M&S Just Joined the London Fashion Week Line-Up—Here's Everything You Need to Know About Their Debut

Ask any far-flung Brit who's spent time on distant shores what British delights they're most eager to return to, and some sweet or salty M&S treat is almost certain to be mentioned. So embedded in British culture, the behemoth brand's place amongst London's most impactful designers at London Fashion Week feels like a given. Yet this week's runway show marked the label's first official encounter with LFW. Overdue, or perfectly timed? Its inclusion in the schedule coincides with Marks & Spencer's 100th year of fashion—a fitting moment to make its debut.

The milestone was met with all the glamour you'd expect. Hosted at Kensington High Street's London Design Museum, the multi-floor experience showcased 59 ready-to-shop designs across womenswear and menswear.

And ready-to-wear they certainly were. Standout looks ranged from evening-ready staples to seductive, subdued lingerie-inspired pieces, styled to peek out just so beneath sharp tailoring in a way that felt genuinely suited to the capital the brand has long served. Elsewhere, gowns caught the light as a procession of genuine stars took to the runway. Oasis fans will have clocked Lennon Gallagher's telltale bushy brows as the young singer modelled a grey suit styled with a tonal knit, whilst Lara Stone, Erin O'Connor, Jodie Kidd and Karen Elson appeared throughout. Celebrity spilt over into the front row, too, where Joan Collins, Jessie Ware, Pixie Geldof and Anaïs Gallagher were among the guests.

Setting the tone for the trends Londoners will genuinely be wearing this season, boho-inspired silhouettes were woven throughout the collection, while Americana-inspired tailoring nodded towards denim and suede as two of the season's defining fabrications.

So few institutions feel as entrenched in the fabric of British culture as Marks & Spencer, making its arrival at London Fashion Week feel like an overdue acknowledgement of its place within British fashion. A century into its fashion story, Marks & Spencer is ready to write its next chapter—with London standing behind it.