SPECIAL REPORT
2023 US Footwear and Apparel Brand
Heat Index
2 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Contents
About L.E.K. Consulting
We’re L.E.K. Consulting, a global strategy consultancy working with business leaders to seize competitive advantage and
amplify growth. Our insights are catalysts that reshape the trajectory of our clients’ businesses, uncovering opportunities and
empowering them to master their moments of truth. Since 1983, our worldwide practice — spanning the Americas, Asia-Pacific
and Europe — has guided leaders across all industries from global corporations to emerging entrepreneurial businesses and
private equity investors. Looking for more? Visit www.lek.com.
L.E.K. Consulting is a registered trademark of L.E.K. Consulting LLC. All other products and brands mentioned in this document
are properties of their respective owners. © 2023 L.E.K. Consulting LLC
Shis in shopper preferences: About the Brand Heat Index .......................3
Footwear ................................................................................................................5
Athletic footwear .............................................................................................6
Casual footwear............................................................................................. 8
Outdoor footwear ............................................................................................9
Dress footwear ................................................................................................11
Apparel .................................................................................................................. 13
Athletic clothing.............................................................................................. 14
Casual clothing ............................................................................................... 16
Outdoor clothing ............................................................................................ 17
Dress clothing ................................................................................................. 19
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 21
About the authors...............................................................................................22
SPECIAL REPORT
Shifts in shopper preferences: About the
Brand Heat Index
With each generation comes a new set of shopping attitudes — and behaviors.
But regardless of how widely those attitudes and behaviors vary, each generation
plays a key role. Gen Z, for example, has significant influence over style trends, while
millennials have the most purchasing power and Gen Xers have the highest average
incomes.
1
That’s why, especially in today’s increasingly crowded marketplace, understanding
which brand and product strategies resonate with each generation is critical to
figuring out how your product can cut through the noise and reach your target
audience. L.E.K. Consulting’s second annual Brand Heat Index helps brands and
retailers identify which brands are gaining popularity (i.e., increasing their brand
“heat”) across major product categories in women’s and men’s footwear and apparel.
The Brand Heat Index is based on a survey of nearly 4,000 U.S. consumers between
the ages of 14 and 55. Within product categories and generational cohorts, each brand
earns a heat score expressed on a scale of 0-100 — the higher the score, the hotter the
brand. Notably, the Brand Heat Index identifies brands that are on the most positive
growth trajectory with shoppers, not necessarily their relative size or scale.
The survey gathers feedback on brands across four product categories: athletic,
casual, outdoor and dress.
Category definitions
Use case
category
Footwear examples Apparel examples
Athletic
Running shoes, cross-trainers, basketball shoes,
cleats
Performance tops, athletic shorts, joggers, leggings,
surf/skate clothing
Casual
Sandals, slip-ons, casual flats, casual sneakers,
chukka boots
Denim, cotton T-shirts, sweaters, Oxford shirts, khakis
Outdoor Hiking boots, trail shoes, winter boots
Hiking clothes, fishing clothes, fleeces,
performance jackets
Dress Heels, loafers, Oxfords Suits, dresses
3 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Performance in this year’s Brand Heat Index revealed several noteworthy consumer
trends:
• Footwear consumers are increasingly demanding both style AND comfort,
indicating that brands need to develop credible dierentiation on both fashion
and function dimensions. In the meantime, distinctive silhouettes continue to help
footwear brands stand out (e.g., Crocs, HEYDUDE, UGG, Vans, BIRKENSTOCK).
• Legacy players that have been able to provide a consistent message and experience
to consumers over time have maintained their strong performance (e.g., Nike,
Columbia), but shoppers are showing growing excitement about up-and-coming
brands like HEYDUDE, HOKA and On.
• Workwear brands are gaining popularity within men’s casual clothing, consistent
with the continued casualization trend that creates more wearing occasions for
these products.
• While many of the top apparel brands vary depending on the gender of the
consumer, some leading players are eectively able to serve both markets,
particularly in the athletic and outdoor categories (e.g., lululemon, Gymshark, The
North Face, Patagonia).
