He was the George at Asda, the man behind Next, and the designer who gave per una to a beleaguered M&S, George Davies has worked his magic on the high street for 25 years. And he knows what we want. Davies 'surrounds himself with women' – though not in a Peter Stringfellow kind of way - a predominantly female design team includes his wife and daughters. Now the man with the Midas touch shares his style tips and shows off GD25, a new capsule collection launched to celebrate his glittering career.

1. Don't be a slave to fashion
Choose chic pieces that will last no matter what the latest fashion fads are. This jacket can be worn with jeans and heels in your 20s, a pencil skirt in your thirties, or a pair of tailored trousers when you're 40-plus.

Black lurex cropped jacket,
£55, 8-20,
per una
www.marksandspencer.com
0845 302 1234

2. It's in the detail
Pay attention to detail, and don't save glamour for special occasions - an embellished jacket at the office, or an eye-catching necklace at home, are guaranteed to make you feel special. And it's important to feel great in what you wear, no matter what your age is. I would say style is about attitude and not age, our customers range from 18 to 80!

Charm necklace,
£29.50,
per una
www.marksandspencer.com
0845 302 1234

3. Less is more
Texture is one of autumn's essential trends, but don't go head-to-toe - my advice is to wear just one key piece. If you have a jacket that features a lot of embellishment, keep it simple by pairing with plain trousers or a pencil skirt.

Custom knit,
£35,
10-20,
per una
www.marksandspencer.com
0845 302 1234

4. The perfect jeans
We've had some fantastic feedback from our customers on the fit of our jeans, and this has helped us to develop a fabulous range. My advice when buying jeans is to look at your shape. It's important to find the right style to suit your shape - boot-cut jeans are good for the curvier woman as they elongate the leg, and they're a big trend for autumn. And, don't go for style over comfort. Comfort is just as important – you're probably going to live in them, so it helps if you can sit down!

Grey jeans,
£45,
8-20,
per una
www.marksandspencer.com
0845 302 1234

George's three favourite autumn pieces

5. The Bobble Cardigan
It's a wardrobe staple and will be around for seasons to come. Wear it with black trousers and a simple T-shirt, or layered over a dress, and knee boots

Long bobble cardigan,
£120,
s-xl,
per una
www.marksandspencer.com
0845 302 1234

6. The Puffball Dress
This is so 'on trend' for autumn. It pays a nod to the shape trend without being too voluminous, and it's black! It's a beautiful dress and will make any woman feel special. The perfect way to stand out from the crowd at the office party!

Puffball dress,
£65,
8-18,
per una
www.marksandspencer.com
0845 302 1234

7. The Metallic Shopper
To revive a tired wardrobe and add an extra bit of sparkle to grey autumn days, I'd choose the metallic shopper. It's a great size, you can fit everything you need, for work and play, into it.

Metallic shopper,
£29.50,
per una
www.marksandspencer.com
0845 302 1234

8. George's style icon
My favourite style icon has got to be Marilyn Monroe. She had amazing sex appeal, and was famous for her curves and femininity, I always think of curves when I'm designing.

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