“Amazon recruits former M&S director"

Frances Russell, former head of Marks & Spencer‘s women’s clothing, will join Amazon, intensifying rumours about the American online giant’s intentions to enter the fashion market with its own clothing line.

Fashion industry is new target

According to Sky News, Amazon have asked Frances Russell, who quit Marks & Spencer last year, to take the lead in bringing its own private-label clothing line to market. Jeff Bezos’ company has confirmed nor denied the statement.

Amazon has sold other brands’ clothing since 2002, including Marks & Spencer, and has subsequently become one of America’s largest fashion retailers. Its fashion section grows even faster than those of major physical retailers like Walmart and Target, but insiders claim Amazon still lacks a proper fashion label of its own, something which would be required to become the absolute number one in this business.

A job opening for a software engineer with a keen sense of the fashion industry shows that Amazon is actually planning to enter the market. “When you think of buying new clothing, shoes, watches and jewelry, do you think of Amazon? Not yet? Well, we are going to change that.”

For 2 years, Frances Russell led the ‘womenswear business’ at M&S, but she resigned when she was not appointed executive director for the entire textile division. Steve Rowe received that honour and is now even moving up, as he has been elected to become current CEO Marc Bolland’s replacement when he resigns sometime this year.