Dresses Lead Women's Apparel Sales in '07
Apparel sales may have been up only 3 percent last year, but dresses seemed to be in everyone’s closets last year.
Dress sales in 2007 were up 44 percent for a total of $6.2 billion, according to The NPD Group Inc. in Port Washington, N.Y., which tracks consumer and retail trends.
“Dresses had a phenomenal year and certainly have captured the women’s market in a big way,” said Marshal Cohen, NPD’s chief industry analyst.
With dresses came growth in women’s tights, whose sales rose 48 percent.
Overall, women’s apparel sales grew only 1 percent last year to $103.1 billion, compared with 2006 sales. Men’s apparel sales were up a more-brisk 4 percent to $57.2 billion. Top categories were men’s suits, suit separates and sport coats, with sales growing 7 percent last year over 2006.
However, childrenswear saw the most growth, rising 6 percent to $35.2 billion. Girls’ dress sales spiked 31 percent while boys’ suits, suit separates and sport coats jumped 31 percent. “The children’s market continues to be more recession-proof than the men’s and women’s market,” Cohen said. “Parents are willing to sacrifice their own wardrobe needs so they can keep their little ones well-attired.”
Total apparel sales in the United States last year were $195.6 billion, a 3 percent increase over 2006. —Deborah Belgum
