Figures released from leading international,multi-channel brand Debenhams for the 52 weeks to 1 September 2012 showed another strong set of results with highlights including total sales up 2.6%,like-for-like sales up 2.3%inc vat,online sales up 39.8%and profit up before tax up 4.2%to£158.3m.
New designers,stronger marketing and successful expansion overseas has helped Debenhams to increase market share.
A strong team of leading designers,such as Jenny Packham,Jonathan Saunders,Henry Holland,Julien MacDonald,Preen and Marios Schwab,producing cat walk clothes at affordable prices,enabled Debenhams to increase market share in fashion.
Increasing sales of perfumes and cosmetics with brands such as Chanel,Benefit and Urban Decay,saw the store continue to gain market share in Health and Beauty.
And Debenhams intends to build 17 new stores across the UK over the next five years,creating 1,700 new jobs.
Debenhams has also invested in stronger marketing by continuing with its highly successful'Life Made Fabulous'ad campaign.Next month the retailer will launch a Christmas TV campaign for the first time in six years.
Said Debenhams chief executive Michael Sharp:"Achieving strong sales and profits despite a very difficult market is testament to the success of our great value and stylish products.I'm delighted with these results."
Debenhams today announced its latest designer childrenswear collection as fashion designer Markus Lupfer joins forces with model Donna Air to launch'donna&markus by markus lupfer',available exclusively in Debenhams from 26 November 2012.
Renowned for his inspiring use of colour and logos,German-born Markus Lupfer has collaborated with fashion-insider Donna Air to create a capsule collection of knitwear,sweatshirts,t-shirts and leggings for girls aged four-14.
Launching just in time for Christmas,the collection is expected to be snapped up by fashion-forward mothers looking to dress their daughters in designs usually only spotted on the catwalks at fashion week.
The retailer's new store and modernisation programme further cements the retailer's commitment to reinvigorating the British high street with bricks and mortar stores alongside its investment in multichannel.
The 17 new stores in the pipeline include Cheshire Oaks(Chester),Fort Kinnaird(Edinburgh),Beverley(East Yorkshire),Wandsworth(London),Scunthorpe(North Lincolnshire),Darlington(County Durham),Newport(Wales)and Shrewsbury(Shropshire).
