Latest news with #M&S
Elle
9 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Elle
5 Flat Shoes Stylish Women Say They Are Actually Wearing To The Office This Summer
Here in Blighty we like to moan when the weather is drizzly and grey, but we love to moan when it's sunny and hot. While Pimms in a pub garden and picky bits for tea is always welcome, our houses and, more importantly (to us) our wardrobes are simply ill-equipped for temperatures above 23 degrees. As for what to wear on our feet when it's warm and you're trying to be professional - well that's a total minefield. That's right, this weather is wreaking havoc on our usual office appropriate shoe options and we're a little flummoxed. Being office appropriate, of course, depends on your office, so we spoke to the most stylish and professional women we know, to learn exactly what they're wearing on their feet while being the bosses they are, and where to buy them. From M&S' Head of Womenswear Design, Lisa Illis, to Head of Brand and Communications at The British Fashion Council, Davina Wedderburn, this is what shoes stylish women are wearing to work, right now. 'As someone who has built a business based on the absolute necessity of dressing for comfort yet not comprising on style, it's fair to say this applies down to my feet! 'My working days consist of school runs, Lime bikes and running across town for meetings, so I need my shoes to help me get from A to B with ease and as someone with narrow long feet this can be hard. However, I have my favourites that I return to again and again. Recently the Chico style in black from Penelope Chilver has been a go-to; super elegant with the cross over the foot but also ludicrously are the perfect pairing to one of our nightie-come-day dress options like our Gingham Brigitte and headscarf. A really cute match but crucially, crazy comfy.' 'I wear my ruby-red Prada ballet flats at least three times a week; they instantly make whatever you style them with 10 times more special. Most recently I wore them with a vintage slip skirt, crisp white tee, and sharply tailored, pale-pink blazer for a day of meetings. I also love how they look with capri pants and an oversized shirt.' 'This summer, I have lived in these gem mesh flats from Hush. There's something quietly decadent about the sheer mesh and subtle embellishment — they feel polished yet undone, which makes them ideal for the office, meetings, events, and everything in between. 'Honestly, they pretty much go with everything but most recently, I've been wearing them with oversized black or white barrel leg jeans, a structured vest or tee, and a sharp blazer — effortless, but considered.' 'These shoes are my current obsession. I love a hybrid shoe and these Mary Jane Adidas trainers are super comfy but also manage to feel more dressy than a regular trainer?! I've been wearing with jorts, T-shirt maxi dresses and mini bubble skirts.' 'I can't count the number of times I've worn these backless suede loafer mules. The slip-on silhouette is stylish and iconic – ideal for high-low office dressing. They come in neutral black and a vibrant red. I've been styling these shoes with tailored trousers or Bermuda shorts, which are key this season. Equally, they'd look amazing with a mini dress and tailored jacket for a modern take on the workwear suit.' Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
Forbes
11 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Customer Trust Can Shield Your Business In A Crisis
If there's one certainty in these volatile times, it is that the threat of large-scale, disruptive cyber-attacks is here to stay. From US school districts to major brands like Marks & Spencer (M&S), Cartier and Adidas, organisations across multiple industries and regions have experienced severe cybersecurity breaches – with fallout lasting weeks and sometimes months. The attackers don't seem to differentiate by size, industry, or age – indeed, even ransomware extortion group Lockbit suffered a breach of their own in May. Any organisation is a potential target and there's no room for complacency. This is now an everyday reality for modern businesses. If there's one certainty in these volatile times, it is that the threat of large-scale, disruptive ... More cyber-attacks is here to stay. Long-term reputational damage The immediate disruption for companies and customers can be severe, ranging from empty supermarket shelves to payment outages and long delays in online orders. Attacks can also result in serious data breaches, potentially heightening the onward risk of fraud attacks against their customers. In the UK, Deutsche Bank estimated that the recent cyberattack and resulting outages have been costing M&S £15m a week in lost profits, and the issue looks set to continue through the summer. And in the long term, disruptions of this scale can often erode consumer trust. Earlier this year, we conducted extensive research into the key factors influencing perceptions of an organisation's reputation, as well as the impact of customer service failures on long-term reputation and customer engagement. Our data shows that 61% of customers who experienced a major customer service failure feel it has eroded their trust in the organisation. What's even more concerning is that 24% of customers have avoided using an organisation after experiencing a major customer service failure, and a further 30% say they will avoid using the business if they can. This highlights the impact on customer confidence that cyber-attacks and other forms of service disruption can have, leading to