Marks & Spencer launches nationwide search to find its next top designer
Marks & Spencer is embarking on a nationwide search for its next designer through the launch of the ITV1 and ITVX series, M&S: Dress The Nation.
Hosted by AJ Odudu and Vernon Kay later this year, the six-episode series will see ten candidates compete to secure an in-house design role at the retailer’s colleague support centre in London’s Paddington.
M&S is keen to hear from people from all walks of life who have “creative flair, a willingness to learn and a passion for design”. Furthermore, a formal qualification or training in fashion design is not essential.
The candidates will be set a series of briefs that have been designed to assess their design, problem-solving, commerciality and collaboration skills. They will work from M&S’s purpose-built design studio for the duration of the competition, both individually and in groups, to design and create garments that will resonate with the M&S customer.
In a weekly judging session, a panel of senior M&S leaders and a rotation of celebrity guests and designers will select which designers move forward to the next round and are eventually crowned as winner.
The winner of the series will be offered an in-house junior designer role with M&S.
Anna Braithwaite, M&S marketing director – clothing and home, said: “The UK has some of the best emerging design talent in the world and we want to meet them.
“We’re on the look-out for the next generation of designers who can be part of our journey to evolve M&S’ style credentials and design original products that not only appeals to our existing customers but also turns the heads of customers who may not have previously considered us.”
