Not even leaving enough change from £250 to get a packet of Percy Pigs on your way out, this dress from Marks & Spencer's Per Una Speziale range, which goes on sale on Thursday in just seven of its stores, has to be one of the chain's priciest ever.
At £249, it is more expensive than dresses from shops at the top end of the high street, such as Jaeger, and is far more than the usual prices in the Per Una range, in which most dresses are under £50.
Is this really what women want from M&S? A spokeswoman points out the "designer quality" and "luxury fabrics" that go into making this "sculptured" dress so expensive, but the real reason M&S can charge so much is probably that it is a limited edition, with only 150 being made.
This is a well-known tactic for luxury brands and M&S clearly hopes this will boost interest. Its customers, says the spokeswoman, will "like the fact that the garment will not be worn by many people". At £249, I would think they are probably right.
