While high street retailing struggles, Asos has expanded relentlessly. The online fashion retailer is delivering levels of growth that most bricks-and-mortar retailers can only dream of.
Asos is partly responsible for the high street crisis. The attractions of websites such as its own have prompted shoppers to eschew visits to shops in favour of online ordering and delivery. Asos often offers cheaper prices and a wider range of goods.
The business was founded in north London in 2000 by Nick Robertson, its former chief executive, and his brother, an entrepreneur, with a small amount of seed capital provided by Andrew Regan, the financier. It listed on Aim the following year for 20p a share and with a valuation of £12 million. Today the retailer has