Swedish fashion retail reports growth for both clothing and shoes during the first autumn month of the year. According to Swedish Retail’s Style Index for September 2026, total clothing sales increased by 6.2 percent and shoe sales by 6.4 percent compared to the same month last year.
Behind these figures, e-commerce emerges as the clear growth engine. Online shoe sales in particular performed strongly with an increase of 10.9 percent, compared to 4.8 percent in physical stores. Online clothing also outperformed physical retail, with an increase of 6.9 percent versus 5.9 percent in stores.
Strong Development Over Two Years
Over a two-year period, the advance of the internet is clear. Compared to September 2024, e-commerce for clothing has increased by 26.1 percent and for shoes by 17.5 percent. Accumulated for the period January to September this year, e-commerce growth is 5.2 percent for clothing and 7.8 percent for shoes.
Swedish Retail CEO, Sofia Larsen, comments on the development and links it to weather changes and household finances:
September gives fashion retail a strong start to the autumn. We see how consumers seriously began preparing for a new season with clear weather changes. We now hope that this positive trend will continue in the coming months.
When households have more left in their wallets, space is created to also prioritize things they want to buy. September gives reason for optimism for the rest of the autumn, and our hope is that clothing and shoes will continue to take a place in household budgets. However, this should not be taken for granted. On the horizon we see new cost increases that could negatively affect household consumption. The coming months will be interesting to follow.
Low-Price Segment Continues to Grow Strongest
A closer look at price segments shows that the low-price range had the strongest development with an increase of 7.3 percent. The mid-range increased by 5 percent and the premium segment by 2.5 percent. Looking at specific product groups, women's clothing (up 8 percent) and women's shoes (up 9.4 percent) accounted for the largest increases, while sales of children's clothing and children's shoes were significantly more subdued with a marginal increase of 0.4 percent.
The development in September is in line with the signals that the industry has given earlier in the autumn. Swedish Retail’s latest Trade Barometer recently showed a clear turnaround and increased confidence in trade, which is now confirmed in the actual sales figures for fashion retail.