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BRITAIN'S obsession with red carpet outfits has not wavered in the recession with soaring sales at online fashion house Asos, best known for cut-price replicas of stars' outfits.
Asos said turnover leaped by almost half to £96.5million in the six months to the end of September.
The company, which also offers cut-price versions of designer goods, has fared far better in the recession than most of its high-street rivals.
First half profits rose nine per cent to £4.4million, better than most analysts were expecting, and at the start of the second half of the year UK sales were up by 23 per cent.
Chief executive Nick Robertson, who founded the business in 2000, is now planning to expand abroad.
Originally called As Seen On Screen, Asos has tapped into a growing trend in internet shopping as people search for bargains during the downturn.
Rival retailers often cite Asos as the company they admire most. Mr Robertson says his firm does what women's magazines have always done, but is able to do it cheaper than shops.
He admits a brief wobble in sales, but said today: "We are flying again."
He added that brand awareness in the UK is "only 45 per cent" and that there is still room for growth. He also shrugged off fears that post strikes could be damaging, saying his firm was "geared up for it".
The shares, which were 5p each five years ago, were today changing hands for 413p. Mr Robertson said: "Fundamentally the internet is the retail channel with the greatest potential and Asos is ideally situated to exploit it."
Further signs of optimism came from the British Retail Consortium today. Figures show that sales in the centre of London were up 4.2 per cent in October, compared to a year ago.
The weakness of the pound continues to attract foreign tourists, says the BRC.
