M&S today announces the launch of The Love That Drop, a new monthly capsule programme.
The initiative marks a shift in how M&S delivers fashion newness, building on its traditional seasonal drops with a cadence of more frequent trend-led style moments. Reducing the amount of time it takes to bring new fashion to market, from supplier to shop floor, is a key strand of the Fashion, Home and Beauty transformation as M&S reshapes for growth.
The programme responds to a demand from shoppers for more frequent newness and greater trend credibility, with customers increasingly buying fashion pieces throughout the year rather than solely around traditional seasonal peaks.
Behind the scenes, The Love That Drop is the result of a more streamlined supplier model created specifically for the programme, working with a small number of strategic supply partners to deliver:
- Faster decision-making and shorter timelines from concept to launch
- Improved consistency in colour, fabric and fit
- Order sheets turned around in as little as two weeks, supported by a cross functional team in market working side by side with suppliers to finalise product
- Margin improvements through more agile sourcing, shorter timelines and simplified processes
Launching today, each capsule will feature a 20-35-piece curated collection, including accessories and footwear, that is aligned with the latest catwalk looks and emerging style trends, underpinned by designer level details at accessible price points.
The capsules will adopt an online-first approach, launching online and selected M&S fashion hub stores including key city locations such as Liverpool, Manchester and London. A key ambition in M&S’s transformation and omnichannel strategy is to for online sales to make up 50% of its total Fashion sales.
The debut capsule, ‘Sartorial Femme’, introduces sculptural tailoring, embossed textures and directional silhouettes that define a modern, elevated aesthetic with pieces available from £23.
The launch is supported by marketing activity spanning paid, organic, email and social channels.
Maddy Evans, director of M&S Woman, said: “The Love That Drop is a step forward in how we deliver modern, trend led pieces for our customers. Each edit is tightly curated, outfit-driven and designed to feel fresh, relevant and fashion-forward while staying true to the quality and value customers expect from M&S. Behind the scenes, the programme helps us move from concept to customer at a faster pace to strengthen style perceptions, increase efficiency and drive online growth.”
