High-profile online designer-wear retailer boo.com collapsed yesterday through lack of funds, becoming Europe's first big dotcom failure just six months after its launch.

Appeals to investors for a $30 million (€33.5 million) cash lifeline failed, despite rising sales, and efforts to find a buyer for the unlisted business also came to nothing.

"We are deeply disappointed that it has been necessary to ask KPMG to become liquidators of the company," Boo.com said. Some 300 staff will lose their jobs.