When the boss of Marks & Spencer reported a drop in clothing sales in its latest half-year results on Wednesday, he was keen to stress the problems were down to spring’s devastating cyber-attack and “not due to lack of demand”.
Stuart Machin said the once-staid retailer had been “inundated with requests” for its fashion range, which has been revitalised in recent years and was again lifted by last year’s collaboration with designer Bella Freud.
