MARKS & SPENCER LAUNCHES ‘’ CAMPAIGN
Dubai, UAE: An Oscar winning actress, a life changing charity CEO, an Olympic gold medallist, a ground breaking artist and an inspiring nurse of the year – are just a few of the women to showcase the new Autumn collections in a campaign by iconic British retailer, Marks & Spencer.
The campaign is shot by acclaimed fashion photographer, Annie Leibovitz and collection will launch exclusively at M&S’s Dubai Mall store– signalling a reassertion of M&S’ leading quality and style credentials.
Billed under the strapline ‘Meet Britain’s Leading Ladies’ the campaign celebrates 12 British women from very diverse backgrounds and professions. Despite being very different people, their strong sense of personal style and inspirational achievements which have propelled them to success, are the common threads which bind them together.
The enlisted cast includes Multiple Award-Winning Actress Helen Mirren, Olympic Gold Winning Boxer Nicola Adams, Award-Winning Author Monica Ali, Nurse of the Year 2011 Helen Allen, Retired Ballerina Darcey Bussell, US Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington, Singer Supermodel Karen Elson, Brit Award winning Singer/Songwriter Ellie Goulding, Television presenter and charity campaigner Katie Piper, Breakthrough Singer/Songwriter Laura Mvula, Artist Tracey Emin and CEO of Save the Children International Jasmine Whitbread.
Mrs. Mariam Chahin, Head of Marketing, Marks & Spencer Al-Futtaim said, “With this new campaign, Marks & Spencer is celebrating women of substance. Each of these 12 women have unique and inspiring stories that every woman can relate to.”
Mrs. Chahin goes on to say, “Much like the UAE, Britain has a history as a creative, pioneering nation and this new campaign captures 12 women who share a strong sense of personal style and inspirational achievements which have propelled them to success.
“We want to inspire every woman to look and feel their best – encouraging them to find their own fashion confidence and style that suits them. The offering is diverse and we are very happy to provide our Dubai customers with this exclusive limited edition autumn collection” Mrs Chahin added.
The collection featured in the campaign sees a reassertion of M&S’ style credentials – with a confident edit of the season’s key trends. The new high-fashion collection is a combination of bold checks, luxe cream statement coats, soft leather jackets, soft faux furs in animal prints, relaxed textured wools and sleek leather trims in a colour palette ranging from dusky pinks to navy blues and bold reds to midnight blacks. This fashion offer is underpinned by a commitment to quality, innovation and leading ethical standards.
The campaign will launch exclusively in-store at M&S’s Dubai Mall location on October 3rd In addition to the UK, campaign will also feature in nine of M&S’ international flagship stores in [Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Gurgaon, Istanbul, Moscow, Prague, Singapore and Amsterdam
All items featured in the campaign are available to buy at Marks & Spencer Dubai Mall from October 3rd until stocks last.
For more information please contact:
Mohini Parmar / Mohini.parmar@gmasco.com / +971 56 656 9885
CREATIVE TEAM INFORMATION:
Photographer: Annie Leibovitz
Stylist: Hannah Teare
Hair: Julien d’Ys
Make Up: Val Garland
Creative Agency: RKCR Y&R
Talent biographies
HELEN MIRREN | One of the world’s biggest screen and stage stars, Dame Helen Mirren has four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes and an Oscar to her name. Her elegance and fabulous figure have also ensured her reputation as a style icon. |
DARCEY BUSSELL | Darcey Bussell CBE is among the most accomplished English ballerinas of all time. She retired in 2007 to an eight-minute standing ovation at London’s Royal Opera House, and has gone on to write children’s fiction and becomea popular television personality. |
ELLIE GOULDING | With an impressive vocal range and a piercing vibrato, not to mention multi-instrumental and songwriting skills, Ellie Goulding is the ultimate modern music role model. |
KAREN ELSON | Multi-talented supermodel and music artist Karen Elson is recognised the world over for her distinctive red hair, translucent skin and piercing blue eyes. Her international success has been driven by her determination and independent spirit. |
LAURA MVULA | In just 12 months, Laura Mvula has transformed from a stage-shy receptionist into a Brit Award-nominated, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter. And now she can add model to her list of talents. |
HELEN ALLEN | Within a year of obtaining her degree, award-winning nurse Helen Allen founded PEP AIDS – a charity working to alleviate poverty and HIV /AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, which is now in its 12th year. |
KATIE PIPER | In 2008, model Katie Piper was the victim of an acid attack. She has gone on to rebuild her life, becoming a successful TV presenter and setting up the Katie Piper Foundation, which supports people with burns and other disfigurements. |
NICOLA ADAMS | During London 2012, Nicola Adams became the first-ever female boxer to win an Olympic gold medal. Her life will never be the same again. |
MONICA ALI | A self-taught writer with a passion for books, Monica Ali’s debut novel Brick Lane was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and adapted into a film. Three novels on, she remains one of the UK ’s most acerbic and supremely elegant writers. |
JASMINE WHITBREAD | After working her way up to a top director’s role at a leading international business, Jasmine Whitbread decided to use her expertise to help charities – first at Oxfam and now as international CE O of Save the Children |
TRACEY EMIN | Tracey Emin CBE was a leading figure in the Young British Artists (YBA) movement of the nineties, and is now one of the UK ’s most renowned contemporary creatives. She’s known for her sometimes controversial, but always groundbreaking art. |
GRACE CODDINGTON | Creative Director of US Vogue |
LOCATION CREDITS:
- Cliveden House, Berkshire
- Ashridge Estate, Berkhamsted
- The Prince’s Trust Drawing School, London
- Boat on River Thames, St.Katherine’s Docks
ABOUT MARKS & SPENCER AL-FUTTAIM
A member of the Al-Futtaim Group of companies since 1998, the Marks & Spencer Al-Futtaim franchise partnership boasts 23 stores located in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan and Qatar.
The stores offer an extensive range of stylish, high quality clothing products for the whole family, across each category – womenswear, lingerie, menswear and kidswear. M&S also offers beauty and home products, as well as outstanding quality food.
M&S stores are present in:
- UAE: Dubai Festival City, Mall of the Emirates Dubai, Deira City Centre, Mirdif City Centre Dubai, The Dubai Mall, Wafi City Mall Dubai, Al Ghurair Mall; Abu Dhabi- Marina Mall, Fetouh Al Khair Mall, Dalma Mall; Al Ain- Bawadi Mall; RAK-Al Manar Mall.
- Qatar: Landmark Mall, Villaggio Mall;
- Kuwait: 360° MALL, Marina Plaza;
- Bahrain- Bahrain City Centre; Seef Mall
- Oman: Muscat City Centre;
- Egypt: Dandy Mall, City Stars, Alexandria City Centre;
- Jordan: Taj Mall
In addition to this impressive list, Dubai Festival City, one of the M&S’s largest international store features the new-look format with exciting fashion and food displays to make the store more inviting, inspiring and easier to shop
For more information, please visit www.marksandspencer.ae
ABOUT MARKS & SPENCER
- Marks & Spencer is one of the UK’s leading retailers. M&S sells high quality, great value clothing and home products as well as outstanding quality food. 20 million customers visit its stores each week and has 81,000 employees across the UK and 51 territories globally.
- Marks & Spencer was founded over 128 years ago and currently has over 760 UK stores and over 410 international stores across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
For more information please visit http://corporate.marksandspencer.com