The latest version of Burberry coat gets thumbs up

The heritage coat, which is made in Castleford, has remained a fashion staple for years and the latest take on the classic led to better than expected like-for-like sales, which rose an impressive nine per cent in the second half.

Burberry has simplified the design of the trench coat to three classic styles and each season it comes up with a new twist such as the rainbow coloured coats featured at London Fashion Week for the Burberry Spring/Summer 2015 collection.

The classic khaki coat also appeared in advertising for the launch of the fashion house’s signature perfume My Burberry, featuring models Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne and shot by celebrity photographer Mario Testino.

Burberry’s CFO Carol Fairweather said the advertising campaign featuring the supermodels wearing coats made in Yorkshire had created a “halo effect” which boosted sales of both the coat and the perfume.

Other best-sellers were the distinctive checked scarves and a new range of ponchos, which have been monogrammed for favoured celebrities such as Ms Delevingne and Sex in the City actress Sarah Jessica Parker.

Burberry said total revenues of £1.42bn for the six months to March 31 rose nine per cent on an underlying basis.

It reported double digit growth in the Americas and the Europe, Middle East, India and Africa region, but sales fell to low single digit growth in Asia Pacific.

Halifax-born chief executive Christopher Bailey said: “Customers responded strongly to product innovation, especially in our core British-made heritage trench coats and scarves, while we continue to invest in digital.”

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