How M&S regained its place as UK’s top womenswear retailer

M&S knitwear sales were up 23% in October compared with last year. Photograph: Marks & Spencer

Fours years after it fell out of the FTSE 100, M&S has turned around its fortunes to become the UK’s best retailer for women’s wear.

In May, strong sales figures were driven not only by bog-standard basics such as underwear and T-shirts, but by more fashion-forward categories, too. Now, sales of women’s party wear are up 49%, and knitwear up 23% in October compared with last year.