Findel is to take on high street fashion retailers and established big-book mail-order outfits with an assault on the clothing market.
The mail-order and educational supplies retailer will introduce a substantial clothing and footwear section into its main Studio catalogue this January.
It will include a raft of new brands, such as Nike, and a surfwear category featuring labels such as Animal and Hot Tuna. The catalogue will also offer in-line high street product for the first time.
Findel chairman Keith Chapman said clothing generated sales of£2.4 million to£2.8 million over the past year.
'The clothing offer is only small in group terms and we want to develop this further,' said Chapman. 'We think it can become a meaningful part of home shopping and have got new brands on board.'
Findel has already been testing the appetite for clothing via the Studio Factory Outlet specialogue. It offered clearance sports and leisurewear lines from brands including Fred Perry, Reebok and Ben Sherman, but the introduction of a bigger brand mix, with items available at the same time as the high street, is a major coup.
Last week, Findel reported record interim sales of£164.1 million - up 15 per cent - for the six months to September 30. Operating profit doubled from£3 million to£6.1 million.
Within home shopping, sales surged 28 per cent to£84.4 million. Findel's educational supplies operation benefited from the acquisition of two complementary businesses, but remains constrained by schools' budget limits.
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