Some have called it \u2018S&M\u2019, but partnership with Ann Summers is less a scandal than another step in a century of evolving underwear trends, experts say<\/p>\n
The news that Marks & Spencer is selling Ann Summers crotchless knickers on their website has been greeted \u2013 as might be expected \u2013 with outrage online, being described as everything from \u201ctawdry\u201d to \u201cS & M\u201d.<\/p>\n
But it could be this is just the latest evolution in what the UK\u2019s biggest underwear retailer has available for the smalls drawer. In recent years, the store has sold vastly different options through its own products, ranging from full-brief knickers to thongs, period knickers and those that can be used by women who wear stomas. The introduction of other brands in clothing came five years ago, with underwear included. Ann Summers \u2013 which is selling bras and chemises as well as knickers on the M&S website \u2013 lines up alongside lingerie brands including Pour Moi and Calvin Klein.<\/p>\n
Catherine Shuttleworth, the chief executive of retail consultancy Savvy, sees it as part of wider strategy. \u201cThey\u2019ve started introducing brands to bring them into sectors that probably isn\u2019t their core,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd this is another one. It\u2019s just a little bit more eye-catching.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shuttleworth describes M&S underwear as a \u201cnational obsession\u201d and there\u2019s little doubt the store remains a must-visit for anyone restocking their underwear drawer. If its long-term popularity might have meant it was perceived as a bit mumsy for younger people, that has changed recently. In 2024, the store reported that people under 30 made up a third of underwear sales \u2013 double that of 2023.<\/p>\n
Shuttleworth says the introduction of Ann Summers could be about continuing to engage this demographic. \u201cThey are always innovating for every stage of your life,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I think this is a gap in their category. Ann Summers is a byword for sex, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n
This echoes the message coming from the retailer itself. In a statement, an M&S spokesperson said: \u201cOur \u2018brands at M&S\u2019 strategy is all about giving customers greater choice through carefully selected third-party brands that complement our existing M&S offer. Ann Summers is one of the latest brands to join [M&S online], helping broaden our underwear and nightwear offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is also, of course, the publicity factor. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t really matter whether they sell any crotchless pants or not, we\u2019re all going to be talking about it,\u201d says Shuttleworth. \u201cYou might also go online to look. You might not buy those, but you\u2019ll think: \u2018I could do with replacing my pants.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
M&S has sold underwear since the 1920s and fitted bras since 1947. It was the first retailer to sell pre-shrunk cotton underwear in 1965, and by 1976 knickers were the biggest export \u2013 nearly 4m pairs were sold internationally every year. Fashion dictated different styles \u2013 from the \u201chip-hugger\u201d styles in the 60s to thongs, which reached the apex of popularity in the mid-00s.<\/p>\n
In 2016, the store sold 60m pairs of knickers a year, with Brazilian knickers replacing the thong. The style, which reveals some of the wearer\u2019s bum, made up 10% of those sales. By 2021, thongs were back, thanks to the popularity of low rise jeans. According to the retailer\u2019s website, the No 1 bestseller now is a five-pack of white full briefs.<\/p>\n
Lorraine Topper, a researcher at The Underpinnings Museum, argues the reaction around the crotchless knickers is disproportionate \u2013 because the store does stock sexier styles along with basics.<\/p>\n
\u201cM&S have always followed fashion with regard to their lingerie designs,\u201d she says. \u201cFor some reason, it\u2019s the multipack of full briefs that sticks in people\u2019s heads when you talk about their underwear, rather than, for example, the beautiful lace designs from the Rosie Exclusively range.\u201d<\/p>\n
She describes the outrage as \u201ca fuss over nothing \u2026 Open-crotch underwear for women was the norm before the 1920s so this type of garment isn\u2019t quite as scandalous as we might first think.\u201d<\/p>\n