IF you are of a certain vintage, it may be that a rummage around your wardrobe could well reveal an old item of clothing that would now also be regarded as ‘vintage’, bearing the words ‘St Michael’ on its label. Now the old Marks & Spencer brand is being resurrected, exciting fashion fans and shoppers who recall the high street as it once was.
It’s been a while?
The St Michael brand was discontinued by Marks & Spencer in 2000 as it endeavoured to turn around its fortunes at the time following a profit plunge. It had been part of the retail giant's clothing line for 72 years.
It was ‘in with the bricks’ at M&S?
The department store, which began in Leeds in the 1884, launched the St Michael brand in the 1920s in tribute to the firm's co-founder, Michael Marks - who opened the store with Thomas Spencer.
What’s behind the return?
Consumer demand for retro style has inspired the move. There are, at present, around 16,000 items on selling site eBay, ranging from vintage St Michael embroidered shirts and pleated skirts, to St Michael cooking aprons and velvet blouses.
And it’s not just eBay?
Social shopping app Depop has thousands of items for sale, as do online retail sites Etsy and ASOS.
M&S took note?
The firm has cottoned on to the rising popularity of its classic items, realising young fans of vintage fashion were snapping up its old line from other retailers. It is now “just starting to play with it and test reaction” to the return, introducing a couple of items to begin with - a £29.50 rugby shirt and a sweatshirt for £25.
What about the secondhand items?
Many have seen their value increase. Some of the most expensive items on eBay at the moment include a 1940s floral silky house robe for £125 and a 1980s blue belted high neck dress that reeks of its era for around £50.
It’s all about post-pandemic recovery?
The pandemic hit retail hard, although it said in August its return is “on track” as it recorded a strong start to the financial year, with an uptick in demand for food and online clothing. Richard Price, managing director of M&S Clothing & Home, said: “We’ll continue to listen to our customers’ feedback on our ranges. Alongside great products, our customers want a seamless and inspirational shopping experience whether they’re online or in-store and we’re continuing to make changes.”
And the timing is on point?
The world has become more nostalgic amid the panedmic, but it also happens to be ‘Second Hand September’. The month-long Oxfam initiative - this year fronted by actress Sienna Miller - campaigns for shoppers to only buy second hand for a month to highlight the impact of 'fast fashion'.The fashion and textile industry is said to account for up to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and avoiding buying new is one way to try and slow production. Miller said she wanted “to help draw attention to how choosing second hand fashion can be kinder for our planet.”
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