Online jewellery retailer The Earring Boutique is ploughing ahead with its expansion plans after notching up a 50 per cent increase in like-for-like sales in the three months to date.

The retailer, which launched solely online in August last year, has expanded into department store concessions and will launch a sister e-tail site for rings this October.

The Earring Boutique founder Carly Read said: “In such a difficult market we never expected such growth but it has been phenomenal. What we are finding though is that shoppers still want to treat themselves even in the recession and accessories are well priced to maintain affordability.”

The Earring Boutique, which stocks trend-led costume earrings, some featuring Crystallized Swarovski elements, has opened 15 concessions in House of Fraser stores, and last month opened a concession in Fenwick at Brent Cross shopping centre in north London.

Read said she hopes to expand further to Fenwick’s other shops in locations such as Tunbridge Wells and added “we aspire to be in Selfridges”.

She said the retailer also wants to open concessions in New York as “the idea for the site was born there” and cited iconic department store Henri Bendel as a target.

The Ring Boutique will debut in October with “an eclectic collection of fashionable, showy, fun cocktail rings” according to Read. She added: “Some of our loyal customers have been asking for matching accessories to the earrings so that’s why we developed the ring offer.”

She said she is also considering launching a site for bangles. “It will be nice to have one place where customers can look for all their accessories so that’s what we will work towards.”