Debenhams Reports Sales Increase as Teenagers Prepare for Prom

LONDON, June 20, 2011 -

Debenhams has revealed that teenagers across the country won’t
be attending school discos over the coming weeks but instead
dancing at American style school proms. 

The phenomenon is so prevalent that in some areas nine out of
ten secondary schools will be hosting the events, sending sales of
prom style dresses soaring and creating a new sales peak second
only to Christmas says the store.

Unlike the school disco, the prom is a much more formal affair
with evening wear and black tie being the required dress
code.  Since the start of the ’season’ Debenhams has seen a
57% rise in sales of occasion href="www.debenhams.com/women/handbags-purses">handbags
and a whopping 1,322% sales increase on href="www.debenhams.com/beauty/make-up/eyes/false-eyelashes">
false eyelashes.

href="www.debenhams.com/women/shoes-boots/party-shoes">Party
shoes have also sold faster than ever with ten styles selling
out ahead of expectation.

The trend has been sparked by hit US TV shows such as ‘Glee’ and
‘Super Sweet 16′ and seems to be growing each year.

However, the move away from the disco has spawned another
phenomenon - the Promzilla, a teenage girl who is keen to outdo her
friends, according to Debenhams research.

Promzillas are so eager to be the bell of the ball that through
‘pester power’ they encourage their parents to spend nearly £600 on
attending the prom, with limo hire, false tan, expensive haircuts
and corsages sending costs soaring.

As a result Debenhams has briefed sales staff and personal
shoppers to encourage parents not to feel they need to splurge
large amounts on what is an end of term party and with href="www.debenhams.com/women/dresses/prom-dresses">prom
dresses at Debenhams starting from just £60 they don’t have
to.

Carie Barkhuizen, Spokesperson for Debenhams said: “Dancing at
the school disco it seems has had its day.  All the focus is
now on the prom and being the bell of the ball.

 ”What’s fantastic about our store is that parents can get
the designer names their kids are after, at high street
prices.”

‘Ladette to Lady’ Social & Etiquette Expert, Liz Brewer
added: “Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, has been a
brilliant role model for girls as she has shown that clothes can
not only be recycled but that high street fashion is okay and
appropriate.”

About Debenhams:

Debenhams is a leading department stores group with a strong
presence in key product categories including womenswear, mens
fashion, childrenswear, home and health and beauty.

Debenhams is the second largest department store chain in the
UK.

Debenhams operates 161 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Debenhams also has 61 international franchise stores in 24
countries and six Magasin stores in Denmark.

Designers at Debenhams include Preen, Jonathan Saunders,
Jonathan Kelsey, Roksanda Ilincic, Ted Baker, Jeff Banks, Jasper
Conran, Erickson Beamon, FrostFrench, Henry Holland, Betty Jackson,
Ben de Lisi, Julien Macdonald, Melissa Odabash, Jane Packer, Pearce
Fionda, Janet Reger, John Rocha, Lisa Stickley, Eric Van Peterson
and Matthew Williamson.

PR Contact:
Carie Barkhuizen
Debenhams PR Manager - Womenswear, accessories and store PR
33 Wigmore Street
London
W1U 1QX
+44(0)207-408-3298
www.debenhams.com

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