International exports of UK clothing and footwear is boosting the economy, according to a new study by the British Retail Consortium’s Online Retail Monitor.

In the first quarter of 2014, there was a 77% rise in searches from international customers seeking out UK department stores on their smartphones.

The director general of the BRC, Helen Dickinson, said that it was proof that UK clothing and footwear retailers are “world beaters”.

She added: “It's particularly impressive to see the strength of women's clothing brands and our department stores shining through in these figures.

"This innovation and good use of new technology explains why the UK is now the world's second biggest online retail exporter. We will be working hard with government to help this growth continue and give retailers all the support they need to attract even more new customers from international markets."

Peter Fitzgerald, retail director, Google, said: "Apparel is a key driver of export for our UK retailers which is reflected in this report. China and Russia continue to represent a huge opportunity for retailers, with the fastest query growth for UK apparel. In addition, our fashion-led UK department stores see the fastest growth from overseas markets, demonstrating the consumer trend towards breadth of choice and availability.

"The importance of having a mobile strategy - both in the UK and abroad - is evident, as smartphones are shown to be the main driver of query growth worldwide. Interestingly we also see different search behaviour on smartphones, highlighting the impulsive nature of smartphone searches as users are able to search for anything, anywhere."