The beleaguered American Apparel, one of the most high-profile vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of branded fashion basic apparel in the world, and a top favorite among youth culture, announced preliminary sales for the month ended January 31, 2012. The company reported total net sales increased 14% to $41.4 million. For the same period, comparable store sales increased an estimated 15% on an estimated 11% increase at retail stores and an estimated 39% increase in online sales. For the month wholesale net sales increased an estimated 21%.
“I am very encouraged by the sales performance of the Company,” stated Dov Charney, Chairman and CEO. “Since September 2011, we have had positive retail same store sales, and for the months of November, December and January, our imprintable wholesale sales levels have been running at record levels beyond the previous highs set for those months in 2008. Higher sales running through our three sales channels, retail, online, and imprintable wholesale allow for us to improve operational efficiencies at the factory, as well as leverage corporate costs, thereby improving prospects for our long term profitability,” added Charney. One of the biggest jumps to note is the increase in online sales which went from 4% in October 2011 to 39% in January, 2012. In today’s digital age, it’s online sales that continue to capture the youth culture marketplace and watching what transpires with American Apparel can be very telling for the fashion industry overall.
Stay tuned for more on youth culture trends including changes in fashion preferences, shopping patterns, brands, and more in our upcoming Spring Youth Culture Study 2012.
