Levi Strauss is seeing a resurgence in denim while demand for dresses at
During the three months ended February, market research firm
“My plan is to dress up and enjoy the things in my wardrobe,” said
Such signs of renewed interest offer a much-needed boost for clothing sales, which have been in the dumps for a year. They also serve as hopeful indications of a strong economic recovery as Americans show more willingness to travel and dine out as President Joe Biden’s vaccination plan proceeds ahead of schedule.
Major transactions at full service restaurants rose more than twofold this March compared to year ago, though down 25% compared to two years ago, according to NPD. Hotels are making a comeback too, with demand during the week ended
Through the first 20 days in April, the
The data on clothing sales is preliminary, and retailers and designers are still trying to figure out how a year of being homebound will change the way people think about dressing up. Casual wear was already strong before COVID-19, and many experts believe the pandemic only accelerated the trend.
A year ago,
“I don’t know whether women will ever want to go back to being with so much structure,” said Hall, who has been getting calls from clients and stores in recent weeks asking for dressed-up looks. ”I think people are going to lean into comfort even more — even when they are getting dressed for evening or galas.”
Retail executives are also looking at how business attire will change. While some corporations are starting to re-open their offices, many are extending work-from-home indefinitely or moving to a hybrid model, eliminating the need for office wear five days a week.
At the onset of the pandemic, sales of clothing and accessories cratered when non-essential stores were forced to temporarily close. But now business is starting to rebound above pre-pandemic levels . In March, spending at clothing and accessory stores rose 18.3% to
Retailers, burned by the sudden switch away from formal looks last year, are being cautious about how much to add back.
Before the pandemic, more than 50% of the business at Gus Mayer was in formal clothes; during the height of COVID-19, that fell to less than 10%.
“I think there is going to be a pent-up demand, but I still think there will be a more relaxed way of dressing going forward," Elliott said.
She noted that business was down 30% last year from a year earlier and this year has started out weak. Quinn hasn't seen any pickup in dresses yet and believes sales won't rebound to pre-pandemic levels until 2023.
“I don’t want to rush back to where we were,” she said. “I am going to control how quickly I grow. It is a reset time.”
AP Business Writer
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