French Connection Summer 2009

The firm said on Wednesday 20 May like-for-like sales in its UK/Europe retail division, which accounts for 52 percent of turnover, rose 2 percent from Feb. 1 to May 16 with a broadly flat core gross profit margin.

Like-for-like sales in North America retail, accounting for 16 percent of turnover, were down 2 percent and margins were also lower due to increased promotions.

Wholesale orders in both regions were down.

"Deliveries of our Spring/Summer 2009 products have been lower than last year and forward orders for the Autumn/Winter 2009 season are also below last year's levels," the firm said in an update, adding trading in Hong Kong and Japan had also deteriorated. (Reporting by Mark Potter, editing by James Davey)