Marks & Spencer is experiencing a notable increase in demand for formalwear, primarily fueled by a boom in wedding celebrations. The retailer reports that sales of dress shirts rose by 24 percent last year compared to 2024, indicating a strong customer preference for more formal attire for special occasions.
This surge in formalwear comes even as more professionals embrace casual clothing, such as T-shirts, for everyday office wear following the COVID-19 pandemic. Mitch Hughes, director of M&S menswear, commented on the trend, stating, "It’s encouraging to see customers choosing M&S for life’s milestone moments."
Beyond dress shirts, sales of bow ties and tuxedos also saw increases of 9 percent and 3 percent, respectively. To cater to this growing demand, Marks & Spencer launched a bespoke suit alteration service at its flagship Oxford Street store last month. Since its introduction, the service has already completed 100 suit alterations, further underscoring the renewed interest in formal dressing. The company's performance suggests that while daily work attire may be shifting towards informality, significant life events like weddings continue to drive a robust market for traditional formal clothing.