Australian Fashion Hits $3.1B Record Despite Retail Slowdown

[{"selector":"#anim-18ba9be3-4c2b-4bfd-9f97-03f2db09dc1a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d62b2f71-69ff-4d6b-bcae-44ff46b49f61","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5fbeb2b-302f-4ece-9fd5-d0f3d2a9c36c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a07d9e2-664f-4b0f-b5c0-908580013353","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Australian Fashion Hits $3.1B Record Despite Retail Slowdown Sunita Somvanshi

Australian retail presents a puzzling picture in 2025 - overall growth crawls at just 0.3% monthly while fashion sales smash records. What's behind this retail contradiction?

[{"selector":"#anim-9b34f590-2158-407c-99ec-14cb6a6785ab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c635e4bd-5435-4c26-ac89-0c1a6a871098","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-177a5c84-0194-4067-8718-99f9fad2cff4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dbfa43f2-122c-4de4-abc0-0bc7c7c1cca5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a72d2345-671b-4e15-835f-bea4267c8e63","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Artem Beliaikin (CC BY 2.0)

Fashion retail reached an unprecedented $3.1 billion in March 2025 - the highest monthly figure ever recorded and a solid 5% jump from last year.

[{"selector":"#anim-40ebdd17-60af-41e3-a7f7-39ba9a9122ef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bfe5be55-c9d7-4192-8210-5eda2e2480ea","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a9b09c4f-3d07-496a-8049-dc3459e2ccad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6bcae81b-2c51-4025-b11a-0f01b4dabe0e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0874ebf5-77c8-49ad-b209-7ef76333c845","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Rachel Claire (Pexels)

Yet behind these fashion figures lies a troubling reality - per capita retail volumes actually fell 0.4%, meaning Australians are spending more dollars but getting fewer goods.

[{"selector":"#anim-ca79a135-1bff-4163-b4ce-e3e1eb6b39d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f83ddf3-df41-4a1f-89dd-6456c873026d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6fd0f6c4-f17f-453c-81a9-d4ece13f0fff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43fdff90-720e-4d50-880d-38281df725e2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f73df57-32d0-4319-ab79-de70d5e9a1c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pxhere

Footwear and accessories led the fashion surge with a 0.6% monthly gain ($5.6 million), while clothing limped ahead at just 0.1% ($2.5 million). Why this difference?

[{"selector":"#anim-90bdc0df-0bf3-4c62-81a1-a3609ba7ebed","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3711e587-d371-4576-8331-c42a0b621deb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-45e11f5b-3255-4ac6-858f-86bf52088eaf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-486d14ad-a707-4e63-b896-694ec5f6bc0b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-913e6210-2024-409f-bff7-91a5b3f4121c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Antoni Shkraba Studio (Pexels)

While some sectors flourished, others struggled - cafes, restaurants, and department stores both saw declines of 0.5% in March. Consumer priorities are clearly shifting.

[{"selector":"#anim-95ebe499-f140-4b93-a9e6-6fcad040c74e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0d9333e-1fd3-4beb-a87c-13bede1ba89f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-861ec534-7938-420a-882e-87067e61153e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-65c29d36-7936-486e-8e9b-c8e1691c184b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69500a22-2cb8-4fff-94ea-a1914314e30b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Bella Ella Boutique (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Extreme weather played its part - Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred caused Queensland retail to drop 0.4% as businesses closed and consumers stayed home.

[{"selector":"#anim-752bd137-958a-4490-bf51-a4e054a3b10d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dfb10dcb-89ab-4458-8e62-30995bfc73db","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3496fd3-b9cf-4673-97f4-efcb8608e9a4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d97a8524-4d65-4bbc-bd6c-3481a2af7980","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c70da0c8-9b5c-42e1-aa34-e5413255f6d8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Andreea Ch (Pexels)

With a delay in interest rate relief, household budgets remain tight," warns Australian Retailers Association's Fleur Brown. "We remain far from a retail recovery.

[{"selector":"#anim-60fd8f69-d35b-4154-85bf-68145ef5361c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dad35e5f-61bc-4438-8289-ef4c1fd9fc80","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-38d778db-c8ad-48b6-8b67-9fe44532eed8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85b16ac8-c5bf-44f8-939a-09097fb6251c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62807135-21ff-44de-a05b-ba6d2933b9b3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Willo M (Pexels)

The shocking numbers behind consumer struggles: mortgage interest charges have skyrocketed 163% for employee households since March 2022. No wonder spending patterns are changing.

[{"selector":"#anim-13180d1a-cdd1-481b-8ea6-7edcb0c4ea78","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-407c5ada-ceb2-48d8-914c-f566f6eb68f5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 122.92342%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0011580-e361-482c-9724-500adacf229d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea3470f2-1cf8-40d4-9b14-cfa6b7c0eafc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-889e6754-1350-485b-8f28-32cd90c39a1b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Nishino Minase (Pexels)

Financial markets predict the RBA will slash rates by 50 basis points on May 20, with NAB forecasting further cuts through 2026. Will this save retail spending?

[{"selector":"#anim-c02ce57d-2602-44cc-88b7-20aee9086841","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fbdef67a-9f99-4ecc-8daf-03dafd731bac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a602b525-204e-49ab-b233-fb9a649a2cf7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8cfba3b-8cea-49c3-a578-c2499f649716","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3849cf6c-6359-426b-8c0f-f533c5eb9054","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Danausi

Food retail and essentials dominate spending while discretionary purchases suffer. What does this retail divide tell us about Australia's economic health in 2025?

[{"selector":"#anim-e867210c-d7ca-4e7d-9568-571f3c99483b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ce9bb87f-eec6-4563-9cd8-de3b8744d84a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 164.43004%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3950bd2-8696-45c3-a958-e05bd6819016","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c036d6d5-06ff-4119-9a02-7acc2527e165","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e06b9f2-5f41-4e62-aac8-9179b3363224","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Shankar s (CC BY 2.0)

[{"selector":"#anim-247af770-1345-4b2c-90b4-ce1b2a523b28","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-935c46d1-d461-4964-879b-f5a14570a3e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af45c900-c678-40fc-bb10-3b361d2784a3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe2e9ef5-e845-4ec2-a242-c885fdf9a2b9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d0382cc2-17c3-470b-94a9-638a8cc26aed","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] RBA rates turn Bank predicts 50 point cut Learn more