Cynics have long compared Superdry to the beleaguered French Connection and have been waiting for the bubble to burst on the trendy SuperGroup fashion brand.  

However, boss Julian Dunkerton sees the brand as more akin to Ralph Lauren and is out to prove that Superdry is no fad but is here to stay.

There is no sign of that bubble bursting from the sales surge in the second quarter, when total revenue jumped 20.3% and like-for-likes rose 5.8%.

However, the ubiquity of Superdry products - which are increasingly seen on the forty-plus customer, way older than its target customer - and its logo-driven design, is worryingly similar to French Connection when it’s FCUK T-shirts fell out of favour.

But Dunkerton is developing both the brand and the product to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to Superdry.  

The retailer is upping its design credentials, which French Connection did only after its popularity had peaked, and has already added tailored items into store in a clear move away from its Japanese logo tees.

This reinvigorated product should reach its younger, more fashion-led audience rather than the middle-aged blokes you see wearing its branded hoodies on the tube.  

By ensuring its clothing is cutting edge and brand sought after the retailer can use it as a platform to build a global powerhouse.

It is already rapidly expanding overseas, most recently launching in India. Undoubtedly the Superdry brand will travel - although it’s probably the logo-ed tees that will be worn in the streets of Mumbai rather than its tailored jackets – and its mammoth Regent Street flagship has helped promote the brand to the many tourists that visit the capital.

However, Dunkerton is focused on growing more than just expanding its clothing offer, he wants to grow the entire brand offer, like luxury brands such as Ralph Lauren and Burberry do so well.  Accessories already make up around 8% of the retailer’s sales and it already sells toiletries, iPhone cases and even Superdry branded headphones. It this month launched watches too.

Dunkerton told Retail Week there is also the huge untapped opportunity of wholesaling those items. He’s right; I’m sure Boots shoppers would snap up Superdry gift sets in their Christmas 3 for 2 deals…but hang on, didn’t French Connection go down that route?