ALL ACCESS: Reflecting how luxury remains under pressure, contemporary and premium brands are now dominating women’s fashion floors, according to a new report from the International Association of Department Stores, or IADS.

According to its tallies, the contemporary and premium segment accounts for 31 percent of the women’s fashion business, high-street and mid-range brands 22 percent and “advanced contemporary” 21 percent.

At Tryano in Abu Dhabi, for example, operator Chalhoub cited the 400 to 800 euro price bracket as attracting the strongest sell-throughs.

Meanwhile, El Palacio de Hierro in Mexico has redirected part of its open-to-buy to affordable luxury and entry price points to offset declines at the higher end.

Across markets as diverse as the U.S., Germany, Ukraine and the Middle East, “the same names recur among members’ bestsellers: Sandro, Maje, Max Mara and Self-Portrait in contemporary; Victoria Beckham, Ami Paris and Jacquemus higher up the ladder,” the IADS said.

For denim, the department store body cited a diverging picture, with denim declining in some markets, while experience “explosive growth in the U.S. market, with price increases absorbed without customer resistance.”

The IADS recommends “embracing fit diversity… so that customers feel they need one of each style rather than a replacement for the last.”

Women’s fashion continues to grow in the online channel, generating about 22 percent of department store sales in 2025 versus 20 percent in the prior year.

IADS members represent more than 563 stores in 32 countries.