Debenhams £60 sell-out recessionista dress

Designer dress is Debenhams fastest ever seller

Debenhams Star by Julien Macdonald dress - News - Marie Claire
Debenhams Star by Julien Macdonald dress - News - Marie Claire

Designer dress is Debenhams fastest ever seller

Credit crunch chic has seen a £60 Julien Macdonald dress become Debenhams' fastest selling item ever, and it hasn't even gone on sale yet.

Designed by Macdonald for the Designers at Debenhams collection, the leopard print asymmetric style has proved a runaway success, selling out of its 1000-strong stock via online pre-sales alone. 

A bulging waiting list of eager shoppers is now growing by the day.

Karen Peacock Debenhams' director of design commented, 'We knew our dress was going to be popular - but even we've been shocked by the demand. There's no doubt that this will be the dress of 2009.'

Michael Sharp, Debenhams’ deputy chief executive added, 'It's a fantastic dress, but to be honest we've never seen a reaction like this before. Again we are putting this and the success of our designer ranges down to the Recessionista effect.

'Many shoppers want to feed their addiction to fashion and are turning instead to designer equivalents that deliver quality, durability and design -but with a chic-entomic price tag' he added.

Although current stock is completely sold out, the retailer has confirmed that new supplies will be hitting stores by 18 May - the dresses official on-sale date.

The news came on the same day that the department store announced that its Designers at Debenhams collection was booming, with sales rising by 11%, while overall the store reported a 10.7% rise in profits.

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