In a first, ‘modest’ fashion department store to open at American Dream
American Dream has created a new retail concept for consumers who want to dress stylishly and on trend — but not reveal too much skin.
The massive, 3 million-sq.-ft. retail entertainment center in East Rutherford, N.J., has developed what it calls the “world’s first modest fashion department store, a “first-of-its-kind specialty department store curated for the modest fashion consumer.”
The new format, called The ADdress, will open its doors on Feb. 14. The 55,000-sq.-ft. store will be located in Court D, level three of the center, in a space that was formerly leased by Century 21, which filed for bankruptcy in September 2020.
According to a release by American Dream, The ADdress will feature some of “the world’s most sought-after modest brands, offering shoppers a robust mix of collections and styles to choose from.” (Click here to see the brand line-up.) In keeping with American Dream’s focus on experiences, the store will also customers weekly events, fashion shows and personal styling options as well as customer loyalty programs.
“Modest fashion continues to gain momentum, and we saw a massive opportunity to address consumer demand in the tri-state,” stated Don Ghermezian, CEO of American Dream. “The ADdress was a concept developed by our team because we understand our market, which we know is rich in culture. This was a way to bridge the fashion gap and provide a convenient one-stop shopping experience for the incredible, diverse community where we live and work.”
The ADdress will open in phases, starting with women’s clothing, which will be followed by bridalwear and giftware. Footwear, jewelry, accessories, children's clothing and menswear will eventually all be in the mix.
The ADdress will open with 35 brands, all of which are renting space via individual leases, and American Dream will staff the store, which will have a shared checkout, reported Glossy.com, Spending on modest fashion in 2021 was up 5.7% year-over-year to $295 billion, according to the 2022 State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, and expected to grow another 6% in 2022, Glossy reported.
In a separate report, Ghermezian told WWD that The ADdress will cater to “Orthodox Jews, Muslims and others who need styles that provide more cover-up.”
With large populations of Orthodox Jews in the New York-metro area, there will be transportation services available Sunday through Thursday to The Address/American Dream via a partnership between American Dream and Monsey Trails, a private bus company operated .
The buses will arrive at 11 a.m. and depart at 2 p.m. The roundtrip cost is $20 and it will include discounts and coupons.