longstanding reputational damage. Earning goodwill However, organisations that focus on the right things can mitigate these impacts in significant ways. What we have seen from the M&S case is, even while suffering catastrophic financial damages, brands who have achieved consistently high levels of customer satisfaction retain goodwill, loyalty, and even sympathy from their customers. This ultimately should lead to a faster, smoother recovery once things come back online, with – most importantly – a reduced reputational impact. So, what lessons can be learned? For me, it's about building a strong reputation for excellent service, showing that you genuinely care about your customers, and communicating with authenticity and honesty during times of crisis. Embedding a culture of service from the boardroom right down through the business will also better connect your organisation with your customers, which creates a bank of goodwill to fall back on when disaster strikes. The importance of communication Today's consumers are used to receiving constant information and updates. Our risk and reputation research, which I referenced earlier, shows that customers who have experienced a major customer service failure look to their phones, live websites and apps for information and want updates to reach them there. Companies need to meet this demand to retain their support, demonstrate transparency and honesty about the scale of disruption to their services, be clear about the consequences that may have occurred and issue apologies and updates to customers across all available touchpoints to ensure they are kept informed. Additionally, a consistent, human approach to crises can reduce negative responses from many customers and, in many cases, inspires warmth and sympathy for the brand or organisation. And if the disruption is large-scale and likely to create severe negative backlash, having the head of your organisation remain visible and publicly acknowledge the issue adds a personal face to your organisation, which can be critical. Customers who have experienced a major customer service failure look to their phones, live websites ... More and apps for information and want updates to reach them there. No room for complacency All of this being said, brands with a good record of customer service shouldn't be complacent. Consumer patience and understanding will only go so far. Recent developments have served as a wake-up call to many business leaders about the importance of ongoing investment in sophisticated cybersecurity systems and the risks associated with overreliance on technology. Businesses with well-trained service and operational people can adapt in the face of systems failures to ensure the show goes on. Crises are inevitable, whether due to cyber-attacks, power outages or something else unexpected. Brands can't afford to be reactive. How would your organisation respond to a high-profile operational challenge, and will your customers support your recovery or jump ship to a rival given the opportunity?
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
National Picnic Week: Shop our picky-bits essentials for summer
Image: Coco & Wolf Reiss Tolga It's National Picnic Week until the 21st June, and if you're anything like me, your season has already been punctuated by spontaneous in the park with your pals. Not only a dreamy way to bask in the elusive British sunshine, picnicking is also my favourite hack for not spending an arm and a leg on drinks and dinner. Even better, it invites the elite concept of snacking as an actual meal. Enter: the quintessential picky-bits kit. While a haul at M&S is a vital part of the fun (if you don't know about their Green Goddess dip, get to know), we all know the first bite is taken with the eye, and there's no reason your picnicware shouldn't be as beautiful as the bites you'll eat from it. The high street has blossomed this summer with fabulous pieces that are as functional as they are fashionable. From a basket equipped with bottle holders, to pretty melamine, to a picnic-themed collab between Glassette and the Delevingne sisters' Prosecco brand Della Vite, read on for the picnicware of the moment.£63.99 at laredoute£70.00 at at at laredoute£100.00 at at anthropologie£35.40 at in-store. £40.00 at marksandspencer£9.00 at in-store. £40.00 at marksandspencer£9.00 at Follow House Beautiful on TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest You Might Also Like 7 hallway mirrors to create the illusion of space 13 bedroom wallpaper ideas to transform plain walls 12 garden furniture sets perfect for outdoor entertaining
Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Calvin Harris privacy fears for £3.6m Cotswold mansion as local bus passengers can see inside
