The first lines from Marks & Spencer’s much-anticipated autumn collection started to go into stores last week and the drop seemed to be accompanied by a feeling of genuine confidence and excitement at the retailer.

The first lines from Marks & Spencer’s much-anticipated autumn collection started to go into stores last week and the drop seemed to be accompanied by a feeling of genuine confidence and excitement at the retailer.

The range is the first masterminded by general merchandise boss John Dixon and style supremo Belinda Earl and there’s lots riding on its success.

When the collection was unveiled earlier in the year it garnered enthusiastic comment from much of the consumer fashion press but key to its success is how it is presented in store.

Judging by a tour of the flagship Marble Arch branch and anecdotal evidence from shops elsewhere in the country, the collection has been merchandised well.

There is an emphasis on outfit building, very much in tune with consumer interest in shopping a whole look easily, and colour has been deployed well to break up the ‘sea of stock’ impression that sometimes undermined M&S’s presentation.

And when shoppers start to examine the clothing, they should find the sort of extra detail and finish that can make the difference between purses opening or not.

Such features, along with traits such as increased use of cashmere and wool, are at the heart of Earl’s drive to reinvigorate M&S’s reputation for quality, while the increase in sleeved options should go down well with M&S’s core customers.

Away from the shopfloor attention has been paid to business disciplines, enabling the editing down of ranges so that there is still sufficient choice but the emphasis is on ‘banker’ products.

As with Tesco, improvements at M&S will be dependent on product that holds its own against all comers and high standards of execution. Like Tesco, M&S is only part-way through its journey but on first impressions – and with the caveat that the standards evident in week one need to be maintained throughout the year - there do seem to be tangible signs of improvement. M&S chief Marc Bolland may just be breathing a little easier.