UK fashion accelerates as store sales rebound and online extends winning streak

UK fashion sales surged ahead in the latest week, with total like-for-like (LFL) sales up +10.29% according to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker. The category outpaced the wider retail market — total LFL sales across all categories rose +7.02% — and benefited from a favourable comparison: the same week last year saw fashion sales fall -7.74%.

Both fashion channels grew. Store fashion sales increased +4.62%, reversing the prior week's -1.09% decline and coming off a -3.53% base last year. Non-store fashion sales rose +13.39%, marking a fifth consecutive week of growth, against a sharply negative base of -12.14% in the comparable week.

The fashion pattern fits the wider high street picture, where strength was concentrated in the online channel. Total non-store LFLs grew +11.30% from a negative -4.89% base, while total store LFLs gained a more modest +3.77% on top of a +0.42% rise a year earlier. The week marked the fourth consecutive period of growth in total LFLs.

Springboard footfall data complicates the in-store narrative. Overall footfall fell -0.5%, with high street footfall down -2.5%. Retail parks and shopping centres held up better, with footfall up +2.0% and +1.1% respectively, suggesting consumers favoured destination formats over traditional high streets.

The cooler, unsettled weather that replaced the prior week's early summer warmth may have dampened high street traffic while supporting online demand. Year-on-year base effects play a meaningful role in this week's headline figures — the comparable period last year was weak across both fashion channels — but the in-store fashion rebound, combined with a fifth straight week of online growth, points to genuine momentum building in the category.