• Younger consumers show a preference for newness and fast fashion (e.g., SHEIN,
ZARA, Lulus), while older consumers place greater emphasis on comfort and
quality.
In the data that follows, the top 10 footwear and apparel brands are ranked by their
heat scores within each product category — both in total and by generational cohort.
How does your brand stack up?
4 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
While brand heat scores vary greatly by product type, gender and generation, some
footwear brands enjoy a high level of preference among both women and men
(see Figures 1 and 2). For example, HEYDUDE is the hottest casual footwear brand
among both groups, while Nike and Columbia are among the top performers for both
genders in athletic and outdoor footwear, respectively. The leading dress footwear
brands vary more significantly across genders, with only Steve Madden showing up in
the top 10 for both women and men.
Footwear
Source: L.E.K. 2023 U.S. Footwear and Apparel Brand Heat Index
Figure 1
2023 Brand Heat Index - Women’s footwear
Figure 1
2023 Brand Heat Index - Women’s footwear
Athletic — Top 10
Outdoor — Top 10
Brands ranked on a scale from 1-100
Source: L.E.K. 2023 U.S. Footwear and Apparel Brand Heat Index
On
Nike
HOKA
Brand Jordan
adidas
Under Armour
New Balance
NOBULL
Brooks
PUMA
100
100
0
89 88 68 66 61 50 50 44 40
UGG
Columbia
Hunter Boots
Muck Boots
SOREL
BEARPAW
Arc’teryx
KEEN
REEF
Salomon
100
100
0
70 59 51 49 46 38 26 26 23
HEYDUDE
Crocs
Vans
Converse
UGG
Dr. Martens
BIRKENSTOCK
OluKai
Allbirds
VEJA
100
100
0
78 66 62 61 59 51 47 46 45
Dress — Top 10
Casual —Top 10
Steve Madden
Coach
Michael Kors
kate spade
Calvin Klein
Sam Edelman
Vince Camuto
Dolce Vita
JustFab
M.Gemi
100
100
0
81 79 72 66 62 57 48 46 45
5 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Figure 2
2023 Brand Heat Index - Men’s footwear
Athletic — Top 10
Outdoor — Top 10
Brands ranked on a scale from 1-100
Source: L.E.K. 2023 U.S. Footwear and Apparel Brand Heat Index
Nike
Brand Jordan
adidas
Under Armour
HOKA
On
New Balance
NOBULL
PUMA
Champion
100
100
0
93 66 65 60 59 48 44 44 40
Timberland
Columbia
Oakley
CAT Footwear
LL Bean
UGG
Merrell
Danner
Arc’teryx
Salomon
100
100
0
91 60 54 52 51 47 39 37 35
HEYDUDE
Vans
Crocs
Timberland
Converse
Allbirds
Polo Ralph Lauren
OluKai
Skechers
UGG
100
100
0
71 70 68 54 53 49 42 41 40
Dress — Top 10
Casual — Top 10
Cole Haan
Ferragamo
Kenneth Cole
Stacy Adams
ALDO
Jack Erwin
Steve Madden
HUGO BOSS
Sandro Moscoloni
Wolf & Sheperd
100
100
0
98 86 84 65 59 58 57 57 50
Athletic footwear
In athletic footwear, a similar cohort of brands rises to the top for both women and
men. Nine out of 10 brands in the top 10 overlap; however, the relative ranking varies
widely across women and men.
In women’s athletic footwear, On surpassed longtime market leader and last year’s
top-ranked brand Nike primarily due to its popularity with millennials and Gen X.
HOKA also climbed the ranks, surpassing Nike among Gen X consumers, while adidas
fell to No. 5 for women from No. 2 last year as its rankings dropped in the millennial
and Gen X cohorts. Indeed, for millennials and Gen Xers, comfort is the primary
attribute driving popularity, while Gen Z favors brands like Nike, Brand Jordan and
adidas over technically focused running brands (see Figure 3).
