Marks & Spencer's womenswear team sees a wave of departures

By

Anaïs Lerévérend

Published
May 2, 2013

Faced with declining sales, Marks & Spencer had a shake-up of its womenswear team at the end of 2012, naming new heads of buying at lingerie and beauty and M&S Woman. Of late, the British retailer has suffered wave of departures in the team, just several weeks before it is due to unveil its Autumn-Winter 2013 collections.

One of the first to jump ship was ex-Victoria’s Secret Janie Schaffer, who left her position as head of lingerie and beauty in April just a few months after her arrival.

Other departures include Sara Bradley and Mary Wastnage from the buying team, which has been under the control of Frances Russel since the end of 2012. Sara Bradley has left her position as head of buying for Marks & Spencer’s in-house brands whilst Mary Wastnage buys for core womenswear line, M&S Woman. Wastnage will remain at the company until this autumn and, according to the Financial Times, will be leaving the company as part of a change that sees M&S Man and Woman come under the title of M&S Collections.

Following the arrival of Frances Russel as head of womenswear and the recent wave of departures and reorganization, it seems Marks & Spencer is trying hard to make a real change.