M&S Just Upped The Bar With Its New Line Of Stoma Knickers

4 months ago

The move marks a first for the British high street

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Over the last few years, M&S has undergone quite the transformation. The British stalwart has been on a mission to rebrand its clothing offering, crafting collections that appeal to all ages and all bodies. Receiving the same treatment is the shop’s iconic lingerie line, which has just expanded to include M&S’s first line of stoma knickers – making history on the high street.

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M&S Launches Stoma Knickers

With approximately 200,000 people living with stomas in the UK, it seems rather bizarre to think that we’re only seeing specially designed knickers hit the high street in 2024. But M&S, one of Britain’s most beloved retailers, is answering the call with gusto.

Earlier this month, M&S unveiled a brand new line of knickers, designed to be stylish, comfortable and accommodating of single or multiple stoma bags. (And at £18 for a pack of three, they’re also set at an incredibly accessible price point.)

The idea for a stoma knicker line came from M&S colleague Jiggy Sohi, who also lives with a stoma, alongside multiple suggestions pitched to the brand’s CEO through the Straight to Stewart scheme. A group of 20 women, including Sohi, came together to help the retailer develop its stoma knickers, with further support from Colostomy UK giving greater insight to refine its designs.

‘We are incredibly proud to be launching our first range of Stoma Knickers this August,’ said Soozie Jenkinson, Head of Lingerie Design at M&S. ‘We’ve worked very closely with Colostomy UK and women living with stomas and by listening and responding to their needs, we have developed a range of knickers that are designed to provide comfort, support and all-day confidence. We have included styles with lace design details, all incorporating super soft BCI cotton and elastics and a wide waist band for extra comfort.’

Prior to this launch, women with stomas were restricted to buying underwear through specialist online retailers, cutting them off from high street stores and brands. With M&S’s stoma knickers, they can now shop underwear with all-day support. The line includes packs of three knickers available in black, as well as mixed colourways of rose quartz, pink and magenta – with matching bras, to boot.

‘With over 200,000 individuals estimated to be living with stomas in the UK, as a charity, we were thrilled when the M&S lingerie team approached us regarding the development of their first stoma knicker range for Women,’ highlighted Libby Herbert, the CEO of Colostomy UK. ‘The launch of this inclusive product signifies a significant step forward in addressing the need for accessible underwear options for those living with stomas and will enable them to shop with confidence and ease for the first time on the British high street.

‘M&S brings over 95 years of lingerie innovation, design and expertise to the stoma knicker market with the introduction of this range, providing a choice of stylish and affordable stoma knickers,’ she continued. ‘Feedback from our volunteer (who has two stomas) trialling the knickers has been incredibly positive, and we can’t wait to hear feedback from our wider community when the collection launches to the general public this month.’

As with all of M&S’s post-surgery bras, all stoma knickers under the new line are also VAT exempt.