Marks & Spencer’s fashion revival: how a British icon rewrote its rules

Marks & Spencer’s decision to take a catwalk slot at London Fashion Week this September is more than a centenary celebration. It is the clearest signal yet that Britain’s most storied high-street retailer has finally shaken off its reputation for frumpiness—and is now courting a younger, more fashion-conscious audience with the same determination it once reserved for perfecting the prawn sandwich.

The move follows a string of high-profile collaborations and events that have repositioned M&S as a brand unafraid to play with its own heritage. Last year, it staged a menswear show at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix, complete with Formula 1 drivers modelling its designs. In June, it took over an Ibiza nightclub for a summer collection launch, a far cry from the staid department-store image of old. Now, with a dedicated slot at LFW, the retailer is staking a claim to relevance in an industry where legacy brands are increasingly squeezed by fast fashion and digital-native disruptors.

The shift is not just about aesthetics. M&S has spent the past five years overhauling its supply chain, investing in sustainable materials, and streamlining its product ranges to focus on what it calls “hero” items—pieces designed to stand out rather than blend in. The strategy appears to be working: in its latest annual report, the company reported a 5.3% rise in clothing and homeware sales, outpacing many of its high-street rivals. More tellingly, its customer base is getting younger. According to internal data, 40% of its new clothing customers in 2025 were under 35, up from 28% in 2020.

Yet the fashion-week gambit is not without risk. M&S has spent decades cultivating an image of reliability—“the nation’s wardrobe,” as one executive once put it—rather than trendsetting. Its core customer, a woman in her 50s or 60s, may not recognise the brand she has trusted for generations in the sleek, Instagram-ready collections now being showcased. The challenge, analysts say, will be to appeal to a new generation without alienating the loyalists who still account for the bulk of its profits.

Why the high street needs M&S to succeed

The retailer’s reinvention comes at a precarious moment for UK retail. High-street footfall remains below pre-pandemic levels, and consumer confidence is fragile, with households still grappling with the aftershocks of inflation. Earlier this week, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reported that while the housing market downturn had eased, sentiment among surveyors remained “fragile,” a mood that often spills over into discretionary spending.

In this context, M&S’s revival is more than a corporate turnaround story—it is a test case for whether heritage brands can adapt without losing their identity. The retailer’s struggles in the 2010s, when it was repeatedly outmanoeuvred by Primark and online rivals like Boohoo, served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency. Its recovery, driven by a mix of digital investment and a renewed focus on quality, offers a blueprint for others. John Lewis, another British retail institution, has taken note, recently announcing its own push into younger demographics with a new “Gen Z” clothing line.

But M&S’s ambitions extend beyond fashion. Its food division, long the engine of its profitability, is also evolving, with a growing emphasis on plant-based and internationally inspired ranges. The company has even dipped its toe into the hospitality sector, opening a standalone café in London’s King’s Cross last year. These moves suggest a broader strategy: to become a lifestyle brand, not just a retailer.

Energy policy’s quiet revolution: Sizewell B gets a 20-year lifeline

While M&S’s fashion-week debut dominated headlines, a quieter but equally significant shift was taking place in Britain’s energy sector. On Wednesday, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) approved a 20-year extension for Sizewell B, the UK’s only pressurised water reactor. The plant, which was due to close in 2035, will now operate until 2055, providing a critical bridge as the country transitions to a low-carbon grid.

The decision reflects a growing recognition that Britain’s energy security cannot rely solely on renewables or imported gas. Sizewell B currently supplies around 3% of the UK’s electricity, enough to power 2.5 million homes. Its continued operation will help offset the closure of older coal and gas plants, while the government’s new nuclear projects—including the much-delayed Sizewell C—come online.

Yet the extension is not without controversy. Anti-nuclear campaigners argue that prolonging the life of ageing reactors is a false economy, diverting investment from renewable energy and storage solutions. The Stop Sizewell C group, which has long opposed the plant’s expansion, called the decision “short-sighted,” warning that it would lock the UK into outdated technology for decades.

The government, however, sees nuclear as a cornerstone of its net-zero strategy. In a statement, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the extension would “keep the lights on and bills down” while the UK scales up wind and solar capacity. The move also aligns with a broader European trend: France, which generates 70% of its electricity from nuclear, has similarly extended the lifespans of several reactors, while Germany has reversed its phase-out plans in the face of energy shortages.

For the UK, the stakes are particularly high. The country’s electricity demand is expected to double by 2050, driven by the shift to electric vehicles and heat pumps. Without a reliable baseload, the risk of blackouts—and soaring energy costs—will only grow. Sizewell B’s extension buys time, but it also underscores the urgency of delivering new nuclear capacity. The first reactor at Hinkley Point C, originally due to come online in 2025, is now not expected before 2031. Sizewell C, if approved, would not be operational until the early 2030s at the earliest.

What this means for Britain’s business landscape

The juxtaposition of M&S’s fashion-week moment and Sizewell B’s extension captures two of the defining tensions in Britain’s economy: the need to modernise without losing what made you great, and the challenge of balancing short-term pragmatism with long-term transformation.

For retailers, the lesson is clear. The high street is not dead, but it cannot survive by doing the same things it did 20 years ago. M&S’s revival—built on a mix of digital savvy, sustainability, and a willingness to take risks—shows that even the most traditional brands can reinvent themselves. The question is whether others will follow, or whether M&S will remain an outlier in a sector still dominated by caution.

For energy, the stakes are even higher. Sizewell B’s extension is a stopgap, not a solution. The UK’s ability to meet its net-zero targets will depend on whether it can deliver new nuclear capacity, scale up renewables, and modernise its grid—all while keeping energy affordable. The government’s recent decision to fast-track offshore wind projects is a step in the right direction, but the clock is ticking. As Adura, the operator of the Jackdaw gas field, warned this week, without urgent approvals for new North Sea production, the UK could face winter fuel shortages as early as next year.

In both cases, the message is the same: Britain’s business landscape is being reshaped by forces beyond its control—changing consumer habits, geopolitical instability, the climate crisis. The companies and sectors that thrive will be those that adapt fastest. For now, M&S and Sizewell B offer two very different models of reinvention. One is about style; the other, about survival. Both will be needed in the years ahead.