Trainers and sports apparel specialist Footasylum has released its results for the financial year ended 25 January and they look strong, especially so given the tough backdrop and the struggles of its larger peer JD Sports.

And importantly, it said the strong performance has continued into FY26, and the company “is confident for another year of growth ahead”.

Total revenue last year was up 9.4% to £349.5 million for another year of record growth, while store sales were up 3% to £172 million. This was driven by new store openings based on the Oxford Street blueprint.

Its online sales increased 6% to £143.6 million and now make up 41% of the total. 

The company also said that exclusive brand sales were up 101% through new and existing wholesale partnerships, now accounting for 10% of total sales. 

It added that womenswear sales were up an impressive 18% during the year and juniors sales rose 17%. Both categories have been “key areas of focus for the company, supported by larger store footprints and brand extensions”.

As for profits, underlying EBITDA was up a pleasing 26% to £28.2 million and operating profit surged 123% to £23.3 million with profit before tax up 188% to £17.2 million.

The company is continuing its store opening and upsizing programme and increased the retail space of, or opened, seven new stores across the Midlands, North of England and Scotland.

CEO David Pujolar said the results demonstrate “our resilience in a challenging market environment. Our strategic initiatives and new organisational structure have proven effective and position us strongly for sustained growth”.

He added that the new store format, based on the Oxford Street blueprint, “has enhanced the Footasylum shopping experience and been well received by consumers…. Additionally, our successful expansion into the wholesale channel demonstrates our ability to identify, and respond to, consumer preferences and emerging trends”.

And he described the last year as “transformative as we evolve from a traditional retailer into a multifaceted group with diverse channels and creativity. We are excited to have formed strategic partnerships with global brands such as Nike, Adidas and New Balance. These collaborations elevate our offering and reflect our commitment to delivering the best on-trend products to our consumers”.

Represent’s move into womenswear is continuing and the UK-based labels next step on the journey sees it expanding the offer in the shape of the first women’s iteration of the brand’s signature ‘Initial’ line.

London-based model and DJ Kim Turnbull is fronting the campaign.

First introduced in 2023, the Initial collection relaunched last year to “create a premium line of staples with minimalist branding, designed to elevate everyday outfits”.

Drop One of the women’s version features key essentials including sweatshirts, hoodies, joggers and shorts in the brand’s “classic relaxed oversized fits” and in a brushed heavyweight fleece cotton.

The offer also includes staples in fitted silhouettes and ribbed cotton such as the Baby Rib Maxi Dress and Initial Baby Tee, as well as the brand’s popular cargo joggers.

The 16-piece collection features the Initial ‘R’ embroidery throughout and is available in Storm Grey and Washed Black colourways with a fade out dye technique “to give each garment a unique finish, inspired by weathered concrete after rainfall”. 

With prices range £65-£160, the collection launched globally at representclo.com and in Represent Manchester and LA stores.

Truworths UK Holdco Ltd — best known as the owner of the Office and Offspring footwear businesses — has filed its accounts for the year to the end of last June and they show profits more than doubling.

The company, which has been owned for a decade by South Africa-based Truworths, said pre-tax profit jumped to £102 million from £47.7 million, a strong bounce-back after it was loss-making in the years to June 2019 and 2020.

Revenue at the company also jumped from £265.3 million to £294.3 million. the company’s net profit also surged, rising from £37.7 million to £79.8 million.

The strong year came as the business opened new stores and as of the year-end, it operated 75 stores (up from 70), plus 11 concessions spread across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Job numbers also rose to over 1,800 from just over 1,600.

The year in question was a tough one for the UK fashion industry but in the accounts the company said that trading conditions were much improved in the period. And while consumer confidence remains shaky, it added that it has improved steadily.

That said, consumer spending was (and is) under pressure. But the company said “the branded fashion footwear sold by Office proved to be a resilient category and traded well throughout the period,” helped by the new and revamped stores.

The business remains upbeat for its future prospects, and said it “will continue to leverage its strong relationships with the world’s leading footwear brands, its loyal customer base across the Office and Offspring brands and ongoing investment in digital marketing. Growth in the year ahead will be driven by a strong online presence and the expansion of the Office store portfolio through new store openings and the remodelling and extension of existing stores in strategic retail locations”.