Womenswear has helped improve Burberry sales

Those sales, as well as higher retail growth rates, offset decline in its wholesale operations.

Retail sales were up 13% in the six months to April, pushed by new stores and growth in existing outlets.

Burberry, demerged from GUS last year, is well-known for its distinctive camel, red and black checked design.

It has also recently added other colour schemes, including pink-based ones.

Licensing revenues

"Consumers' favourable response to spring merchandise, particularly womenswear, and an exciting advertising campaign contributed to the strong retail performance," chief executive Rose Marie Bravo said in a statement.

During the period, we also successfully launched a major new fragrance, Burberry London Rose Marie Bravo, chief executive See Burberry's share price

Retail sales accounted for 43% of group revenue last year, and were further helped by new stores in Taiwan and the US.

Licensing income was up 8%, thanks in part to higher royalty rates in Japan, where the desire for Burberry products shows no sign of waning. But wholesale sales fell 7% in the six-month period.

"During the period, we also successfully launched a major new fragrance, Burberry London," added Bravo.