PORT WASHINGTON, NY, June 20, 2007 – The year is not yet half over, but 2007 is already shaping up to be the year of the dress. Sales of women’s dresses are up…way up, according The NPD Group, Inc., leading provider of consumer and retail information. For the 12 months ending in April 2007, women’s dresses posted over $5 billion dollars in sales. That is a 30.4% gain over the same time period in 2006. By comparison, total women’s apparel is up only 5.1% for the same time period.
“It is a period of unprecedented growth,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst, The NPD Group, Inc., adding, “It is interesting to see how prominently dresses are being featured by retailers.” Helping to fuel the growth, the trend seems to know no boundaries…with significant increases in all channels and demographics.
According to NPD, dress sales in the Department, Specialty and National Chain Stores channels have experienced significant double digit growth.
| Year-over-year Percent Change in Dress Sales by Channel | ||
| Channel | May-Apr 2006 vs. May-Apr 2005 | May-Apr 2007 vs. May-Apr 2006 |
| Department Stores | -0.7 | 33.3 |
| Specialty Stores | -22.2 | 51.7 |
| National Chains | -26.8 | 45.7 |
| Off-Price Retailers | 1.5 | 12.1 |
| Mass Merchants | 7.8 | 14.1 |
And the style trend is not limited to a particular size or group of sizes. “After suffering a significant decline in sales, dresses in all sizes, shapes and styles are experiencing a resurgence,” observed Cohen.
| Year-over-year Percent Change in Dress Sales by Wearer Size | ||
| Dollar Percent Change | Dollar Percent Change | |
| Wearer Size | May-Apr 2006 vs. May-Apr 2005 | May-Apr 2007 vs. May-Apr 2006 |
| Total | -9.4 | 30.4 |
| Women's Juniors | 21.2 | 53.3 |
| Women's Misses | -17.7 | 33.1 |
| Women's Petite | -12.0 | 31.6 |
| Women's Large Size | -4.7 | 1.9 |
| Other Women's | -10.3 | 30.3 |
“Dresses are an appealing addition to a women’s wardrobe, they’re easy to wear. They are just one simple piece, no need to look for a top to match a bottom or vice-versa.” said Cohen, “And there’s a style that will flatter pretty much every woman, regardless of where they are in the demographic spectrum.”
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,600 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, visit www.npd.com.