Anyone wishing to tap into Planet Fashion’s more forward-thinking trends at a fraction of the catwalk price could do a lot worse than popping into their local Marks & Spencers. Granted, you won’t be getting 10-ply cashmere in your £45 cardigan but judging by today's Autumn/Winter collection you are certainly going to find much more than rails of boot-leg trousers, rows of pinstripe suiting and a six pack of briefs.

There's a lot to like about next season's offerings from the nation's favourite retailer.

If you thought that edgy tailoring or a lean, mean silhouette was something they would never bother tackling then think again. Urban Goths, an aesthetic usually associated with Paris’ darker designers, made a commendable appearance. There was plenty to admire in the cropped, black puffa waistcoat with cinched waist and peplum hem which could have come from Givenchy but is part of the Limited collection and is, at £69, a bargain. The lurex wool skirt (£45) and the patent sandals (£19.50) with which the jacket were teamed were equally impressive. For those seeking the ‘wow’ factor at night, the red, column dress with rosette chiffon detailing on the strap (£89 from Autograph Exclusive) or emerald green shift dress, ruched at the side (£49) could both have passed for something by Alberta Ferretti. And those searching for clever investment staples would have delighted in the tan cashmere coat, pricier at £449, but certainly designed to last. Key catwalk trends were also present and correct: ruffles were the detailing of choice on the sleeves of many of the evening shifts and tops, while berry-tone shades (the next big thing colour-wise) were evident in much of the knitwear and cardigan jackets.

The collection shows that M&S is determined to keep the customers who have been flooding back over the last year. Last season, Kate Bostock, the creative guru responsible for its spectacular turnaround and who was recently appointed executive director of M&S clothing promised that they would be pushing harder for more innovative and better quality fabrics, a promise they appear to have kept. Another crucial factor that seems to have won the British consumer is the attention to fit. As Helen Low and Neil Hendy, joint Heads of Design explained yesterday “We’ve got to cater for your average woman who isn’t a size 6 with skinny, long legs yet who still wants to wear the trends. So you have to adapt things like taking a full skirt (quite tricky to pull off) and cutting the fabric to skim the hips and letting it out lower down the thigh so that the volume doesn’t spring from the waist. Or ensuring your pleats aren’t too deep”.

Tuesday's announcement of a £1 billion pre-tax profit made Marks & Spencers one of the most profitable companies on the high street. However, the endless gloom’n’doom predictions have meant a tough trading climate with many retailers working hard to up their ante. In the ongoing quest to pique consumers’ interest, Marks & Spencers announced today that they have signed a deal with trend-setting Sex and the City stylist, Patricia Field to sell a one-off 35 piece fashion range. This is due to launch mid October and will be available from 10 M&S stores, online and with selected pieces going to a further 50 stores across the U.K and several stores abroad. Of her collaboration with M&S, Field said that she “wanted to be involved with a brand who really understood women of all ages”. This retailer has always lived up to the maxim of ‘being all things to all women’ and in these uncertain times they’re going to have to try as hard as ever to deliver that.

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