The partnership combines M&S's fashion portfolio with GFG's established e-commerce platforms, regional infrastructure and marketing capabilities. It is designed to increase the British retailer's reach across Asia Pacific while reducing the operational complexity of entering and expanding in individual markets.

Expansion through ZALORA and THE ICONIC

M&S Fashion is now available on ZALORA, GFG's fashion and lifestyle platform serving Southeast Asian markets. The offering includes a curated selection of womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and lingerie.

The next stage will follow in early 2027, when M&S plans to launch on THE ICONIC, GFG's fashion and lifestyle platform in Australia and New Zealand.

Together, the platforms will provide M&S with access to established regional customer bases and local e-commerce capabilities without requiring the retailer to develop its own marketplace infrastructure.

Regional fulfilment replaces shipments from the UK

A central element of the agreement is the introduction of regional inventory management and order fulfilment.

M&S products will be held in a shared stock pool in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with orders fulfilled within the region rather than shipped individually from the UK.

GFG will also handle M&S.com orders for customers in Australia through its multi-channel fulfilment network. The arrangement is intended to shorten delivery times, simplify returns and improve product availability across ZALORA, THE ICONIC and M&S.com.

The partners see potential to extend the fulfilment service to additional markets in the future.

Capital-light model supports international growth

The agreement forms part of M&S's international strategy to develop a more profitable and scalable business through strategic partnerships.

Rather than investing in its own regional fulfilment centres and carrier networks, M&S will use GFG's existing infrastructure to support its online expansion.

Mark Lemming, Managing Director of International at M&S, said:“Our ambition is to leverage M&S as a trusted global brand, driving growth through capital light, scalable partnerships. Online growth is a key part of how we reach more customers around the world and this partnership with GFG gives customers across Asia Pacific more ways to shop the best of M&S, while improving the experience through faster, regionally fulfilled delivery.”

Christoph Barchewitz, CEO of GFG, highlighted the advantages of combining an international fashion brand with an established regional logistics network:“This important partnership shows the opportunities available when a global brand leverages infrastructure purposefully built for this region. M&S customers across Asia Pacific will now get faster delivery, easier returns and broader access without M&S needing to manage a local fulfilment centre and carrier network. That removes the biggest barriers to entering and expanding in the region, and we see significant scope to extend it further.”

The partnership illustrates how international fashion retailers can use established regional e-commerce and fulfilment networks to expand their market presence while limiting capital investment and operational complexity.