In men’s athletic footwear, Nike and Brand Jordan remain the hottest two brands
overall, followed by industry stalwarts adidas and Under Armour. Consistent with
the women’s category, younger consumers of men’s athletic footwear appear to
more frequently value attributes like style and appearance, where Nike and Brand
Figure 2
2023 Brand Heat Index - Men’s footwear
Source: L.E.K. 2023 U.S. Footwear and Apparel Brand Heat Index
6 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Jordan perform well. Gen X rates HOKA more highly than do other cohorts, largely
due to perceived quality and durability. On, by contrast, appears to be gaining less
popularity with men than with women, though it is now in the top 10 for all but Gen Z
men (see Figure 4).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 3
Women’s athletic footwear — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 On 100 Nike 100 On 100 On 100
2 Nike 89 Brand Jordan 83 Nike 94 HOKA 81
3 HOKA 88 adidas 70 HOKA 84 Nike 58
4 Brand Jordan 68 On 65 Brand Jordan 72 Under Armour 45
5 adidas 66 HOKA 61 adidas 70 NOBULL 44
6 Under Armour 61 New Balance 59 Under Armour 65 adidas 40
7
New Balance
50
Under Armour 49 Brooks 47 Brand Jordan 35
8 NOBULL PUMA 43 New Balance 42 New Balance 32
9 Brooks 44 NOBULL 42 NOBULL 41 Altra 31
10 PUMA 40 Reebok 41 Ryka 39 PUMA 26
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 4
Men’s athletic footwear — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Nike 100 Nike 100 Nike 100 HOKA 100
2 Brand Jordan 93 Brand Jordan 96 Brand Jordan 85 Brand Jordan 91
3 adidas 66 adidas 62 Under Armour 77 Nike 90
4 Under Armour 65 Champion 52 adidas 74 On 87
5 HOKA 60 New Balance 51 On 62 Under Armour 65
6 On 59 Under Armour 48 NOBULL 54 adidas 57
7
New Balance 48 PUMA 43 HOKA 52 New Balance 53
8 NOBULL
44
Brooks
31
PUMA 51 NOBULL 48
9 PUMA HOKA Champion
45
PUMA 38
10 Champion 40 Reebok Reebok Asics 33
7 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Casual footwear
In casual footwear, the hottest brands are those with distinctive and identifiable
silhouettes. HEYDUDE dominates in popularity for both women and men, while
Crocs, Vans, Converse, UGG and Allbirds also appear in the top 10 lists for both
genders.
On the women’s side, the top two brands — HEYDUDE and Crocs — are frequently cited
for their comfort and rank in the top five for all generations. They also occupy the top
two spots among Gen Z and millennials. HEYDUDE is a notable standout with Gen Xers
(earning nearly double the score of No. 2 Kizik), who call out its on-trend style. UGG and
BIRKENSTOCK have shied down the list since last year (they were formerly No. 1 and
No. 3, respectively), while Dr. Martens maintained its position. All three brands perform
most strongly with Gen Z. Meanwhile, VEJA entered the top 10 this year while Rothy’s
fell out; both perform more strongly with older generations (see Figure 5).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 5
Women’s casual footwear — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 HEYDUDE 100 Crocs 100 HEYDUDE 100 HEYDUDE 100
2 Crocs 78 HEYDUDE 87 Crocs 71 Kizik 54
3 Vans 66 Dr. Mar tens 83 Vans 62 VEJA 49
4 Converse 62 UGG 80 Converse 54 Skechers 47
5 UGG 61 Vans 79 OluKai 48 Crocs 45
6 Dr. Martens 59 Converse 72 Dr. Mar tens 46 Converse
42
7
BIRKENSTOCK 51 BIRKENSTOCK 63 BIRKENSTOCK
45
UGG
8 OluKai 47 Timberland 54 UGG Vans 39
9 Allbirds 46 Calvin Klein 46 VEJA 44 Rothy’s 37
10 VEJA 45 ALDO 45 Allbirds 43 Oofos 36
In men’s casual footwear, HEYDUDE tops the list across all generations. While
other brands are hot on its tail among members of Gen Z, there is a material gap
associated with the No. 2 brand among millennial and Gen X men. Vans, Timberland
and Converse are the Nos. 2, 4 and 5 brands, respectively, and perform similarly across
generations. Crocs, at No. 3 overall, performs strongly among Gen Z and millennial
men (No. 2 in both) but comes in at No. 9 among Gen X. Conversely, Skechers ranks
8 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 6
Men’s casual footwear — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 HEYDUDE 100 HEYDUDE 100 HEYDUDE 100 HEYDUDE 100
2 Vans 71 Crocs 98 Crocs 71 Skechers 87
3 Crocs 70 Vans 90 Timberland 70 Timberland 70
4 Timberland 68 Polo Ralph Lauren 72 Vans 66 Vans 66
5 Converse 54 Timberland 67 Converse 53 Allbirds 62
6 Allbirds 53 Converse 64 Allbirds
52
Greats 61
7
Polo Ralph Lauren 49 Peter Millar
63
Polo Ralph Lauren Converse 57
8 OluKai 42 Tommy Hilfiger Lacoste 49 OluKai 54
9 Skechers 41 UGG VEJA 45 Crocs 50
10 UGG 40 Clarks 56 Ariat 44 Oofos 48
Outdoor footwear
The range of performance across the top 10 brands in outdoor footwear is also quite
large, with notably low consumer enthusiasm beyond the leading players. From a
gender perspective, Columbia is one of the top brands for both women and men while
the others vary.
