Next sales boosted by catalogue

High Street fashion retailer Next will this week report that sales have been boosted by

demand at its catalogue and online division.

Analysts say the Directory business, originally launched as a catalogue in 1987, has found itself perfectly placed for the surge in online clothing demand over the past two years and may have grown by about ten per cent.

Other High Street rivals have struggled to catch up and have launched online units in the face of rapid growth at internet-only businesses such as ASOS and established businesses such as Next.