We opened our Drapery department which included clothing as well as lingerie. Our first bras were designed to provide the flatter chest and boyish figure popular at the time. Our lingerie range included garters, directoire knickers, sanitary belts and free-run bodices.
The oldest bra in the archive collection dates from the late 1920s – it offered a low level of support whilst giving the wearer a smooth silhouette.
The most popular fabric for lingerie during the 1930s and 1940s was artificial silk, or rayon as it was known – an early synthetic fibre made with cellulose from wood pulp. The fabric was seen as a more affordable alternative to silk, and a more luxurious option than cotton, linen or wool.
We sold corsetry and uplifting brassieres advertised with the slogan, ‘A perfect figure guaranteed’. These new styles suited the changing trend for ‘lift and separation’.
Hook-sided girdles gave ‘that slim silhouette demanded by present fashions’.
Stock control documents show that by 1939 we were selling at least 30 styles of bra – most were available in white or peach, sometimes blue. Styles included ‘rubber reducing brassieres’ and an ‘Outsize’ range.
During the war, austerity measures and the Utility Scheme meant designers had to work harder to continue making attractive yet practical garments.
Many Head Office departments were moved out of London. Both the Corsetry and the Woven Underwear buying departments were relocated to Leicester.
We’ve always helped our customers choose the right size underwear. Before changing rooms were introduced in the 1970s sales assistants were trained to measure customers for girdles, bras and corsets on the shop floor.
We trialled a new way of selling lingerie to help customers feel more relaxed. At Marble Arch store, specially designed counters were arranged to give a secluded space where customers felt at ease discussing their ‘corseting problems’.
Takings went up as a result of the trial and exchanges reduced.
During the 1930s and 1940s, our bras were sold by chest size only. In the early 1950s we began using three cup sizes; small, medium and large, inspired by American retailers. This made it easier for customers to find a bra to fit.
By 1953 we were selling 125,000 brassieres per week.
We started selling bras aimed at teenagers and younger women. Light, simple styles such as the brief brassiere were designed for the more ‘youthful figure’.
We saw an increase in customer interest in lingerie in the 1950s. Post-war, customers had more disposable income and would have seen glamourous representations of boudoir style in Hollywood films, influencing their spending habits.
We sold elastic high line girdles, which provided more support, and ensured ‘spare tyres, [and] ungainly bulges are eliminated’. The girdles had very little boning, so were much more comfortable than earlier designs.
Full body-shaping lingerie was trialled. This all-nylon corselette, which combined a bra and girdle, was popular with customers who wanted more control.
Two-way stretch net was developed by firms such as John Heathcoat & Co, an M&S supplier. This new fabric allowed for comfort and ease of movement.
Panty girdles were available in three leg lengths. They offered support and a smooth silhouette under trousers.
In Spring 1961 we launched our first tailored slip. Special techniques were developed to ensure that the slip took the strain, rather than the skirt.
We first began using Lycra in 1961 when it was introduced into our girdles. It was promoted as soft to touch, easy to wash and light to wear whilst still offering firm control.
To promote the use of new synthetic fibres, we produced cinema adverts. ‘In Form for Tomorrow’ showcased the benefits of Lycra in St Michael lingerie.
Our lingerie designers were constantly working to improve comfort and support. In 1964 we promoted bras with elastic adjustable straps, and elastic back and side panels.
In 1965 we became the first major retailer to introduce a range of coordinating bras and girdles. From light to firm control, the girdles came in lace and fabric to match the bras.
We were the first retailer in the UK to sell pre-shrunk cotton underwear.
The same year, stretch lace was introduced to girdles and panty girdles.
The girdle range of 1965 focused on the ‘rounded rear’. The American-inspired range gave a gentle uplift and was recommended for wearing beneath trousers.
In 1966 we trialled the bra slip. Influenced by Parisian styles, the M&S bra slip became one of the fastest selling lines of the 1960s. Customers enjoyed the practicality of wearing one garment instead of two, and the shorter length suited the mini-skirt fashions of the time.
We launched a new range of panty girdles which included high cut styles that ‘bolster the rear’. The girdles were available in light, medium and firm control and came in a variety of fabrics, in plain and printed designs.
We introduced cup sizes to our bras (A-D) which replaced the small/medium/large sizes.
