LONDON, 2014-2-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Marks & Spencer has today unveiled details of its flagship store located at the newly renovated De Markies development in The Hague. Marks & Spencer Chief Executive, Marc Bolland, will be joined by the UK Ambassador to the Netherlands, Sir Geoffrey Adams to officially mark the opening of the store at midday tomorrow (20 February).
Marc Bolland, Marks & Spencer Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to be opening our new flagship store in The Hague tomorrow. The spectacular De Markies renovation at the heart of The Hague offers us a unique opportunity to offer our customers something truly special. As our largest store on the Continent, we’re showcasing our most extensive fashion and food offer in the Netherlands. We’re really looking forward to welcoming customers to the store tomorrow.”
Trading over three floors, the new 4,800 square metre store is part of M&S’s ‘clicks & bricks’ strategy for the Netherlands across e-commerce and stores. Since returning to the Netherlands in April 2013, with its Dutch website, www.marksandspencer.nl, and world-class multi-channel store located on the Kalverstraat in Amsterdam, Marks & Spencer has continued to build its presence in the Dutch market. The retailer now has six Marks & Spencer Food pilots at BP forecourts in key locations in Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. The Hague store will be followed by a 6,100 square metre flagship store on The Rokin in Amsterdam in 2016.
Located in the heart of The Hague’s shopping district, the new store will offer over 2,500 outstanding quality food lines, as well as an in-store bakery and M&S Café. Customers will also be able to shop Marks & Spencer’s Best of British Spring/Summer capsule clothing collection. Combining M&S’s rich heritage with modern styling and an emphasis on true British craftsmanship and quality, the exclusive collection is only available online and at a handful of M&S stores in the UK and internationally.*
The new store will offer customers an extensive range of Marks & Spencer’s exceptional quality and confident style across womenswear, lingerie, menswear and kidswear. Over 10,000 of the latest spring clothing and home products will also be available to order online in-store via customer assistants equipped with iPads, with free delivery when collecting orders in-store.
Best of British
The new store will feature Marks & Spencer’s exclusive Best of British collection which combines the retailer’s extensive clothing archive and heritage with modern styling, creating an edit of timeless pieces with an emphasis on true British craftsmanship and quality. All garments are designed and made in Britain from a selection of premium fabrics including luxury Scottish cashmere through to fine Yorkshire cloth. Each piece is finished to the highest level of detail, a standard synonymous with British design.
The Spring/Summer Best of British womenswear collection sees a new take on key shapes, with references to mod styling and an emphasis on premium fabrics and modern cuts. The colours palette is based on fresh tonal blues including cornflower, navy and denim, punctuated with ecru and vibrant pops of bright pink.
In menswear, the collection is drawn from silver and pastel tones, emphasizing classic British checks, from oversized window pane, to the Prince of Wales check. Key pieces include the white mac, the check bomber and the oversized bow tie, forming a new-look masculine look for the season.
Exceptional quality, confident style clothing collections
Exceptional quality and confident style are at the heart of the M&S clothing offer. At the new store customers will be able to choose from quality, timeless wardrobe staples such as spring macs and trench coats, lightweight knitwear and impeccably cut suiting as well as trend-led wearable fashion pieces including catwalk inspired Autograph floral print crop top and high waisted trousers, chic M&S Collection striped zip through cropped jacket and Indigo collection contrast floral batik print dress.
The store’s clothing collections will also feature a host of clever product innovations including Stormwear™ finish denim and coats, a revolutionary fabric treatment which repels water, Waist Sculpt™ lingerie which flatters and shapes the silhouette and Insolia™ technology in its footwear ranges which improves comfort and stability in flat and high heeled shoes.
To help customers shop the extensive product offer, M&S has a range of exclusive own clothing brands, each with its own distinct look and identity, which allows customers to see which brand best meets their personal style preferences. For example, in womenswear, Autograph emulates affordable designer quality with exquisite, understated elegance and luxury fabrics, Indigo is the retailer’s authentic fashion denim and casualwear range and Limited Edition includes the latest trends with new pieces added every six weeks. In menswear, Collezione is inspired by all things Italian with attention to detail in every suave, stylish piece, whilst Blue Harbour is inspired by classic British style and includes preppy polo shirts and chinos in a bold primary palette.
Each clothing brand will be highlighted for customers through unique branding, visual merchandising kit and propping – with more outfit suggestions displayed throughout the store to inspire and delight customers.
Outstanding quality food
The new 700 square metre Foodhall will highlight the outstanding quality and freshness of M&S food. Over 2,500 food products will be available including:
- M&S’s popular chilled prepared meals inspired by world cuisines – such as Indian, Chinese and Italian.
- British favourites including Scottish smoked salmon, Aberdeen Angus steak, Cheddar cheese, shortbread, scones and crumpets.
- Fresh sandwiches, and prepared salads and fruit, all ready to eat.
- Quality fresh meat, fish and vegetables.
- Biscuits, confectionery and savoury snacks for everyday eating, special occasions and gifting.
- A large selection of wines from around the world (including Australia, New Zealand, South America , South Africa, France, Spain and Italy), a great choice of beers from quality British breweries.
The store also features M&S’s popular in-store bakery and coffee bar providing a selection of coffee and teas alongside breads baked on-site every day, as well as a choice of pastries, shortbreads, scones, pies and cookies.
M&S Café
Customers will be able to enjoy M&S’s popular hospitality offer at the new store. Serving delicious, freshly-made dishes using the finest M&S ingredients, the 112 seater M&S Café is a destination for customers looking to have a break during their shop and use the store’s free customer wifi. Here they can enjoy hot snacks and traditional cream teas and English pastries as well as a wide range of Fairtrade teas and coffees served by specially trained baristas.
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For further information, or request images or interviews, please contact:
Mijke de Jong Citigate Netherlands mijke.dejong@citigateff.nl + 31 6 205 72 984
Marks & Spencer Corporate PR +44 (0)20 8718 1980
Notes to Editors
* The new Spring/Summer Best of British collection is only available online and at The Hague flagship store, and M&S’s flagship atores in Paris, Shanghai and Mumbai, as well as five UK stores.
Store trading hours:
| Day | Foodhall | Clothing & M&S Cafe |
| Monday | 08.30-19.00 | 11.00-19.00 |
| Tuesday – Wednesday | 08.30-19.00 | 10.00-19.00 |
| Thursday | 08.30-21.00 | 10.00-21.00 |
| Friday | 08.30-19.00 | 10.00-19.00 |
| Saturday | 10.00-19.00 | 10.00-19.00 |
| Sunday | 12.00-18.00 | 12.00-18.00 |
Store address: Grote Marktstraat 32, 2511 BH Den Haag
Customer services telephone: 0031-0-70-3020102
Store Manager: Sumit Dattani
Images of the store and opening will be available to download on http://www.mandslibrary.co.uk
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. Around 20 million customers visit its stores each week and M&S has over 82,000 employees across the UK and 53 territories globally.
- Marks & Spencer was founded over 129 years ago and currently has over 770 UK stores and over 440 international stores across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
- For more information please visit http://corporate.marksandspencer.com
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