young fashionTrade was down at womenswear indies polled, although Firetrap had a strong week, charting as the best-selling brand and the best brand for sell-through. Dresses were the strongest-performing category. In denim, skinnies were the most popular style, while a fifth of indies had an increase in demand for wide-legged 1970s styles

Top 10 Best-selling brands of the week

1 Firetrap2 Superdry3 French Connection4 Great plains5 Fullcircle6 Ted Baker7 Bench8 G-Star9 Diesel10 Religion

Top 5Best-selling categories of the week

1 Dresses2 Tops3 Jeans4 Knitwear5 Trousers

Top 5Best-selling outerwear brands of the week

1 Firetrap2 French Connection3 Superdry4 Fullcircle5 Barbour

Quickfire questionsWhat percentage of your total spring 11 offer is dresses?

Average 39%

Which fit of denim is your best-seller?

1 Skinny2 Boyfriend3 Regular 4 Bootcut

Are you offering non-denim trouser styles this season?

Yes 82%No 18%

If so, what styles?

1 Harem2 Chino3 Linen4 peg-leg

Which brand is your most reliable seller?

1 Firetrap2 Great plains3 Superdry4 Ted Baker5 French Connection

We are anticipating that flares will be huge in autumn 11Nikki Smith, assistant manager at Heroes in Kettering, Northamptonshire

Riding high: French Connection

Flying off the shelves: Firetrap

of indies polled think the royal wedding will boost sales

59%

The royal wedding will give people a feel-good factor and make them spend moreMike Pugh, owner of Aura in Ipswich, Suffolk

Three lines of text here please three lines few words here please

00%Better

00% Same

00%Worse

Fashion in figures

17%Better

22% Same

61%Worse

Total week’s takings

Average spend

DATE:week ending march 4 2011

-4.78% Year-on-year change

£6,748TOTAL:

What were the total sales in your store this week?

What was the average spend per customer in your store this week?

Date:week ending march 4 2011

Average:

£ 69.02

How does your week’s business compare with this time last year?

16 Drapers March 18 2010

Drapers spoke to 50 independents about their women’s young fashion business for the week ending March 4. Brands and styles mentioned in the lists, including the Top 10 and Top 5, are ranked when mentioned by five or more retailers

indicator

womenswearwoMeNSweAr treNdSTo catch up with the latest womenswear trends, visit www.drapersonline.com/ trends/womenswear

of indies have had an increase in demand for 1970s-style jeans

20%