Page 26 - January-February-2019

US online sales of
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luxury fashion items

growing

According to the new US Luxury E-commerce Report In the online luxury market the biggest spending rise
released by the NPD Group, US online sales of luxury came from apparel – growing seventeen pc to an
fashion items are growing, particularly from the key average of $716 spent per buyer. Whilst the
segments of footwear, accessories, and attire. A lot frequency of online purchases held steady for luxury
of the nearly fifty pc increase in dollar sales seen in apparel and fashion accessories both segments saw
recent years across these segments is attributed to increases in the amount consumers spent on those
an increment in buyer spending. purchases. Fashion accessories increased their
average online luxury spend per buyer by five pc,
Mr Marshal Cohen, chief industry advisor, the NPD to $782.
Group said, “The luxury market is evolving, new
brands are getting attention, and online retailer From footwear, nearly half of the online luxury fashion
platforms are elevating the competitive landscape. dollar sales come that has the highest average
The younger, multi-ethnic demographic that is more annual spend per buyer and annual purchase
attracted to purchasing designer products online – frequency. The average online luxury footwear spend
even more than the average online accessories, increased four pc to $794 and purchase frequency
footwear, or apparel buyer – is a major contributor to also increased slightly to 1.6 times per year.
this evolution.”

Italian textile machinery

Fourth quarter orders drop

Textile machinery orders index from October to 2017.” Zucchi added that, “On foreign markets, our
December 2019 according to ACIMIT fell as machinery manufacturers are having to face
compared to the same period 2017. The index geopolitical situations that have considerably
value stood at 101.9 points (basis: 2015 =100). slowed investments. Turkey, Iran, and even China,
all primary markets for our sector, have recorded a
Orders gathered by Italian machinery drop in demand for textile machinery, for a variety
manufacturers were thus negative both in Italy as of reasons.”
well as abroad. On the domestic front, the index
stood at an absolute value of 148 points, which is, “Based on preliminary results elaborated by our
12% less compared to the same period for October Association,” concludes ACIMIT’s president, “2018
to December 2017. However, foreign markets were closed with a downswing both in terms of foreign
even further down at -16%, with the index standing sales and total production. The overall sentiment
at an absolute value of 98.1 points. for 2019 isn’t very positive either, but the entire
sector is putting its trust in ITMA, the primary trade
ACIMIT president Alessandro Zucchi commented, fair for the entire world textile machinery industry,
“The evolution of the domestic market reflects an held every four years. This year, the fair will be held
overall sense of uncertainty that has accompanied in Barcelona from 20 to 26 June. It could very well
the new national budget legislation, not to mention present an opportunity for a revival of the
the comparison with a record fourth quarter for entire sector.”

January/February 2019