Worth GBP 10.75 billion annually, the UK menswear market presents a significant growth opportunity for M&S.
With a 10.4 percent market share, the retailer has doubled down on its ambition to broaden customer appeal, targeting a new younger male customer, and become the authority in men’s fashion.
The power of social
Social media is now the number one influence among men aged 18–34 buying clothing and footwear, and M&S has responded with the launch of M&S Man – an Instagram channel exclusively dedicated to men’s style - inspiring customers with styling tips and ways to wear, behind-the-scenes content, and a closer look at the latest collections.
This customer group is also twice as likely to be influenced by fashion seen on social platforms or through celebrity collaborations. M&S will be ramping up its menswear ambassador programme, with a mix of new and familiar faces showcasing the very best of men’s style at M&S.
Customers can expect to see more social content from Spencer Matthews, Ian Wright, Vernon Kay, Olly Murs and Melvin Odoom, as well as new faces, including motivational speaker and former Love Island contestant, Scott Thomas, and style influencers Stanley Dru, Tim Dessaint and Nathan Griffiths.
“We are building our authority as a voice in men’s style and doubling down on our ambition to become the go-to fashion brand for men," said Mitch Hughes, Director of Menswear at M&S.
“Through M&S Man and by partnering with some of the UK’s most stylish men, we’re broadening our appeal and reaching a new generation of customers. All while continuing to deliver the exceptional quality, innovation, and value that M&S is known for.”
Exceptional product, trusted brand
M&S’s commitment to offering exceptional quality, innovation and style at trusted value continued with the launch of its latest Autograph collections.
The sub-brand has become the cornerstone of Menswear at M&S - synonymous with premium fabrics, quality craftsmanship, and timeless pieces. In three years, the Autograph business has more than quadrupled in value and now represents almost 25 percent of total menswear sales.
Autograph has also been credited with broadening its appeal and introducing new customers to M&S: in FY25, 52 per cent of Autograph customers were new to the sub-brand, while 5 per cent were new to M&S. Notably, 55 per cent of all Autograph customers are under the age of 45 (compared to 37 per cent of total Menswear customers).
Best-selling styles include the GBP 20 Supima Cotton Autograph T-Shirt - worth GBP 20 million annually, and the Autograph Performance range - a modular wardrobe with day-to-night solutions, engineered with cutting-edge technology that has grown by 100 percent in under two years.
“Autograph is a big part of our transformation journey, broadening our customer base by bringing new customers to M&S and strengthening our authority in men’s fashion. But it’s only part of the story: right across Menswear we’re introducing more style-led pieces, offering greater choice every month, and investing more deeply in the right sizes and our best-selling lines.”
Across stores and online, this Autumn/ Winter, customers will find more newness than ever before, with around 1,800 new menswear options dropping each month (+200 vs last year), a greater focus on trend-led drops throughout the season and, following the success of previous MW campaigns, a +18 percent deeper buy on AW25 campaign lines compared with last year.
