Online fashion jumps double digits as UK high street enjoys Father's Day boost

UK fashion grew across every channel last week, led by a double-digit jump in online sales, as a Father's Day-boosted high street recorded one of its strongest weeks of the year, according to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker. Fashion total like-for-like (LFL) sales rose +2.07%, building on a positive +2.84% base a year earlier.

Online was the standout. Non-store fashion sales climbed +10.91%, accelerating on top of an already-strong +9.47% base from the same week last year — growth layered on growth rather than a bounce off a soft comparison.

Store fashion also advanced, up +2.53% against a +0.80% base, leaving all three measures of the category in positive territory. That every fashion figure grew against a positive prior-year base points to genuine demand rather than a flattering comparison.

The wider high street had its second-best week of the year, with total LFL sales up +8.23% — a performance BDO linked to Father's Day gifting. Total store sales rose +10.40%, the best since the start of the year, though that lapped a negative -1.88% base. Total non-store sales jumped +18.45% from a positive +4.68% base.

Springboard footfall edged up +0.8% overall, led by retail parks at +3.3% and shopping centres at +2.6%. High street footfall slipped -1.3%, the one soft spot in an otherwise busy week for physical visits.

The UK enjoyed a notable early-summer warm spell, with heat building midweek before more mixed conditions at the weekend. With fashion growing against positive comparisons on every channel, the week marks a clear step up from the recent run of softer trading.