In women’s outdoor footwear, UGG is considered the hottest brand across
generations due to its appealing style. Columbia and Hunter Boots round out the
top three spots overall but show greater popularity among Gen Z and millennials.
Younger consumers also show a preference for outdoor/active sandal brands, with
Chaco, REEF and Teva all making the top 10 for Gen Z. SOREL and BEARPAW are the
Nos. 2 and 3 brands for Gen X, respectively, but have slipped in rankings for younger
consumers relative to prior years (see Figure 7).
In men’s outdoor footwear, Timberland and Columbia are the top two brands overall
and across generations, with Columbia narrowly surpassing Timberland — and
only among millennials. When asked about attributes driving popularity, survey
respondents suggest that style underlies the brand heat for Timberland while
second for male Gen X consumers but does not crack the top 10 in the younger age
groups (see Figure 6).
9 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
comfort is key for Columbia. Relative to last year, Arc’teryx and KEEN have dropped
significantly in the rankings, especially among Gen X consumers who previously rated
the brands in the top two spots. Conversely, Oakley has gained popularity with Gen X,
jumping from No. 8 last year to No. 3 this year (see Figure 8).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 7
Women’s outdoor footwear — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 UGG 100 UGG 100 UGG 100 UGG 100
2 Columbia 70 Columbia 69 Hunter Boots 87 SOREL 75
3 Hunter Boots 59 Hunter Boots 49 Columbia 84 BEARPAW 72
4 Muck Boots 51 Chaco 46 Muck Boots 56 Muck Boots 68
5 SOREL 49 BEARPAW 44 SOREL 53 REEF 63
6 BEARPAW 46 Muck Boots 40 BEARPAW 42 Arc’teryx 62
7
Arc’teryx 38 REEF 33 Salomon 37 Columbia 59
8 KEEN
26
LL Bean 31 LL Bean 36 KEEN 46
9 REEF Teva 30 KEEN 35 Hunter Boots 34
10 Salomon 23 Helly Hansen 26 Merrell 30 Chaco 30
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 8
Men’s outdoor footwear — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Timberland 100 Timberland 100 Columbia 100 Timberland 100
2 Columbia 91 Columbia 81 Timberland 97 Columbia 83
3 Oakley 60 LL Bean 71 CAT Footwear 65 Oakley 74
4 CAT Footwear 54 UGG 67 Danner 62 Merrell 52
5 LL Bean 52 Oakley 59 Merrell
59
Salomon 50
6 UGG 51 CAT Footwear 51 Oakley CAT Footwear 45
7
Merrell 47 Chaco 46 LL Bean 58 UGG 41
8 Danner 39 Arc’teryx 37 BEARPAW 55 Arc’teryx 40
9 Arc’teryx 37 Eddie Bauer 36 UGG 53 LL Bean 39
10 Salomon 35 Bates 31 Eddie Bauer 48 KEEN 38
10 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Dress footwear
In dress footwear, the top 10 brands vary significantly across genders, with only Steve
Madden appearing on both the women’s and men’s lists.
