Whistles has said that it is launching its first menswear line in its autumn/winter 2014 season. The news comes as total sales at Whistles rose 24%, pushing the chain into the black for the first time since 2008 when it was bought by management led by Topshop boss Jane Shepherdson.

"We have defined our aesthetic, and achieved a consistency in our design," said Whistles CEO Jane Shepherdson. "Menswear is something that we have been planning to do since we started in 2008. We recognise that, as with womenswear, there is considerable expansion in the contemporary middle market, this is an ideal time to capitalise on this opportunity and bring the Whistles aesthetic to menswear."