Analyst believes Next extension is one step too far

Fashion retailer Next may be in danger of extending its brand too far with the latest Directory, according to analysts.

The Autumn/Winter edition devotes 257 pages to home products - only slightly less than the 271 pages dedicated to womenswear.

According to CSFB analyst Nathan Cockrell, the number of pages dedicated to Home has risen from 18 per cent of the total to 31 per cent.

Cockrell said the continued expansion into homewares makes sense, given competitors' moves, but he was unsure how credible the brand's move into categories such as garden furniture is. 'They are chasing incremental sales but may be stretching things a little too far,' he said.