In women’s dress footwear, the leading players are fairly consistent with last
year’s findings — Steve Madden, Coach and Michael Kors maintained the top three
spots overall, followed by established brands like kate spade, Calvin Klein and Sam
Edelman. Style and overall brand appeal are the most commonly cited factors behind
the popularity of the top brands, while comfort is emphasized far less compared with
other footwear categories. From a generational perspective, Steve Madden performs
the strongest with younger consumers (i.e., Gen Z and millennials) while kate spade
performs best with Gen X (see Figure 9).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 9
Women’s dress footwear — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Steve Madden 100 Steve Madden 100 Steve Madden 100 kate spade 100
2 Coach 81 Coach 89 Sam Edelman 78 Coach 94
3 Michael Kors 79 kate spade 85 Michael Kors 70 Michael Kors 91
4 kate spade 72 Calvin Klein
82
Coach 67 Schutz 80
5 Calvin Klein 66 Michael Kors Vince Camuto 63 Jerey Campbell 77
6 Sam Edelman 62 Guess 76 Calvin Klein 61 Steve Madden 73
7
Vince Camuto 57 Betsey Johnson 62 Sarah Flint 60 Ted Baker 68
8 Dolce Vita 48 Marc Fisher 59 Vince 58 Vince Camuto 67
9 JustFab 46 Nina
58
JustFab 56 Calvin Klein 65
10 M.Gemi 45 Nine West kate spade 54 Nine West 64
Men’s dress footwear preferences vary across generations. Cole Haan and
Ferragamo are the hottest brands overall, with Cole Haan being the most popular
choice among Gen X consumers and Ferragamo performing strongly with Gen Z
and millennials. Comfort typically underpins Cole Haan’s popularity, whereas style
is behind the popularity of Ferragamo. The biggest shi since last year’s rankings is
HUGO BOSS’ drop from the top spot to No. 8. And several new brands have entered
the bottom half of the top 10 — including Jack Erwin, Sandro Moscoloni and Wolf &
Shepherd — due to their popularity with millennials. Also worth noting is that Gen Z
men have less engagement with this category than they do with others, as evidenced
11 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
by their material awareness of just 10 dress footwear brands. This is likely a result of
the casualization trend, which is highly prominent among younger generations and
has been amplified by the shi to work from home (see Figure 10).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 10
Men’s dress footwear — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Cole Haan 100 Ferragamo 100 Ferragamo 100 Cole Haan 100
2 Ferragamo 98 ALDO 91 Cole Haan 81 Kenneth Cole 88
3 Kenneth Cole 86 Tommy Hilfiger 80 Stacy Adams 76 Stacy Adams 70
4 Stacy Adams 84 Kenneth Cole 77 Sandro Moscoloni 71 Johnston & Murphy 65
5 ALDO 65 HUGO BOSS
72
Tommy Hilfiger 67 Allen Edmonds 62
6 Jack Erwin 59 Stacy Adams Kenneth Cole 65 Alden 56
7
Steve Madden 58 Steve Madden 65 Jack Erwin 64 HUGO BOSS 55
8 HUGO BOSS
57
Cole Haan 61 Steve Madden 58 Ferragamo 52
9 Sandro Moscoloni Alfani 44 ALDO
54
Nisolo
51
10 Wolf & Shepherd 50 Johnston & Murphy 1 Johnston & Murphy Tod’s
12 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
As with footwear, a number of apparel brands show consistently high performance
across survey respondents and within certain categories (see Figures 11 and 12). In
athletic apparel, Nike again leads across genders, while The North Face, Columbia
and Patagonia perform highest in both women’s and men’s outdoor apparel. In
dress apparel, Michael Kors and Calvin Klein are among the top performers for
women and men, while SHEIN and Carhartt are trending among men and women
for casual clothing.
