Market Navigator: US Apparel and Footwear—Solid Spending Growth, Shifting Share and Uneven Execution

Published – August 2026

Discover how US apparel and footwear bands and retailers are performing in the current environment of shifting economic conditions, Iran conflict and inflation pressures.

Read this report to discover answer to these questions:

• Discover which apparel and footwear retailers are leading in sales, traffic, and productivity in 2026.
• Learn how department stores, specialty, off-price, and online retailers are performing.
• Examine store footprint rationalization, category shifts, and consumer behavior trends.
• Explore digital tools, omnichannel integration, and AI adoption shaping the sector.
• Gain actionable insights for strategy, portfolio management, and growth in US apparel and footwear retail.

Data in this research report include: Store revenue and productivity, store footprints and closures, sales per store and per sq. ft., category breakdowns, consumer survey trends, digital adoption, and competitive landscape analysis.

Introduction

What We Think

• The Coresight Research View on US Apparel and Footwear Retailing
• Implications from This Report

Themes We Are Watching

1. Agile Retailers Lead While Many Established Brands Struggle
2. International Players Are Turning US Underpenetration into a Growth Engine
3. Off-Price Is Gaining Share Structurally, While the Department Store Recovery Is Selective
4. Agentic AI Is Expanding from Product Discovery to Transaction and Retail Execution

The US Apparel and Footwear Market

Market Scale and Opportunity

• Segment Breakdown
• Category Breakdown
• Distribution Channel Breakdown
• US Specialty Apparel Sales
• Market Factors
• Online Market

The Companies

• Competitive Landscape: All Retailers
• Competitive Landscape: Specialty Retailers
• Competitive Landscape: Brands and Brand Owners
• Store Metrics
• Retailers’ Store Traffic

Retail Innovators

• The Consumer
• Where Consumers Are Shopping Apparel in the US and What Are They Buying
• By Brand
• Value, Quality and Style Drive Loyalty to Apparel Brands and Retailers
• By Category
• Where Consumers Are Shopping Footwear in the US and What Are They Buying
• By Brand
• By Category

Notes and Methodology

Amazon, Walmart, American Eagle Outfitters, Abercrombie & Fitch, Fast Retailing, H&M, Gap, Inc., NIKE, Adidas, Columbia Sportswear, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Costco, Crocs, Deckers Outdoor Corporation, JD Sports, Levi’s. Ralph Lauren, Puma, Lululemon Athletica, Macy’s, Kohl’s, TJX Companies, Ross Stores, Burlington Stores, Nordstrom, Academy Sports and Outdoor, Skechers.

Select Major Apparel and Footwear Retailers and Brands/Brand Owners: 2025 Revenue Growth Comparison (%)

Select International Apparel and Footwear Companies: Recent US Performance and Expansion

Off-Price Retailers and Department Stores: Market-Share and Sales Trends

Select Apparel and Footwear Companies: Agentic-AI Applications and Commercial Uses

US Apparel and Footwear Market: Total Size (Left Axis; USD Bil.) and YoY Change (Right Axis; %)

US Apparel and Footwear Market: Nominal and Real Personal Consumption Expenditures (YoY % Change)

Breakdown of US Apparel and Footwear Sales by Segment (USD Bil.)

Breakdown of US Apparel and Footwear Sales by Category (USD Bil.)

US Estimated Distribution of Apparel and Footwear Sales (%; Ranked by 2025 Share)

US Specialty Apparel and Footwear Retailers: Total Sales (Left Axis; USD Bil.) and YoY Change (Right Axis; %)

US: Real GDP YoY Growth (%)

Consumer Price Index for the Apparel and Footwear, Food and Gasoline Categories for All Urban Consumers (YoY % Change; Seasonally Adjusted)

Cotton Prices (Left Axis; USD per Pound) and YoY Change (Right Axis; %)

US Apparel and Footwear Online Sector Sales (Left Axis; USD Bil.) and YoY Change (Right Axis; %)

US Apparel and Footwear E-Commerce Penetration Rate (Online Sales as % of Total Sales)

Apparel Sector-Level Shopper Visits To Stores: YoY % Change

US Major Apparel and Footwear Sector Retailers’ Revenues, Ranked by 2025 Apparel and Footwear Revenue (USD Bil.)

US Major Apparel and Footwear Retailers: Market Share (as % of Total US Apparel and Footwear Spending)

US: Leading Specialty Apparel and Footwear Retailers, Ranked by 2025 Revenue (USD Bil.)

Leading US Specialty Apparel and Footwear Retailers: Market Share (as % of Total US Apparel and Footwear Spending)

Leading US Specialty Apparel and Footwear Retailers: Total Global Operating Margins* (%; Ranked by Revenue)

Key Comparable Metrics of Selected US Apparel Specialty Retailers (Ordered by 2025 Revenue)

Major Apparel and Footwear Market Brands’ and Brand Owners’ US Revenues (USD Bil.)

Leading US Apparel and Footwear Brands and Brand Owners: Market Share (as % of Total US Apparel and Footwear Spending)

Operating Margins* of Selected US Apparel and Footwear Brands and Brand Owners (Ranked by 2025 Revenues)

Key Comparable Metrics of Selected US Apparel and Footwear Brands and Brand Owners (Ordered Alphabetically)

US: Major Apparel and Footwear Retailers’ Store Numbers, Ranked by 2025 Revenue

US Major Apparel and Footwear Retailers’ Total Sales Area (Sq. Ft. Mil.)

US Major Apparel and Footwear Retailers’ Sales per Store (USD Mil.)

US Major Apparel and Footwear Retailers’ Sales per Gross Sq. Ft. (USD)

US Major Apparel and Footwear Retailers’ Store Traffic: YoY % Change (Ordered by 2025 Estimated Revenues)

Retail Innovators Impacting the Apparel and Footwear Market

US Apparel Shoppers: Retailers from Which They Have Purchased Clothing or Accessories in the Past Three Months (% of Respondents)

US Apparel Shoppers: Brands from Which They Have Purchased Clothing or Accessories in the Past Three Months (% of Respondents)

US Apparel Shoppers: Factors That Contribute to Loyalty to a Brand or Retailer (% of Respondents)

US Apparel Shoppers: Clothing or Accessories Categories They Have Purchased in the Past Three Months (% of Respondents)

US Footwear Shoppers: Retailers from Which They Have Purchased Footwear in the Past Three Months (% of Respondents)

US Footwear Shoppers: Brands from Which They Have Purchased Footwear in the Past Three Months (% of Respondents)

US Footwear Shoppers: Footwear Categories They Have Purchased in the Past Three Months (% of Respondents)

Top 50 Apparel and Footwear Retailers by US Store Numbers