My Basket
Yesterday, The M&S Shwop Lab opened its doors for the first of many events that will be running over the next two weeks. The carpet made of clothes may have been cleared away, but the Lab is open for business, with two exciting events on day 1 alone.
To begin, there was a lively debate with Dr Kate Fletcher, founder of slowfashion.org, Alex McIntosh and Dilys Williams from LCF’s Centre of Sustainable Fashion and Jessica Brinton from The Sunday Times. Along with MA students from London art colleges, they discussed the clothes we wear and the economic, ecological, and emotional impact that they have.
Then in the afternoon, bloggers and students arrived to be briefed on the M&S archive/heirloom challenge. There was an insightful talk by the curator of the M&S archives, in which we learnt about the history of the M&S archive project, currently being run in Leeds. It contains all sorts of items – some of which have been donated by customers themselves – and is an impressive way of collating M&S’s long and fascinating history, as well as a way of documenting ever-changing consumer trends.
The guests were then set their heirloom challenge, for which they have just the weekend to find a unique and original piece of Marks & Spencer clothing. On Monday, they’ll regroup and compare their finds, describing the stories behind the items for a chance to win M&S vouchers.
All this only marks the beginning of the Shwop Lab, so do make sure you come down if you get the chance. The full programme can be viewed here. And of course, carry on shwopping!
Do you have a fabulous vintage item from M&S? What would your item’s story be? We’d love to read your comments, so feel free to leave them below.
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Comments3
On: 29 April 2012 Permalink
I am rather shocked and somewhat totally suprised about this recent appeal by M & S. Are you so out of touch that you will not realise most people either sell their ‘old’ clothes on ebay or give to their own charity shops of their choice, family, friends or LOCAL charity who are collecting for our homeless, poverty stricken local families etc. The idea of Joanna Lumley, yet again putting the front to a ‘good cause’ which is not a knew idea nor viable. Families who shop at M & S are generally the middle or upper classes and therefore, previously may have ‘thrown’ their clothes away, but I feel the recent economic downturn will see this happening less and less (if it happened at all). It is judgemental of Joanne Lumley to state the aforementioned and Oxfam, where most of the funds go abroad. I think poverty in Uk should come first and it would have been good to see, if this campaign has to go ahead, the funds were shared to local charities. And anyway, how much have you spend on getting the appeal on prime time TV ?? How much is this to bring the ‘customer’ into M & S stores???? I used to be proud of the British M & S and with the Jubilee Year of our dear QAueen, it would have been great to have seen this as a UK appeal to help our elderly, young and all those inbetween who need the help of our nation.
On: 7 May 2012 Permalink
I tend to agree with the lady above and there was previously the option to take M&S clothing to Oxfam shops and receive a money-off voucher to spend in store – I don’t know if this offer still exists with the Shwopping campaign now running. There’s not much swapping about it really, it’s give away and buy new.
On: 8 May 2012 Permalink
Hi Jennifer,
The previous offer of a money-off voucher with M&S donations in an Oxfam store does still run alongside shwopping. You have the option to donate however you wish, but we hope that by accepting any brand of clothing in Shwop Drops in our stores, this will make it easier for some people to donate clothing who otherwise may not have done so.
Regards
The Stories Team