N Brown sales fell in its first quarter despite a healthy performance across its digital channels.

Total revenue fell 3.8% despite being boosted by an 8% financial services rise.

Product revenue was down 5.4% as digital revenues climbed 3%. Digital now represents 83% of total revenue, up from 74% the previous first quarter.

Menswear outperformed womenswear, growing 7.7%, while the latter shrank 3.3%. Both categories experienced digital growth.

Revenue at the group’s product brands divison, which include labels with a less developed digital offering such as Figleaves, High and Mighty and Marisota, declined 12.7%. The group said that this was in line with its strategy of “scaling back unprofitable offline marketing and recruitment”.

Chief executive Steve Johnson said: “We’re pleased to report a solid trading performance in the first quarter. In line with our strategy, we delivered digital revenue growth across JD Williams, Simply Be, Ambrose Wilson and Jacamo as we continue to improve our customer offer while managing the decline of our legacy offline business.

 “The retail market remains challenging, but we have a clear strategy to deliver profitable digital growth and our full-year expectations are unchanged.”