Marks & Spencers Quality

likelyfran

In terms of clothes anyway, its really gone down the pan.

I bought a mostly synthetic 'Made in China' jumper from there recently for £39.50 (not cheap), looked gorgeous on the rail.

Two light wears and it's pilling and bobbling all over the arms so it's going back for a refund.

I remember back in the 90s, getting gorgeous lace knickers from there (kind of thick, sturdy but pretty lace design), they lasted years.

In the noughties, their underwear design went all strange - no longer pretty and sturdy but just strange - like a conscious decision for a new image that just didn't work. Seem to remember profits were down and they were accused of being too frumpy or something.

Around that time I started to notice, too, a drop in general clothes quality and fit.

You can still go into a charity shop and pick out something good quality, look at label and it will be 'old' M&S but suppose those finds will dwindle.

Someone was saying on net the other day that Marks' used to be known for 'the two k's - knickers and knitwear' but not any more. That beacon of quality is just not there any more, shame.

donnac2558

Coughs.

I have two merino wool jumpers bought last century from Marks and Spencer. I hand wash them and hang up, still as good as new.:beer:

They don't even do the merino wool ones now, just lambs wool which makes me itch.

Fire_Fox

Bit of a strong and sweeping criticism based on a single sweater!

marmitepotato

I noticed a small drop in M and S quality, but the quality at Next has really dropped. I hardly ever buy anything at the full price at Next, I just wait for the sale.

sweetpea26

I agree that the quality of some items has dropped. Years ago when you bought an item in Marks ... it would last you a very long time. Now I wouldn't have the same confidence in the longevity of some items. Next is worse...I do not buy any new next at all. The older lines were really good quality.

I still love marks food hall though

McKneff

Where do they get the stuff from that is in the Next sale, it never seems to be anything that is normally on sale in the normally very tidy stores and its also absolute rubbish quality too.

miduck

likelyfran wrote: »

I bought a mostly synthetic 'Made in China' jumper from there recently for £39.50 (not cheap), looked gorgeous on the rail.

Why did you spend an amount that you deem to be "not cheap" on a "mostly synthetic 'Made in China' jumper"?

likelyfran

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Bit of a strong and sweeping criticism based on a single sweater!

Did you and your 2 thankers READ my post? :rotfl::T
I mentioned more than one sweater.
In fact, since that post, I've had something else faulty from them (garment ordered online and picked up instore). It's got a wonky seam and it's darned annoying when you wear the garment so it's going back too!
Definite quality issues with M&S these days.

likelyfran

sweetpea26 wrote: »

I agree that the quality of some items has dropped. Years ago when you bought an item in Marks ... it would last you a very long time. Now I wouldn't have the same confidence in the longevity of some items. Next is worse...I do not buy any new next at all. The older lines were really good quality.

I still love marks food hall though

Yes, I hardly ever go to M&S any more, the 2 recent purchases were my first there in ages. I had a wander round the foodhall and was thinking 'at least their food is still top'. Always loved their puddings and they do great salad pots.

likelyfran

miduck wrote: »

Why did you spend an amount that you deem to be "not cheap" on a "mostly synthetic 'Made in China' jumper"?

'Yawn, there's always 1'. Because it looked really nice and good quality but turned out not to be?

likelyfran

I remember Next being the really big thing in the 1980s. Queues round the block. I got one thing from there and thought the quality/design was not great and it was all overblown. It's the same guy (George) who does the Asda clothes though (or at least it was) and they do some brilliant stuff - or at least lots of really pretty stuff. Some tatt and lots of synthetics that aren't designed to last but they always have loads of really cheap sale stuff as they turn over the stuff so quick - most of my new stuff is from Asda! And these days, you're just as well going there in quality terms than you are going to 'Marksies'..