NPD: Dress Sales Surge
Dress sales are strong in all market channels, according to the latest findings by Port Washington, N.Y.–based research firm The NPD Group.
Between April 2006 and April 2007, retailers rang up $5 billion in dress sales, according to NPD, which said the year’s sales represented a 30 percent increase over the previous year.
The increase was strongest in specialty stores, which saw a 52 percent increase in dress sales, with national chain stores coming in second with a 46 percent increase. Department stores saw a 33 percent increase in dress sales, and even mass merchants and off-price stores saw gains in the low double digits.
“It’s a period of unprecedented growth,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for The NPD Group. “After suffering a significant decline in sales [in recent years], dresses in all sizes, shapes and styles are experiencing a resurgence.”—Alison A. Nieder
