Not just clothes, Sex And The City clothes
FANS of Sex And The City will be heading to Marks & Spencer today, where a collection by the show's stylist Patricia Field goes on sale.
M&S hopes to entice a more fashion-savvy customer by offering an opportunity to own a dress or a bag designed by Field.
The move follows Topshop's Kate Moss Collection and Lily Allen's collaboration with New Look. "It's about appealing to all the different women who shop at M&S," said Kate Bostock, the store's head of womenswear. "Patricia's ideas go beyond fashion in some ways."
Field has also worked on the TV show Ugly Betty and The Devil Wears Prada film, but her 60-piece M&S collection takes virtually all of its cues from Sex And The City.
Highlights include a turtle-neck sequin mini-dress (£125) and a classic trench coat with leopard print lining (£99). Field makes regular use of corsages a Sex And The City trademark, most notably on a black one-shouldered evening dress, with an over-sized gold flower (£85).
The pieces may be slightly more expensive than M&S customers are used to, but accessories are competitively priced. And neither the New York printed clutch bag (£19.50) nor red leather driving gloves (£14) would look out of place on the show's leading lady Sarah Jessica Parker.
Today's launch of the range comes just weeks after M&S announced a slump of 6 per cent in profits, raising the spectre of its worst Christmas in 30 years.
● High street shoppers will be able to buy gas and electricity from M&S stores across the UK. The firm today announced the launch of M&S Energy, in partnership with Scottish & Southern Energy. Customers will receive M&S store vouchers for loyalty and incentives to reduce energy usage. They will pay about £1,196 per year for the "dual fuel" tariff bill (including VAT) the same as it costs at SSE.
