Marks & Spencer injects further funding into Nobody's Child

Marks & Spencer has injected further funding into eco-conscious fashion brand Nobody's Child as part of its third-party brands strategy, Brands at M&S.

In 2021 the retail giant acquired a 27% stake in Nobody's Child and the fresh funds will facilitate stock buy to cover the surge in demand it has experienced, as well as supporting further expansion.

Nobody's Child was the first clothing brand to go live on M&S.com in 2020 as part of the Brands at M&S drive and has seen revenues quadruple, via its own channels and third-pay channels, since the M&S investment two years ago.

While it remains an independent brand, its alliance with M&S offered it exposure to over 30 million of the retail giant's customers as well as as providing funds for expansion.

Known for its floral print dresses, over the past two years Nobody's Child has evolved into a more rounded lifestyle offer including the launch of new categories, such as separates, tailoring, denim and jersey. 

Most recently the brand launched an elevated boutique collection and bridal capsule which will continue to be a mainstay within seasonal collections. It has also collaborated with broadcaster Fearne Cotton's Happy Place initiative to launch the Nobody’s Child x Happy Place collection (main image), which is now in its fourth season.

It remains one of the best performing partner brands for M&S, having been shopped by more than 340,000 customers each year, and earlier this year M&S introduced it to its physical retail estate by staging seasonal pop-up shops into 40 stores across the UK, featuring a 30-piece capsule collection of the brand's best-selling products.

Since opening in March, over 10,000 M&S customers have shopped Nobody’s Child in store and the increased store presence on the high street has boosted online search on M&S.com by +43%. This week, Nobody’s Child have also opened a standalone pop-up shop in London’s Covent Garden. 

Last year, M&S supported Nobody’s Child to grow internationally, launching the brand in 93 markets on M&S.com. This year, the brand is set to continue to expand their presence in multiple markets including the US, Europe & UAE. 

Richard Price, Managing Director of Clothing & Home at M&S commented: “This season, it seems that everyone is talking about Nobody’s Child. As an important part of the M&S family, we’re delighted to be able to support the brand with additional funding to unlock even more potential as they continue to grow. Our third-party brands are key to creating an M&S reshaped for growth and at the heart of this, is finding the right partners. As shown with Nobody’s Child, when we get these partnerships right, everyone wins.”

Jody Plows, CEO of Nobody’s Child added: “Our partnership with M&S has gone from strength to strength, so I’m delighted that we have received additional funding to fuel our next stage of growth. This will enable us to broaden our product categories and build our customer base both in the UK and internationally. Nobody’s Child is an extremely ambitious brand and we continue to strive forward to offer responsible product that’s accessible and affordable for all women. We are incredibly excited for the future and are grateful to have M&S with us on this journey.” 

The Brands at M&S platform has now grown to more than 60 third-party brands, delivering over 50% in growth in Q3 and representing 8% of total Clothing & Home sales. M&S says the initiative provides a £400 million opportunity.