Apparel
Source: L.E.K. 2023 U.S. Footwear and Apparel Brand Heat Index
Figure 11
2023 Brand Heat Index - Women’s apparel
Figure 11
2023 Brand Heat Index - Women’s apparel
Athletic — Top 10
Outdoor — Top 10
Brands ranked on a scale from 1-100
Source: L.E.K. 2023 U.S. Footwear and Apparel Brand Heat Index
Nike
lululemon
Gymshark
Under Armour
adidas
alo
Fabletics
Vuori
Alphalete
Champion
100
100
0
97 82 80 78 76 75 75 74 67
The North Face
Patagonia
Columbia
Fjällräven
Cotopaxi
Arc’teryx
Black Crows
AETHER
Snow Peak
Sherpa
100
100
0
97 90 62 59 51 47 45 45 42
SHEIN
SKIMS
Fashion Nova
Carhartt
Aritzia
PrettyLittleThing
ZARA
Levi’s
Old Navy
SPANX
100
100
0
79 70 66 63 59 58 56 50 50
Dress — Top 10
Casual — Top 10
Michael Kors
kate spade
Calvin Klein
Lulus
Reformation
Alice & Olivia
ASTR The Label
Betsy & Adam
Sherri Hill
Vince Camuto
100
100
0
91 88 87 77 60 56 49 44 44
13 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Athletic clothing
In athletic clothing, there is meaningful overlap in the leading brands across
genders — Nike remains the top brand for both women and men, while lululemon,
Gymshark, Under Armour, Champion and adidas also show up on both Top 10 lists.
Similar to last year, Nike and lululemon take the top spots for women’s athletic
clothing, with lululemon closing in on Nike in terms of heat score (rising to 97 from
77 last year). In addition to Under Armour and adidas, a range of smaller athleisure
brands fill out the list (e.g., Gymshark, alo, Fabletics, Vuori and Alphalete), all of which
saw their heat scores improve since last year.
In particular, alo only appeared on the Gen X list last year, but it is a top player across
all generations this year; survey respondents cite its premium positioning and social
media presence (e.g., influencers, TikTok) as key reasons for its jump in popularity.
Gymshark shows comparative strength with younger consumers, coming in third
among Gen Z respondents (see Figure 13).
Source: L.E.K. 2023 U.S. Footwear and Apparel Brand Heat Index
Figure 12
2023 Brand Heat Index - Men’s apparel
Figure 12
2023 Brand Heat Index - Men’s apparel
Athletic — Top 10
Outdoor — Top 10
Brands ranked on a scale from 1-100
Source: L.E.K. 2023 U.S. Footwear and Apparel Brand Heat Index
Nike
Under Armour
adidas
Supreme
Champion
Gymshark
lululemon
PUMA
32 Degrees
Rhoback
100
100
0
77 70 51 48 47 43 41 37 36
The North Face
Patagonia
Columbia
Arc’teryx
Huk
Smartwool
Oakley
Fjällräven
Burton
Sherpa
100
100
0
83 75 56 55 43 42 40 38 37
Carhartt
SHEIN
Levi’s
Duluth Trading Co.
Polo Ralph Lauren
UNTUCKit
G-Star RAW
Dickies
Wrangler
Chubbies
100
100
0
94 90 70 64 63 60 57 50 49
Dress — Top 10
Casual — Top 10
Calvin Klein
Michael Kors
Emporio Armani
Tommy Hilfiger
Ministry of Supply
Banana Republic
Kenneth Cole
Canali
REISS
Suitsupply
100
100
0
86 73 69 61 56 54 51 50 50
14 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Nike has a stronger position in men’s athletic clothing than it does in men’s athletic
footwear, with a larger gap between Nike and its closest competitor brand in the No.
