Designers and Gardeners and our Kenyan growers, Finlays Horticulture, the garden demonstrated the different processes Finlays uses in its sustainable flower production, including wastewater recycling, to reduce the impact that flower production has on the local environment. Take a look at the garden’s design to see how it’s done…
Sedimentation Initially, wastewater goes into a large tank, where heavy matter settles and is removed.
Wastewater recycling At Finlays, all the wastewater from the canteen, showers, labs, laundry, and packing houses is collected and recycled through this constructed wetland, creating clean water to be reused in the nursery.
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Your M&S
Chelsea Flower Show Our Plan A Ambassador, Joanna Lumley, opened the M&S Sustainability Garden
Surface cells Floating and marginal plants remove smaller particles from the water, leaving it clean and able to be reused in the nursery. Some of the plants used for this are: water lettuce, Indian shot and banana.
Gravel bed harvesting Gravel and plants are used to remove larger suspended particles. You can see the types of plants we use for this here, such as Arum lilies.
Rose production l Growing roses in hydroponic containers on wire stands.
Rose display l A rainbow of colours in tiered displays.
July / August 2013
Lucy Randall of corporatee communications finds the answers to your questions
Your letters Check, please!
I have a really good idea about how to improve customer service at our till points. Could we get a stamp saying ‘checked’ when customers purchase china or glassware? The customer assistant would check the items thoroughly before wrapping them in tissue and then stamp the receipt ‘checked’. This would confirm that the items were in perfect condition at the time of purchase, and avoid unnecessary refunds for purchases being chipped or broken when they are unwrapped. The idea is already in operation in John Lewis.
Star Letter My daughters and I are huge Percy Pig fans and we get really excited when a new Percy Pig line is introduced. We have a suggestion for a new bag of sweets: ‘Percy on Holiday’. These could be pineapple and mango flavoured with miniature suitcase and bikini-shaped gums! We look forward to new adventures with Percy. Sandra Davidson, Lewisham Store
Judy Minksy, Colney Store
Thanks so much for sending in your idea, Sandra. This is a very special year for Percy as it’s his 21st birthday. You and your daughters will be pleased to know that to celebrate we have introduced three new Percy lines: Percy & Penny Together At Last, Percy’s Pig Pen and Percy In A Twist. Not only that but we have also introduced a Percy Cake and a Percy Jelly (from Food to Order)! We love the idea of asking Percy’s fans to help shape new products and this year we ran a campaign on Facebook to choose the flavour for Percy & Penny Together At Last. We are working on ideas for next year and have forwarded your suggestion to Percy’s Product Developer who will definitely keep it in mind when choosing Percy’s next adventures.
A £10 M&S gift voucher for every question featured and £25 for the Star Letter*. We really want to hear from you – we’d love to know what’s on your mind. Please send your letters to the address on p3 of this magazine. *Letters may be edited for publication.
Thanks Judy, we love your idea. Currently every customer assistant should check glass, china and ceramic products before wrapping, as we would never want a customer to leave with a damaged item. However, we like the ‘guarantee’ that your suggestion gives. We have forwarded it to the Service Experience team who will consider this in future reviews. Watch this space!
Forget me not I was wondering if we could introduce ‘checklists’ into our food halls? From experience, customers often forget their shopping list, but if we introduced one with all the basic and important necessities for daily life I think it could be really helpful for them. They could be placed by the door as you enter a store. It would stop people forgetting to buy their eggs, milk, foil and other such staples. Suleyman Capit, Reading store l
Thank you so much for your suggestion, Suleyman. When it comes to service initiatives we always try to respond to what our
customers want. At the moment it would seem there is very little demand for lists of this nature. We also would want to be careful when assuming what customers wish to buy – one person’s staples may be very different to another’s. Additionally we would need to be aware of paper usage in line with our Plan A aspirations. Instead we try to drive sales by ensuring that our products look great through correct use of floorplans, signage and ‘packet perfect’ displays.
Taking stock There are many products on the Daily Availability Update spreadsheet that are out of stock for several weeks. Would it be possible to produce a product-specific out of stock ticket showing an expected return date? This will then provide information for both staff and customers instead of relying on the Daily Status Reports when products are not going to be available for more than two weeks. Roy Benham, Widnes Store l
That’s a really good idea Roy, thank you for sending it in. Long-term problems with availability due to supplier or raw material issues happen occasionally, but as a business we try to do all we can to manage these so there is minimal disruption to both customers and stores. Although we like your idea we have some concerns that the use of shelf tickets might give a negative message to customers about how long it could take a product to reach store. We are also wary of adding another process into stores. However, we agree that it would be very helpful for employees. We have sent the suggestion to our Operations team to be reviewed.
July / August 2013
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Sit back, relax and play these games See if you can find all of these grocery items beginning with ‘C’ hidden in the wordsearch grid. They might read forwards, backwards, down, up or diagonally in any direction.
WIN! This stylish outfit from the Autumn/ Winter ’13 range To celebrate the launch of our new womenswear ranges – which start to arrive in stores from late July – we are giving one winner this outfit from M&S Collection, worth more than £250. To see some more of the ranges and hear from our Style Director, Belinda Earl, turn to page 14 where four employees model a selection of the clothes and tell us what they think of them.
Cabbage Cake Champagne Cheese Chicken Chocolate Cod steaks Cola Coleslaw Crab salad Cream Crisps Crumpets Cucumber
Want to own this outfit?
S U C F F C F S D C E
N K J R H A T C A H G
C Z A E E E N R L O A
Q O E E P A E I A C B
H S L M T K M S S O B
E D U E A S K P B L A
B R W C S K D S A A C
C C O L A L L O R T A
E N G A P M A H C E N
N E K C I H C W U P S
C U C U M B E R E V G
Email us to enter with your name, store or office details, at the email address below by 16 August.
Terms & conditions Entries must be received by 23:59 on Friday 16 August 2013. The prize draw is open to employees of the Marks & Spencer Group of Companies who are permanent residents of the UK and ROI and are aged 18 or over only. Only one entry per person is permitted. No responsibility will be taken for late, lost, indecipherable or misdirected entries. One winner will be drawn at random on Monday 19 August 2013 under the supervision of an independent person. The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable, subject to availability and there is no cash alternative. The winner will be notified by Friday 23 August 2013 by phone. M&S reserves the right to substitute the prize for one which is, in its sole discretion, of equal value. M&S reserves the right to cancel the prize draw at any stage if deemed necessary due to circumstances outside its control. M&S is not liable for any delay or failure to perform any obligation to the winner or other entrants that is caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control or by any act or omission of any third party. The name and county of the winner will be available by sending a stamped addressed envelope to YOUR M&S magazine at the M&S Office at Waterside House. The prize draw shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales. The promoter of the prize draw is Marks & Spencer plc.
Let us entertain you... Why not try this Sudoku for a quick lunchtime brain workout? Good luck.
Do y ou have som ething to sa y? Email Intern al.Communications2@marks-a nd-spe ncer.com
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a r e w A ne S & M r fo
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