Versace frenzy as the gloom lifts from high street
Donatella Versace today sparked a fashion frenzy as she launched her new designs at H&M - and retail sales figures raised hopes that shoppers are being tempted back on to the high street despite the economic gloom.
Thousands across the capital fought for the designer range as the 56-year-old said: "I love London, it is one of the most exciting cities in the world, full of people who love fashion. I wanted to see the excitement in London for myself."
The 60-piece range is today being launched in 40 countries. Hundreds joined queues in the West End with some camping overnight to watch Versace's arrival at the Regent Street store.
The launch came against a backdrop of better-than-expected retail figures, which showed that shoppers have been tempted to spend by supermarket price wars and an outbreak of aggressive "mid-season" promotions
Sales were 0.9 per cent higher last month than a year ago, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Supermarkets saw food sales up by 0.3 per cent, the first rise since the royal wedding month of April, fuelled by the heaviest autumn discounting since 1996. Department stores recorded a robust 2.3 per cent year on year increase with deep promotions attracting shoppers, according to City analysts.
But stores warned the official figures painted an "overly positive picture of the high street" and said the reality was that consumers are still cutting back. Latest statistics from the West End showed that sales dropped 4.1 per cent last month.
