Clothing And Footwear in the US

SUMMARY

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• Get insight into trends in market performance
• Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change
• Identify market and brand leaders and understand the competitive environment

Product coverage

Clothing; Footwear

Executive summary

Macroeconomic Trends Impact Clothing and Footwear Sales

In recent years, both the clothing and footwear sectors in the US were impacted by falling prices thanks to both cheaper imports from overseas and continued retailer discounting to drive sales. 2006 saw continued price deflation, which helped to dampen value growth. In addition, throughout 2006, general economic uncertainty in the US, coupled with high fuel prices, rising interest rates, and falling home values, made consumers reluctant to shop for products at full price. These macroeconomic trends also had an impact on which parts of the market performed better in 2006. Despite the economic uncertainty many consumers were still willing to splurge on at least one item at the high end of the market but eschewed traditional middle market retailers to purchase basic items on the cheap.

Clothing Sector Shows Slower Growth

After seeing considerable strength in 2005, clothing sales saw slower growth in 2006. Consumers, having grown used to a steady diet of sales-priced merchandise, were largely unwilling to pay full price for products, and retailers obliged by continuing to offer sales. A warm winter season also hurt sales of cold-weather gear. While economic uncertainty tempered sales in certain clothing subsectors, it spurred sales in others such as clothing accessories, which consumers viewed as a less-expensive way to update their wardrobes. Sales of children's clothing also remained strong in 2006, as did sales of more casual clothing items.

Footwear Sales Stagnate

In recent years, the US footwear industry was marked by stagnating sales. Trends in 2006 were no different, with men's shoes in particular showing slower growth. Women's footwear saw somewhat of a revival, with more women considering shoes an essential fashion accessory and thus purchasing more pairs than in the past. The past few years also saw the entry of many niche players into the US footwear market, including companies like Crocs and Heeleys, and the increased importance of crossover athletic styles. The continued popularity of these new, innovative products, many of which can be sold without resorting to price discounts, is likely to drive future sales in the sector.

Traditional Players Face New Competition

Both manufacturers and retailers are facing new competitive threats in the US market. Throughout the early part of the decade, traditional players like department stores lost share to mass merchandisers such as Wal-Mart and Target. While both are still significant players in the US clothing and footwear market, the past few years saw a rise in popularity of specialty retailers (such as H&M, Zara and Forever 21) that offer more fashionable clothing at low prices. The success of these retailers, who offer products under their own brand names, also cut into sales of traditional own-branded retailers like Gap, and of manufacturers who sell their brands through non-specialty retail channels. In part due to these changing trends in the market, retailers are experimenting with merchandise mix and retail formats to offer a new buying proposition to consumers.

