Marks & Spencer Launches US Fashion Debut Through 30 Nordstrom Stores

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3.31.2026

Quick Facts

M&S launched 60 clothing styles across 30 Nordstrom stores and online on March 29, 2026
Only 13% of US customers know M&S as a fashion brand, though 51,000+ shop its US website annually
The partnership builds on M&S Food’s success at Target, which sells 30,000 Percy Pigs bags weekly

Marks & Spencer made its US fashion retail debut through a partnership with Nordstrom, placing over 60 clothing pieces in 30 stores from Los Angeles to New York.

The British retailer launched the collection on March 29, featuring items from its Per Una and M&S Collection lines. This marks the first time M&S Fashion has sold through physical US stores.

“With strong brand momentum as the UK’s most trusted retailer and now leading in style, quality and value perceptions in our womenswear range, now is the time to build our brand awareness in the US Fashion market,” said Mark Lemming, M&S Managing Director of International.

The move represents a strategic shift for M&S, which previously struggled with US expansion. The retailer bought Brooks Brothers for $750 million in 1988 but sold it for $225 million in 2001 after failing to make the acquisition work.

M&S now focuses on wholesale partnerships rather than standalone operations. The strategy mirrors its successful food partnership with Target, launched in 2022, and follows its fashion wholesale debut with Australia’s David Jones last summer.

Brand awareness remains low in the US market. Only 13% of American customers recognize M&S as a fashion brand, with highest awareness among women aged 25-34. However, more than 51,000 customers shop on the retailer’s US website annually.

“We’re always looking for new ways to inspire our customers, and that starts with bringing them exceptional brands from around the world,” said Emily Crandall, Nordstrom EVP and General Merchandise Manager.

The partnership comes as British brands gain traction in America. Radley, Monica Vinader, Toast and Missoma have all expanded successfully through wholesale distribution and standalone stores.

GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders called Nordstrom a good fit, noting its “middle-class, slightly more mature consumer that is interested in fashion” matches M&S’s UK customer base.

Nordstrom reported $15.01 billion in revenue for 2024, up from $14.69 billion in 2023. However, analysts have lowered earnings projections, cutting EPS estimates from $2.25 to $1.11 for fiscal 2025.

The calculated approach allows M&S to test US fashion demand without major capital investment, learning from past mistakes while capitalizing on the current wave of British retail success in America.