This evening, M&S held an inspirational talk on the GFW Live! stage for designers who are interested in launching a collection, alongside the role of marketing and PR.
Jessica Harris, Marks and Spencer’s Head of PR for Womenswear and Lingerie, started the discussion with an insider's look into how designing is done for each collection. We got to find out all about the process, which for Marks and Spencer start roughly 18 months before launch! Paying close attention to macro trends, the PR and Marketing team look closely into what the consumer is looking for, as well as investigating into what is currently trending.
From this, Marks and Spencer’s design team start working six months prior to the season, and Duncan Morris, Head of Marketing follows right behind developing press shows, see now buy now collections, and organising look books for the media to release.
It's always an exciting time for young designers once they graduate and start to prepare themselves for what comes next. Whether you’re looking to start a collection, get your name out there or simply work on beginning a career, Jessica’s says is “the industry is changing at a rapid pace”, but there is no doubt that the graduates here at GFW17 are ready to take on their future.
Words by Maisie Taylor