Switzerland-based luxury goods company Richemont has posted a 16% rise in sales for the first half of the year. Operating income rose 31% to €436 million.

Results at the company’s leather and accessories businesses were said to be encouraging. Sales increased by 11% at Alfred Dunhill, thus halving the losses reported in the comparable prior-year period. Lancel also posted higher sales and reduced losses. After a year of dramatic growth last year, Chloé once again doubled its sales during the six-month period.

In terms of geographic performance, the Asia-Pacific region continued to show the strongest performance with growth of 18% at current exchange rates, with group sales in China growing by 64%. Sales in Europe increased by 18%, with particularly high demand reported in France and the UK and in new markets such as Russia and Eastern Europe. Sales in the Americas increased 17% in euro terms at current exchange rates.