Pack the children’s suitcase for their summer camp. Renew sandals, overalls and shorts. Review the contents of your hiking bag. And why not ? – crack for a pair of Rivieras, this kind of espadrilles with plastic soles now in vogue.
With the approach of the sales of the spring-summer clothing collections, which begin Wednesday June 22, for a period of five weeks, until July 19, the French have – a little – returned to clothing purchases. “Should this be seen as a return to a normal social life? », wonders Emmanuel Le Roch, general delegate of Procos, federation of specialized trade under sign.
In fact, in France, clothing consumption started to rise again in the spring, after falling for months. In May, according to indices from the French Fashion Institute (IFM), market turnover jumped 42.2% in stores compared to May 2021, a month which had been disrupted by administrative measures. of “closure of non-essential businesses and shopping centers” to combat the spread of Covid-19 in France. In the first five months of the year, the rebound stands at 23.3% compared to the same period of 2021, according to the IFM.
Etam, a major player in women’s lingerie and ready-to-wear, sees its business “progress by 20% since mid-April”, confirms Laurent Milchior, co-manager of the French group which operates 1,327 stores worldwide. Local customers are back in Printemps department stores (+15% in April and May compared to 2019).
Unheard of in the land of fashion
What will happen during the summer sales? Will this return to form be confirmed? The heat wave, which recently raged in France, could have encouraged consumers to renew their summer wardrobe. Therefore, sales could benefit from renewed interest from all bargain hunters. Especially since inflation is taking hold in all clothing stores. This period of slashed prices would then be a godsend for equipping yourself at a lower cost.
However, the level of activity of clothing stores in France remains well below 2019, at -14% over the first four months of 2022, at the end of April, according to the IFM.
Because the surge in energy and food prices, bringing inflation to 5.2% in May, is disrupting the smooth running of business in the fashion sector, according to the research firm Kantar. Some consumers have already profoundly changed their habits. The firm asked them about the “initiatives they are considering to preserve their purchasing power” in December 2021, then in March 2022. It shows that in three months, less use of the car was imposed on everyone. And this measure could burden the clothing market whose stores are often located in commercial areas and shopping centers located on the outskirts of cities.
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