The firm has put the trading success down to "customer loyalty"

Ignoring the effect of new and closed stores, Monsoon saw festive sales climb 13% on the year before.

It also reported record pre-tax profits for the half-year period to 27 November of �28m ($52m) - an improvement of 32% on the previous year.

Monsoon chairman Peter Simon said he was "pleased" with the results.

The firm sells high-end clothing and accessories for men, women and children.

The group, which also owns Accessorize, said demand for ponchos and accessories had contributed to the record performance by its autumn and winter ranges.

"The benefits of the investment in our two strong brands are bearing fruit," Mr Simon said.

"We are not complacent as we recognise we are trading in difficult environments. We look forward to investing our money on long-term projects at the appropriate time without any pressure to do so."

He said the record half-year results were due to "customer loyalty and support" and a strong performance from staff.