Reiss sales soar as fashion retailer shrugs off high street turmoil

Upmarket fashion retailer Reiss has shrugged off the high street downturn to deliver soaring sales over the first half of the year.

The British brand, which is a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, saw total group sales jump 23.7% to £102.9 million in the 26-week period to August 3.

Reiss was launched in 1971 and has grown to operate 208 stores across 17 countries.

The sales figures come as the retailer moves forward with a major marketing push which will involve a partnership with London’s famous Piccadilly Lights.

Chief executive officer Christos Angelides hailed the sales increase and marketing investment.

He said: “I am very pleased with Reiss’s first-half performance and encouraged by the promising start we have made to the Autumn-Winter season.

“Our customers are clearly responding to the investment we have made in people, product, brand and infrastructure.

“I am also excited at the opportunity to further raise awareness of the Reiss brand by launching an Autumn-Winter campaign across a series of marketing initiatives, some of which are a first for the brand, starting in the heart of London with Piccadilly Lights.”

The sales uplift comes amid a testing period for high street retailers, as footfall has declined on the back of economic uncertainty.

Fellow fashion brand Jack Wills was snapped up by Sports Direct earlier this month after collapsing into administration under the weight of “mounting cash flow issues”.

Reiss itself had been the centre of sale speculation, but majority owner Warburg Pincus denied reports in May that it was lining up advisers to administer the sale of its stake in the company.