The Marks & Spencer bag that looks identical to Celine’s iconic £2,750 crossbody bag, but costs £35
Crafted from soft faux leather in a chic square silhouette, with intricate stitching and a luxurious gold clasp, it’s the ultimate designer accessory.
But this high-end bag is not all that it seems. While it looks almost identical to Celine’s iconic £2,750 crossbody bag, a favorite of fashionistas and celebrities, it’s actually from Marks & Spencer – and costs just £35.
Because the tough High Street – once known for its safe loose clothing and reliable footwear – is making waves in the fashion world with a sold-out run of designer doubles.
From bags to blazers, T-shirts to sneakers and dresses that could have come straight off the catwalks of Paris or Milan, M&S has perfected the art of lookalike pieces at a fraction of the price.
And fashion-conscious stars can’t get enough of it. The Princess of Wales has been spotted wearing the retailer’s ribbon-detailed sneakers, which look eerily similar to Gucci’s £720 sneakers.
CELINE: Teen classic bag in box calfskin (celine.com), £2,750 (left) and M&S: Faux leather shoulder bag, £35
Holly Willoughby was recently spotted in £35 M&S sandals that are almost indistinguishable from Hermès’ £520 Oran slippers. And Alexa Chung loves the £75 green Burberry-esque M&S trench coat.
Known as “dupes” (short for “duplicates”), these garments and accessories are perfectly legal, as they do not technically copy designer items: their qualities are similar, but there is no imitation of the logo or other trademark features.
For example, while the Celine bag is made of calfskin with a lambskin lining, the M&S version is made of faux leather with a recycled polyester interior.
In other words, those in the know can tell they’re not the real deal, but regular customers won’t be able to tell the difference.
Industry experts say M&S designers simply follow fashion trends, take inspiration from what models and A-listers are wearing and use it to inform their latest lines.
It’s a far cry from the retailer’s reputation for staid, scruffy fashion, which it’s lost in recent years, making it popular with younger shoppers eager to save rather than spend.
Designer dupes – who have 3.5 billion searches on TikTok – can also be found at H&M, Zara and Mango, while other High Street stores offer discounted haute couture.
But savvy shoppers know that M&S is the best place to land a bargain. So if you want that Chanel-esque jacket without spending £5,000, or fancy a Dolce & Gabbana style belt for less than a tenth of the designer’s price – not to mention the various other designer dupes depicted in these pages – then you know where to go.
BURBERRY: Tropical gabardine Waterloo trench coat (uk.burberry.com), £1,790 (left) and M&S: Pure cotton Stormwear longline trench coat, £75
VERONICA BEARD: Miller Dickey double-breasted blazer (net-a-porter.com), £420 (left) and M&S: Tweed textured blazer, £79
THE ROW: Black Leather Woven Textured Sandals (net-a-porter.com), £1,060 (left) and M&S: Leather Platforms, £45
LOEWE: Large palm leaf and calf leather basket bag (loewe.com), £450 (left) and M&S: Striped straw bag, £45
ME&EM: Men’s kick flare trousers in bright fern (meandem.com), £195 (left) and M&S: Crepe wide leg drawstring trousers in acid green, £29.50
CELINE: Cat Eye S193 sunglasses in acetate (celine.com), £340 (left) and M&S: Oval cat eye sunglasses, £12.50
DOLCE & GABBANA: Cinture H 25 in animal print (dolcegabbana.com), £435 (left) and M&S: Animal effect leather jeans belt, £25
CHLOE: Pleated Silk Chiffon Dress With Puff Sleeves (net-a-porter.com), £3,675 (left) and M&S: Pure Cotton Tie Front Beach Kaftan, £35
GIANVITO ROSSI: 85 pointed pumps (farfetch.com), £589 (left) and M&S: Statement heels in tangerine, £39.50
GOLDEN GOOSE: Super-Star in Silver Glitter with Ice Gray Suede Star (goldengoose.com), £470 (left) and M&S: Glitter Star Leather Lace-Ups, £49.50