2 spot. Aer Nike, the rest of the top five brands are largely the same as last year,
with a focus on large athletic veterans (Under Armour, adidas and Champion). The
latter half of the list, however, has seen an influx of athleisure and smaller brands
— Gymshark, 32 Degrees and Rhoback have now joined lululemon in the top 10. And
the preference levels for many of these brands vary across generations; for example,
Gymshark performs best with Gen Z consumers while appearing lower in the rankings
for millennials and Gen X (see Figure 14).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 13
Women’s athletic apparel — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Nike 100 Nike 100 Nike 100 lululemon 100
2 lululemon 97 lululemon 97 Vuori 94 Under Armour 99
3 Gymshark 82 Gymshark 75 alo 91 Nike 87
4 Under Armour 80 Fabletics 71 lululemon 88 Vuori 74
5
adidas 78 Alphalete 66 adidas 87 32 Degrees 67
6 alo 76 adidas 65 Gymshark 86 adidas 65
7
Fabletics
75
Champion 61 Fabletics 85 Athleta
61
8 Vuori alo 54 Under Armour 84 Champion
9 Alphalete 74 Athleta
44
Alphalete 80 alo
58
10 Champion 67 Ryderwear Athleta 76 90 Degree by Reflex
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 14
Men’s athletic apparel — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Nike 100 Nike 100 Nike 100 Under Armour 100
2 Under Armour 77 adidas 59 Under Armour 85 Nike 90
3 adidas 70 Champion 58 adidas 78 adidas 69
4 Supreme 51 Gymshark 51 Supreme 59 Supreme 53
5
Champion 48 Fabletics 48 Western Rise 57 lululemon 50
6 Gymshark 47 lululemon 46 Gymshark 52 PUMA 47
7
lululemon 43 Under Armour 44 Champion 51 Champion 45
8 PUMA 41 32 Degrees
42
alo
49
32 Degrees 43
9 32 Degrees 37 Supreme Rhoback Rabbit 38
10 Rhoback 36 PUMA 40 PUMA 48 Gymshark 37
15 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Casual clothing
In women’s casual clothing, fast fashion labels continued their strong
performance, with SHEIN again taking the top spot overall. Fashion Nova,
PrettyLittleThing and ZARA are also in the top 10. SKIMS and SPANX, legacy
shapewear brands that have extended into casual clothing, are new additions to
the Top 10 list this year, with survey respondents citing both their comfort and
style. Relative to last year, Aritzia has shown a strong growth trajectory,
ranking No. 5 overall and in the top 10 for both Gen Z and millennials.
More traditional brands like Old Navy and Levi’s perform the strongest among
Gen X (see Figure 15).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 15
Women’s casual apparel — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 SHEIN 100 SKIMS 100 SHEIN 100 SHEIN 100
2 SKIMS 79 SHEIN 94 Fashion Nova 67 SKIMS 82
3 Fashion Nova 70 ZARA 72 Carhartt 64 Carhartt 72
4 Carhartt 66 Aritzia 71 SKIMS 61 Fashion Nova
69
5
Aritzia 63 Carhartt 67 PrettyLittleThing 60 Old Navy
6 PrettyLittleThing 59 Fashion Nova 66 Aritzia 57 Levi’s 64
7
ZARA 58 Princess Polly 58 Mango
55
boohoo 63
8 Levi’s 56 Levi’s 57 SPANX Good American 60
9 Old Navy
50
UNIQLO 56 ZARA 53 Tor y Burch 58
10 SPANX Juicy Couture 55 Levi’s 52 SPANX 56
In men’s casual clothing, workwear players dominate — Carhartt, Levi’s, Duluth
Trading Co., Dickies and Wrangler all show up in the top 10 across generations.
Carhartt has taken over the top spot (from Levi’s) both overall and among Gen X
consumers, and it is rising significantly among Gen Z and millennials. Duluth has
also shown marked improvement in performance, now appearing in the top 10 for all
age groups aer only appearing in Gen X’s ranking the prior year. Fast fashion brand
SHEIN also excels, with a No. 2 overall ranking and top performance among Gen Z
consumers. H&M and ZARA also appear in the top 10 for Gen Z, reinforcing the fact
16 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
that value and style freshness continue to be priorities with that cohort
(see Figure 16).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 16
Men’s casual apparel — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Carhartt 100 SHEIN 100 Levi’s 100 Carhartt 100
2 SHEIN 94 Carhartt 86 Carhartt 99 Duluth Trading Co. 83
3 Levi’s 90 G-Star RAW
73
Chubbies 81 Levi’s 81
4 Duluth Trading Co. 70 Polo Ralph Lauren SHEIN 77 SHEIN 75
5
Polo Ralph Lauren 64 Tommy Hilfiger Polo Ralph Lauren 73 Superdry 74
6 UNTUCKit 63 Levi’s 72 UNTUCKit 72 Marine Layer 67
7
G-Star RAW 60 H&M 65 ASOS
71
UNTUCKit 65
8 Dickies 57
Duluth Trading Co.