Future of the Market Likely to be Driven by Demographic Trends

The Hispanic market is becoming increasingly important in the US as members of this ethnic group gain purchasing power. Clothing and footwear manufacturers are responding to this trend, which is likely to become even more important going forward. Females over the age of 35 years also represent an important group with significant purchasing power. Not content to let ageing equate to dowdy fashions, they are demanding fashionable products that are made to fit more mature bodies and retailers are responding. Finally, as consumers spend more on designer clothing for children, this may lead to a new generation of more style-conscious teenagers and adults in the future.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR IN THE US : MARKET INSIGHT
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Macroeconomic Trends Impact Clothing and Footwear Sales
• Clothing Sector Shows Slower Growth
• Footwear Sales Stagnate
• Traditional Players Face New Competition
• Future of the Market Likely to be Driven by Demographic Trends
• KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS
• Price Deflation Continues to Hurt Growth -- But is Improving
• Multicultural Merchandising Increasingly Important
• Casualisation Trend Continues
• Pressure on the Middle of the Market
• Retailers Try New Store Formats
• MARKET DATA
  • Table 1 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Volume 2001-2006
  • Table 2 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Value 2001-2006
  • Table 3 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Volume Growth 2001-2006
  • Table 4 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Value Growth 2001-2006
  • Table 5 Clothing and Footwear Company Shares 2004-2006
  • Table 6 Clothing and Footwear Brand Shares 2004-2006
  • Table 7 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Distribution Format: % Analysis 2001-2006
  • Table 8 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Volume 2006-2011
  • Table 9 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Value 2006-2011
  • Table 10 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Volume Growth 2006-2011
  • Table 11 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Value Growth 2006-2011
• DEFINITIONS
• Clothing
• Footwear
  • Summary 1 Research Sources
• LOCAL COMPANY PROFILES - USA
• ABERCROMBIE & FITCH CO - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - USA
• STRATEGIC DIRECTION
• KEY FACTS
  • Summary 2 Abercrombie & Fitch Co: Key Facts
  • Summary 3 Abercrombie & Fitch Co: Operational Indicators
• COMPANY BACKGROUND
• PRODUCTION
• COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
  • Summary 4 Abercrombie & Fitch Co: Competitive Position 2006
• BROWN SHOE CO INC - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - USA
• STRATEGIC DIRECTION
• KEY FACTS
  • Summary 5 Brown Shoe Co: Key Facts
  • Summary 6 Brown Shoe Co: Operational Indicators
• COMPANY BACKGROUND
• PRODUCTION
• COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
  • Summary 7 Brown Shoe Co: Competitive Position 2006
• GAP INC, THE - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - USA
• STRATEGIC DIRECTION
• KEY FACTS
  • Summary 8 Gap Inc: Key Facts
  • Summary 9 Gap Inc: Operational Indicators
• COMPANY BACKGROUND
• PRODUCTION
• COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
  • Summary 10 Gap Inc: Competitive Position 2006
• JONES APPAREL GROUP - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - USA
• STRATEGIC DIRECTION
• KEY FACTS
  • Summary 11 Jones Apparel Group: Key Facts
  • Summary 12 Jones Apparel Group: Operational Indicators
• COMPANY BACKGROUND
• PRODUCTION
• COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
  • Summary 13 Jones Apparel Group: Competitive Position 2006
• VF CORP - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - USA
• STRATEGIC DIRECTION
• KEY FACTS
  • Summary 14 VF Corp: Key Facts
  • Summary 15 VF Corp: Operational Indicators
• COMPANY BACKGROUND
• PRODUCTION
• COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
  • Summary 16 VF Corp: Competitive Position 2006
• CLOTHING IN THE US
• HEADLINES
• TRENDS
• COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
• PROSPECTS
• SECTOR DATA
  • Table 12 Sales of Clothing by Subsector: Volume 2001-2006
  • Table 13 Sales of Clothing by Subsector: Value 2001-2006
  • Table 14 Sales of Clothing by Subsector: % Volume Growth 2001-2006
  • Table 15 Sales of Clothing by Subsector: % Value Growth 2001-2006
  • Table 16 Sales of Men's Outerwear by Type 2001-2006
  • Table 17 Sales of Women's Outerwear by Type 2001-2006
  • Table 18 Sales of Childrenswear by Type 2001-2006
  • Table 19 Clothing Company Shares by Retail Value 2004-2006
  • Table 20 Clothing Brand Shares by Retail Value 2004-2006
  • Table 21 Sales of Clothing by Distribution Format: % Analysis 2001-2006
  • Table 22 Forecast Sales of Clothing by Subsector: Volume 2006-2011
  • Table 23 Forecast Sales of Clothing by Subsector: Value 2006-2011
  • Table 24 Forecast Sales of Clothing by Subsector: % Volume Growth 2006-2011
  • Table 25 Forecast Sales of Clothing by Subsector: % Value Growth 2006-2011
• FOOTWEAR IN THE US
• HEADLINES
• TRENDS
• COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
• PROSPECTS
• SECTOR DATA
  • Table 26 Sales of Footwear by Subsector: Volume 2001-2006
  • Table 27 Sales of Footwear by Subsector: Value 2001-2006
  • Table 28 Sales of Footwear by Subsector: % Volume Growth 2001-2006
  • Table 29 Sales of Footwear by Subsector: % Value Growth 2001-2006
  • Table 30 Sales of Footwear by Type 2001-2006
  • Table 31 Footwear Company Shares by Retail Value 2004-2006
  • Table 32 Footwear Brand Shares by Retail Value 2004-2006
  • Table 33 Sales of Footwear by Distribution Format: % Analysis 2001-2006
  • Table 34 Forecast Sales of Footwear by Subsector: Volume 2006-2011
  • Table 35 Forecast Sales of Footwear by Subsector: Value 2006-2011
  • Table 36 Forecast Sales of Footwear by Subsector: % Volume Growth 2006-2011
  • Table 37 Forecast Sales of Footwear by Subsector: % Value Growth 2006-2011