蘑菇AV

Dupes gain steam as shoppers seek middle ground between fast fashion and luxury labels: Quince and Italic are among the brands poised to benefit as shoppers prioritize affordability.

While luxury sales are slowing as consumers flock to cheaper retailers for apparel, beauty, and other goods, luxury retailers with off-price brands, like Neiman Marcus Last Call and Nordstrom Rack, are seeing store visits climb.

Shein was the No. 1 apparel retail site among US visitors in June, with 46.9 million unique visits, according to Comscore data.

Physical retail is the leading channel for product discovery, while digital channels complement it by influencing decisions after discovery. To convert shoppers, prices must be competitive, but reviews also heavily influence purchases, especially in apparel and shoes.

More than 181 million people in the US will be Amazon Prime members this year, representing nearly 7 in 10 (73.7%) US internet users, according to our July 2024 forecast. Many of them turn to influencers before checking out; others can be won over by better discounts from competitor retailers; while some favor Amazon for fashion over groceries.

Tariffs bite the apparel, furniture, and toy industries: These sectors are among the many reliant on imports from Asia, which faces some of the highest reciprocal rates. The new tariffs 鈥渟eem purpose-built to hobble the apparel industry,鈥� William Blair analyst Dylan Carden told Reuters, given that 98% of the clothing sold in the US is imported, as are 99% of shoes.

Clothing and accessories sales rose 5.4% YoY. This sector is likely to feel the tariff pinch given that the vast majority鈥�97%鈥攐f clothing and shoes sold in the US is imported, with China and Vietnam accounting for 54.1% of US apparel and footwear imports last year, per data from the US International Trade Commission.

Footwear, apparel, and fragrance were the top categories for luxury purchases. More than half of respondents purchased luxury footwear in the previous year. Luxury consumers overall were more likely (54.1%) to have made a footwear purchase than apparel (42.5%) and fragrance (40.0%) purchases. Fewer luxury buyers bought handbags and leather goods than in 2022.

US running shoe sales are up 20% over the past three years, according to data from Circana reported by Bloomberg. Just 43% of running shoe buyers intend to use their purchases for exercise鈥攊llustrating how effectively On, Hoka, and the rest have transcended their performance roots to become streetwear staples.

There will be 42.4 million fashion online resale platform buyers in the US this year, nearly a fifth (18.8%) of total digital buyers, according to a December 2023 蘑菇AV forecast. We estimate that each of those buyers will spend an average of $345.92 on those platforms this year.

The company is already seeing pockets of success, including healthy demand for its new premium running shoes and the Kobe Protro. It鈥檚 hoping to keep the momentum going with its NikeSKIMS launch, which the company hopes will enable it to win more spending from women and reinforce its strength in performance apparel.

The company鈥檚 fashion and leather goods division, which accounts for roughly half of its revenues, reported a 5% YoY decrease. That was considerably more than the 0.55% decline analysts expected, as strength at Louis Vuitton and Loro Piana failed to offset weaknesses at its other brands.

Estimates show Shein as a leading apparel retailer in the region. Although none of the players selling into the countries in the Gulf break out their regional revenues, Shein and local player Namshi had the highest online apparel sales in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2023, according to ECDB estimates.

Walmart is ratcheting up its assortment of higher-end apparel and partnering with resale platform Rebag to offer pre-owned luxury accessories from brands like Gucci and Chanel. Amazon opened a dedicated storefront for Michael Kors merchandise on its platform. Academy Sports added Nike鈥檚 Jordan brand apparel and shoes to appeal to consumers who have a taste for higher-end products.

An uncertain outlook: President Donald Trump鈥檚 tariffs are a considerable threat to luxury fashion鈥攁s they are to virtually every industry. Like the broader apparel sector, most luxury goods are imported from other markets, like the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland鈥攚hich face tariffs of 20%, 10%, and 31%, respectively.

Why this matters: Clothes and accessories are a major volume driver for buy now, pay later (BNPL) providers like Affirm. Fashion and beauty accounted for 15% of Affirm鈥檚 gross merchandise volume (GMV) in Q2 FY 2025 (ending December 31, 2024). GMV in this segment shot up 20% YoY during the quarter. Affirm partnered with more than 45 fashion merchants in the past six months.

Clothing shoppers are particularly price sensitive, with 80% of US adults citing price as the most important factor when selecting a clothing retailer, according to a survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Shein. Even before the impending price hikes, consumer enthusiasm had begun to cool.

How will tariffs affect the apparel and footwear industries? The apparel and footwear industries are particularly vulnerable to tariffs since the vast majority鈥�97%鈥攐f clothing and shoes sold in the US are imported, mainly from China and Vietnam. The new levies stack on top of existing tariffs for both sectors, increasing the burden on suppliers and retailers and resulting in price hikes for consumers.

The news: Chinese fast-fashion retailer Urban Revivo will open 25 international stores this year鈥攊ncluding in the US and Europe鈥攖o help offset the challenges of China鈥檚 ailing economy and highly competitive fashion industry.

As of last month, Michael Kors has an official storefront on Amazon, where it sells men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 clothing, shoes, handbags, and other accessories, all of which qualify for the retailer鈥檚 free and fast Prime delivery.

The brand, which includes training apparel, footwear, and accessories, will combine Nike鈥檚 technical knowhow with Skims鈥� 鈥渋ncredible attention to the female body鈥� and emphasis on inclusivity. The first collection will launch this spring in the US at select stores and on Nike鈥檚 website, followed by an expansion into global markets and wholesale partnerships in 2026.

The trend is particularly pronounced in southern border states such as Texas, Arizona, and California, where purchases of apparel, footwear, and accessories have softened considerably. Immigration anxieties: There are growing fears around President Donald Trump鈥檚 approach to immigration.

This feature uses AR to help users visualize clothing and accessories鈥攄own to the shadows, wrinkles, and draping鈥攁nd now includes pants and skirts in sizes from XXS to XXL. Google says this technology can lower return rates, which are a pain point for retailers. Multi-brand AR makeup testing.