Panel SA: Cold wave is received in clothing with plush coat and fear of inflation

The expected polar air mass over much of the country in the coming days is met with caution in the apparel sector.

It arrives at an opportune moment, in which stores begin to put the winter collection in their windows, but the balance to calculate the offer is more complex in the face of inflation and the squeeze on consumer income.

Viktor Ljubtschenko, director of the chain of pajamas and underwear stores Any Any, says that winter clothes are expected to cost between 30% and 40% more than last year. “With the rise in the dollar and in shipping containers, which impacted imports, everything went up,” he says.

At the Gregory women’s clothing chain, Andrea Duca, director of the brand, says she sought out textiles that had ready delivery for cash purchase and closed high winter orders with suppliers earlier this year to have better cost-price negotiations.

The brand also decided not to work only with 100% wool coats, and used new plush fabrics to have more affordable pieces.

“We had to reinvent ourselves to offer our customers pieces with winter weight, but with attractive prices”, he says.

The expectation for the launch of the new high winter collection is for sales at least 15% above 2019, estimates Duca.

According to some entrepreneurs, there is a certain fear in the replacement sector due to the lockdown in China, which has already affected some deliveries. If the winter is long and in demand, there may be problems further down the road.

For now, the men’s stores, which have less model variation with each collection, should take the opportunity to sell stocks stranded last year, when sales came in lower than expected.

Joana Cunhawith Andressa Motter and Paulo Ricardo Martins