Scots DJ Calvin Harris has been forced to install privacy glass throughout his luxury Cotswold mansion because a busy bus route thunders by. Scots DJ Calvin Harris is going to huge lengths to make sure his new multimillion Cotswold mansion is free from prying eyes. The Dumfries-born musician has installed one-way, reflective glass on windows throughout the three-storey luxury home after realising it sat on a busy bus route. The star, 41, bought the five-bedroom property in a quiet Gloucestershire village near the Oxfordshire border for £3.6m million pounds in 2019. After demolishing the original structure, he spent five years having the house - which sits on 10 acres of land - rebuilt, using designs by an architect favoured by the Royal Family. But his dream vision for the pad doesn't appear to have come to fruition, as he's since discovered that a busy bus route sits right outside, and anyone on board can see right inside. Local coach firm Pulhams Travel regularly sends buses thundering by the Feels So Close hitmaker's home on an hour-long circular route with eight stops, according to Mail Online. Calvin - real name Adam Wiles - is reportedly set to move into the property with pregnant wife Vick Hope, 35, later this summer. In order to preserve their privacy when they get there, he's had the special glass fitted throughout the property, which was visible to see for the first time this week as scaffolding was removed. The pad is a far cry from Calvin's beginnings in Dumfries, where he honed his skills in the bedroom of his parents' home while funding his efforts working in a fish factory and stacking shelves in the local M&S and Safeway. He went to become a global chart-topper, with 11 UK No1s and collaborations with the world's biggest stars including Rihanna and Ellie Goulding. Calvin is now thought to be worth a cool £240 million and is one of the highest paid DJs in the world after a multimillion pound Las Vegas residency and selling his song catalogue for a reported £76million. He is reported to be heavily investing his fortune in property and already owns a £12million mansion in LA, a £7.5million London townhouse, and his 138-acre Ibiza farm in Ibiza, where he lived before his romance with Countryfile and Radio 1 host Vick went public. He's also reported to have snapped up two other homes nearby and is considering a fourth, bringing his spending in the area to an estimated £15million. Calvin and wife Vick, who were married in 2023 and announced they were expecting their first child back in May, are in good company with their new base, with celebrity neighbours including Kate Moss and Jeremy Clarkson. One local previously told the Sun: "Building work there finally finished, for now, last week and we're expecting Calvin and Vick to move in at the end of the summer after his season playing at clubs in Ibiza has finished. "From the road, the house looks amazing. No expense seems to have been spared. I am sure they will love living here as a family." Calvin's Cotswolds property empire has seen him likened to fellow musician Ed Sheeran, who bought up a raft of homes in Suffolk, with locals there dubbing his estate as 'Sheeranville'. One neighbour previously told The Sun: "Just like Ed Sheeran, he seems to want to buy up the properties that surround his incredible new house. "We have had to put up with lots of building work going on, for what seems like years but what has annoyed locals most is that a lovely vineyard has gone." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
M&S' 'cutest' £8 Percy Pig item with 'shimmering' effect 'impossible to resist'
Percy Pig fans praised the 'lovely' £8 item that impressed one shopper so much they purchased it as a gift and kept it M&S shoppers are loving a "shimmering" £8 Percy Pig product that fans say is "impossible to resist." The retailer's Percy Pig Bath Elixir has gone down a treat with customers, causing a stir on social media. The themed product has been featured in various viral social media posts, including a recent Facebook post by Dansway Gifts and Bargains UK. The Facebook page told shoppers: "Shimmering Percy Pig Bubble Bath found at M&S." Elsewhere, UK Supermarket Offers & Deals This Week by Dansway also highlighted the bubble bath. The post said: "How cool is this Shimmering Percy Pig Bubble Bath that is available at M&S…." and viewers loved what they saw. Replying to the posts, fans couldn't wait to try the product. One excited shopper said: "This is just the cutest." A second Percy Pig fan replied: "How beautiful I love this thanks so much for sharing." A third wrote: "I want this!!" A similar comment read: "We need." Someone else commented: "Omg." Elsewhere, some viewers mistook the bubble bath for a different product. One such reply read: "I thought this was Percy Pig gin." Another viewer echoed this, saying: "I thought that was gin." A product description is available on M&S' website. While the £8 product is out of stock on M&S' site, shoppers can still browse the product details and reviews. M&S says: "This Percy Pig elixir turns bathtime into a sparkling, sweet-scented retreat. "The shimmery bubble bath not only fills the tub with mountains of fluffy bubbles but also creates an irresistible aroma of a freshly opened bag of Percy Pig treats." The Percy Pig Bath Elixir 500ml has received an average rating of 4.8 out of five. One impressed reviewer said: "Fabulous! It's impossible to resist Percy: he never fails to make anyone smile." Someone else gushed: "Bought as a gift and kept it for myself as a Saturday night treat - lovely bottle, lovely colour, lovely scent and bubbly!" Another fan wrote: "Kids will love it, big and small. Great colour in a lovely bottle - smells delicious!" However, a less pleased buyer said: "Brought this to gift to my little cousin who loves Peppa Pig. However, the plastic bottle isn't as substantial as I would like." For shoppers keen to order the product, Ocado offers the M&S Percy Pig Bath Elixir for £8. The description says the bubble bath has caramel, vanilla, and strawberry fragrance notes, among others. Alternatively, shoppers can locate their nearest store here. Similar items listed on M&S' website include This Works' Deep Sleep Beauty Soak for £28, Bloom and Blossom's Bubbles & Sleep Gentle Baby Bubble Bath 500ml for £12, and Cowshed's Sleep Bath Salts 300g for £24. However, several products are currently out of stock online.
