M&S x Aries: St Michael Gets a London Streetwear Reboot

Marks & Spencer and cult London label Aries are putting one of British retail’s most recognisable names back into the menswear conversation.

Launching Thursday 20 August, the limited-edition 26-piece M&S x Aries capsule revisits the St Michael label through the distinctive graphic language of Aries. Rather than reproducing archive pieces, the collaboration pulls symbols, crests and design details from M&S history and gives them a distinctly contemporary treatment.

For menswear, the collection covers tailoring, shirting, knitwear, sportswear and everyday staples. Pinstripe suits, striped shirts and ties sit alongside tracksuits, hoodies and graphic sweatshirts, with collegiate and sporting references worked through Aries’ visual vocabulary. Reworked St Michael crests featuring the angel motif are paired with the Aries Temple logo.

There is plenty for the collector, too. Penny Bazaar-inspired coin motifs reference M&S’s beginnings, while heritage graphics turn familiar branding into something closer to streetwear ephemera. The approach is particularly interesting because neither side is trying to disguise what it is: M&S brings the British retail archive; Aries brings its subcultural perspective.

M&S Menswear Director Mitch Hughes describes the aim as a balance between “bold design with everyday wearability” — which is arguably the point of the collaboration. The strongest pieces appear to be those where the traditional M&S wardrobe is allowed to remain recognisable while Aries disrupts the proportions, graphics or styling.

The 26-piece collection launches at M&S.com and selected M&S stores, priced from £10 to £150. For a high-street institution with a substantial archive, handing the keys to Aries is a smart way of making St Michael relevant to a generation that knows the label as much through vintage and resale as it does from M&S itself.

THE RAKISH EDIT

Shirt - £45

Boxers - £25

Sweatshirt - £50