M&S to increase investment in expanding Nobody's Child

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
May 9, 2023

M&S is set to boost investment in its most popular third-party fashion brand Nobody’s Child. The UK retail giant, which owns a 27% stake in the independent women’s fashion label, wants to help it further expand in-store, online and internationally.

The fresh funding, believed to be in the single-digit millions, will allow the retailer to buy more stock to cover the increased demand it expects from customers this summer. Target overseas markets include the US, Europe and the United Arab Emirates.

Both M&S’s investment and infrastructure “will help scale the business”. Last year, M&S backed Nobody’s Child’s international growth, launching the brand in 93 markets via its website.

Founded in 2015 by the fashion entrepreneur Andrew Xeni, it was the first third-party brand to be launched on the M&S website in 2020. Now it’s stocked in 10 M&S stores and as its top-performing brand partner, it’s claimed more than 340,000 customers purchase its items each year.

In the past two years Nobody’s Child revenues have also more than quadrupled, via its own channels and third-party brand partners.

Best known for its floral print dresses, the brand has strategically evolved into a lifestyle offer, launching new product categories including, separates, tailoring, denim and jersey.

This week, Nobody’s Child also opened a standalone pop-up shop in London’s Covent Garden.

Richard Price, managing director of clothing and home at M&S, said: “This season it seems that everyone is talking about Nobody’s Child. As an important part of the M&S family, we’re delighted to be able to support the brand with additional funding to unlock even more potential as they continue to grow.

He added: “Our third-party brands are key to creating an M&S reshaped for growth and at the heart of this is finding the right partners. As shown with Nobody’s Child, when we get these partnerships right, everyone wins.”

Jody Plows, chief executive of Nobody’s Child, added: “This will enable us to broaden our product categories and build our customer base both in the UK and internationally.”