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ashion retailers targeting middle and upper class consumers reported massive growth of nearly 30 percent in their revenues in the Jan-March period of the year, despite the first three months being considered as more quiet than the other quarters due to the lack of festivities.

In that quarter, PT Mitra Adi Perkasa (MAPI) saw revenue advance by 29.1 percent year-on-year to Rp 2.1 trillion, with retail and wholesale sales yielding 88.6 percent of this revenue.

MAPI, the retailer with the most actively traded shares, has sharply targeted the middle and upper class market with its portfolio of over 100 international brands encompassing Zara, Massimo Dutti, Sogo and Starbucks.

Similarly, PT Trisula International (TRIS) logged a 28.6 percent year-on-year revenue increment to Rp 160.2 billion.

Fetty Kwartati, the spokesperson for MAPI, said that the retailer'€™s revenue growth has been '€œconsiderably strong'€ in the past quarter considering that they aimed to grow by 25 percent this year.

'€œWhen in fact, the first quarter is generally quieter than the others owing to the absence of festivities such as Lebaran and New Year,'€ she said.

She attributed the retailer'€™s sales growth, in addition to its same store growth, to the opening of new stores.

'€œWe opened 57 new stores with a total floor space of 9,588 square meters during the first quarter,'€ she said.

She added that more store opening would take place in the second quarter, adding that the retailer sought to open 350 new stores throughout the year.

'€œGenerally, 60-70 percent of store openings take place in the second quarter,'€ she said.

Two significant department store inaugurations in the next quarters would be Galeries Lafayette in Pacific Place Mall, Jakarta, and Sogo in Center Point Mall, Medan, she added.

'€œWe plan to open Galeries Lafayette in the second quarter and Sogo by the fourth quarter,'€ she told The Jakarta Post.

However, the expenses of MAPI remain large at Rp 1 trillion.

'€œGoing forward, considering an increase in operating costs, we are cautious about our business prospects in 2013,'€ Fetty said.

On the same note, Trisula, the retailer of middle-segment brands such as Jack Nicklaus and G2000, saw expenses augment by 30 percent to 122.2 billion

Marcus Brotoadmodjo, the spokesperson for Trisula, said that the rise in the minimum wage and service-charges imposed by malls have pushed costs up.

'€œWe have also invested in inventory and in the opening of new stores, and these investments have yet to bear fruit,'€ he said.

He added that the retailer, which also doubles as a clothes manufacturer, planned to increase automation at their facilities to cut labor-related costs.

'€œWe have already passed the cost increase to the market, although the price increase may not match the cost accretion,'€ he said.

He added that the market would be able to absorb the price increase, as proven by the business growth the retailer experienced

'€œThe flipside of the rise in minimum wages is that people now have more money to spend,'€ he said.

On the other hand, Ramayana '€“a retailer targeting middle and lower segments '€“ saw revenue grow only by 0.37 percent year-on-year to Rp 1.08 trillion within the first quarter of 2013, although expenses, amounting to Rp 686.8 billion, was 6 percent less than the same period last year.

The comprehensive income of the retailer slid 2.5 percent to Rp 39.5 billion due to taxes, among others things.