Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Financing (Detail Of Debt Repayments) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Financing (Detail Of Debt Repayments) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015
Jan. 31, 2015
Feb. 01, 2014
Feb. 02, 2013
Extinguishment of debt $ 407us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount      
Debt repaid   870us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations 124us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations 1,803us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
5.90% Senior Notes Due 2016 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointNinePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandSixteenMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointNinePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandSixteenMember 		400us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointNinePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandSixteenMember
7.875% Senior Notes Due 2015 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   407us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandFifteenMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandFifteenMember 		205us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandFifteenMember
7.45% Senior Debentures Due 2016 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointFourFivePercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandSixteenMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointFourFivePercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandSixteenMember 		64us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointFourFivePercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandSixteenMember
7.5% Senior Debentures Due 2015 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointFivePercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandFifteenMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointFivePercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandFifteenMember 		31us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointFivePercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandFifteenMember
Five point seven five percent senior notes due 2014[Member] [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   453us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_Fivepointsevenfivepercentseniornotesdue2014MemberMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_Fivepointsevenfivepercentseniornotesdue2014MemberMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_Fivepointsevenfivepercentseniornotesdue2014MemberMember
7.625% Senior Debentures Due 2013 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorDebenturesMember 		109us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorDebenturesMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_SevenPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorDebenturesMember
5.35% Senior Notes Due 2012 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointThreeFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwelveMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointThreeFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwelveMember 		616us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointThreeFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwelveMember
5.875% Senior Notes Due 2013 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandThirteenMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandThirteenMember 		298us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandThirteenMember
8.0% Senior Debentures Due 2012 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_EightPercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwelveMember 		0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_EightPercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwelveMember 		173us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_EightPercentSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwelveMember
9.5% Amortizing Debentures Due 2021 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   4us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_NinePointFivePercentAmortizingDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember 		4us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_NinePointFivePercentAmortizingDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember 		4us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_NinePointFivePercentAmortizingDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember
9.75% Amortizing Debentures Due 2021 [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   2us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_NinePointSevenFivePercentAmortizingDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember 		2us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_NinePointSevenFivePercentAmortizingDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember 		2us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_NinePointSevenFivePercentAmortizingDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember
Capital Lease and Other Long-Term Obligations [Member]        
Extinguishment of debt   $ 4us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_CapitalLeaseAndOtherLongTermObligationsMember 		$ 9us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_CapitalLeaseAndOtherLongTermObligationsMember 		$ 10us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= m_CapitalLeaseAndOtherLongTermObligationsMember