The Scanlace bra was introduced in 1971 for 73p, and 18 months later M&S had sold a million – it became the bestselling bra in Britain in 1972. It was our first unlined bra, described as ‘less bra doing the same job as before’. The bra was seen as a prototype for a new style of bra aimed at a younger market.
As well as supplying the British market, we exported lingerie around the world to concessions in chain stores and St Michael shops.
By 1977 knickers were our largest export – nearly 4 million pairs a year were sold internationally.
An in-store campaign, ‘Bras for Today’s Woman’ encouraged women to buy into a wardrobe of different bras. ‘Ladies need at least three styles: a good softly shaped day bra, a seamless bra for the ‘natural’ look to wear under t-shirts and a deeply plunging glamour bra for evenings.’
Alongside this we developed a luxurious lingerie range which featured satin camisoles, bras, French knickers and slips.
The keep-fit boom of the 1980s influenced our lingerie ranges. In 1984 we launched a sports-inspired range. By the mid 1980s we were selling bras specifically intended for sports, and by 1992 sales assistants were trained to advise customers which bras were most suitable for exercise.
In 1984 we began to display and sell lingerie on hangers rather than packaged in boxes. By doing this we were able to display items from the same ranges together more easily.
In 1994 we developed a new bra fitting service involving more thorough measurements. Staff underwent two days of rigorous training and assessment to ensure they were giving customers the best service.
We introduced ‘Mum to be’ and bridal underwear collections. The bridal range was created after researchers surveyed 500 brides – the collection was feminine and pretty, but with no fussy detailing.
Research was undertaken to make our lingerie departments more appealing to customers.
As a result, new look lingerie departments were trialled, with new fixtures and fittings, and merchandise separated into customer types – glamour, modern and classic.
The Salon Rose range from Agent Provocateur was launched in store in 1999, including bridal and maternity collections.
In 2001, Australian designer Collette Dinnigan designed the first Wild Hearts range – a partnership that expanded to include swimwear and hosiery.
The MW collection is launched – bringing together lingerie and menswear.
Post-surgery bras were introduced at the start of the 2000s, but customer feedback that the bras were too utilitarian resulted in an overhaul of the range in 2006. The new range was designed in consultation with women who had had partial or full mastectomies. A 10% donation from the sale of each bra went to the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, now known as Breast Cancer Now, a charity that M&S continues to support.
We launched a carbon neutral bra, and also developed Heatgen TM – a ladies thermal underwear range.
The same year we presented our new bridal lingerie range at The Goring Hotel, London. The range was inspired by prints and techniques from the M&S Archive.
The Perfect Poise range was designed to increase awareness of correct posture by providing support to the shoulders, back and bust.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley launched her first range of lingerie, showcasing French-designed lace, luxurious silks and soft feminine prints. Since 2012 the range has broken sales records.
We celebrated 90 years of lingerie at M&S by redesigning the 1970s Scanlace bra. The bra was available in three colours, underwired and non-wired and with matching knickers.
In October 2020 we launched Boutique. Soozie Jenkinson, Head of Lingerie Design said: ‘Boutique is an exciting new lingerie sub-brand, thoughtfully designed by our talented in-house design team. We’ve loved creating this brand which is designed to add a contemporary, playful and fun aesthetic to our lingerie collections.’
Following the restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2021 we introduced remote bra-fitting. The virtual appointments with a bra fit expert followed the same instore process and cup size was assessed visually. Customers were then sent a follow email with links to suitable products and style tips.
To mark 95 years of M&S lingerie, a special Archive Embroidery range was created. The embroidery designs were all inspired by items held in the M&S Archive.
We launched period knickers. The three-layer gusset provides high absorbency and comfort.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of her collections for M&S, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley reimagined our customers’ favourite pieces – resulting in ten designs in her most-loved shapes and styles.
We launched the Flexifit™ lace range – modern, botanical inspired lace with Flexifit™ 360°stretch
technology. The fabric is sustainably sourced with no-VPL free-cut finishes, the technology is used in both bras and knickers.
We became the first UK high street retailer to introduce stoma knickers to our lingerie collection. The knickers are designed with an internal pocket to support individuals living with a stoma.
We launched the ‘Make an Understatement’ campaign. Bringing together menswear and womenswear, the campaign delivered a fresh, dynamic aesthetic, with a focus on contemporary design and everyday style.
