Dress-up biz is no child's play - discounters market dress clothes for children - AM

Discount Store News, August 1, 1994

"Mass dresses have been uptrending very nicely," says Bradley-Riley of The Doneger Group. The category is still propelled by infant to 7 because of the sentimental value attached to a little girl in a dress, but 7 to 14 is gaining momentum due to its fastpaced California looks.

Dress manufacturers firmly believe fashion will have an even greater impact in the coming seasons.

Barry Salamon, executive vice president of New York-based Fashionland Inc., began feeding retailers trendy looks nearly two years ago. "Holiday dresswear is not as big as it used to be because people are dressing more sporty," he says. "It's been quiet in the past few years, but since we started taking fashion direction from juniors, the business has been on an upswing."

For holiday, Salamon says the longer-length body will be upstaged by shorter A-line and baby doll silhouettes. Textures such as crushed panne velvet and gold and silver lame echo junior styles. Traditional embellished velvet and smock dresses remain paramount for the younger set.

Bradley-Riley of The Doneger Group says kids' dresswear can be a profitable enterprise if mass merchants play their cards right. "Most retailers have traded up as far as quality and fashion. They're putting a fresh look on the floor just as fast as department and specialty stores. And they're keeping prices low."

Mass merchants will use this holiday season as a barometer to test the degree of exposure - if any - kids' dresswear will be given in their outlets.