ZARA
63
Old Navy AG 63
9 Wrangler 50 Dickies
69
Dickies
57
10 Chubbies 49 True Religion 59 Duluth Trading Co. G-Star RAW
Outdoor clothing
For both women’s and men’s outdoor apparel, stalwart brands The North Face,
Columbia and Patagonia again top the list in varying permutations across generations.
In the women’s category, The North Face leads overall, while Columbia has risen to
become the No. 1 brand among millennials. Across the top three incumbent brands
(The North Face, Patagonia and Columbia), survey respondents cite overall brand
appeal and quality as key drivers of popularity, though Patagonia indexes more
toward brand purpose and style and Columbia indexes more toward comfort.
Cotopaxi and Fjällräven have both shown improvement since last year, with Cotopaxi
performing strongly with both Gen Z and millennials, while Fjällräven is gaining
popularity with Gen X (see Figure 17).
In men’s outdoor apparel, The North Face, Patagonia and Columbia earned the Nos. 1,
2 and 3 spots, respectively, in each generation, demonstrating outdoor apparel’s much
greater consistency in brand trajectory across generations compared with other
17 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
apparel categories. Smaller fishing lifestyle brand Huk has shown strong growth
since last year, coming in at No. 5 overall (up from No. 10 last year). And Arc’teryx
has broken into the top 10 in all age groups this year aer not appearing in the top
10 previously, with survey respondents citing materials, durability and technical
performance as key drivers (see Figure 18).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 17
Women’s outdoor apparel — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 The North Face 100 The North Face 100 Columbia 100 The North Face 100
2 Patagonia 97 Patagonia 90 Patagonia 98 Patagonia 96
3 Columbia 90 Columbia 81 The North Face 96 Fjällräven 79
4 Fjällräven 62 Cotopaxi 77 Cotopaxi 72 Columbia 76
5
Cotopaxi 59 Snow Peak 63 Fjällräven 56 Arc’teryx 63
6 Arc’teryx 51 Black Crows
56
Sherpa 47 AETHER 59
7
Black Crows 47 Eddie Bauer Free Country 44 Coalatree 57
8 AETHER
45
Outdoor Research 54 Free Fly 40 NRS 48
9 Snow Peak Arc’teryx 49 Arc’teryx 38 Mackage 43
10 Sherpa 42 LL Bean 47 Smartwool 36 Smartwool 42
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 18
Men’s outdoor apparel — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 The North Face 100 The North Face 100 The North Face 100 The North Face 100
2 Patagonia 83 Patagonia 98 Patagonia 79 Patagonia 93
3 Columbia 75 Columbia 89 Columbia 72 Columbia 87
4 Arc’teryx 56 Oakley 63 Huk 60 Huk 76
5
Huk 55 Helly Hansen 61 Arc’teryx 59 Arc’teryx 69
6 Smartwool 43 Arc’teryx 57 Smartwool 56 Fjällräven 57
7
Oakley 42 Marmot 44 Sherpa 55 Marmot 53
8 Fjällräven 40 Eddie Bauer 42 Burton 53 LL Bean 51
9 Burton 38 Kuhl 40 Fjällräven 51 Free Country
49
10 Sherpa 37 Salomon 39 Salt Life 50 Smartwool
18 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Dress clothing
Calvin Klein and Michael Kors are among the leaders in both women’s and men’s dress
clothing, while the remaining brands dier between the two genders.
The top 10 brands for women’s dress apparel are a mix of specialty retail brands,
direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands and wholesale businesses. Michael Kors, kate spade
and Calvin Klein again top the list, though kate spade has inched ahead of Calvin Klein
this year. The remainder of the top 10 has shown a lot of movement since last year,
with Lulus and Reformation as the most notable growth stories, now ranking at No. 4
and No. 5 overall, respectively. Those DTC brands perform strongest among Gen Z and
millennials, with style as the reason for their growing popularity relative to others in
the top 10 (see Figure 19).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 19
Women’s dress apparel — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Michael Kors 100 Calvin Klein 100 Michael Kors 100 kate spade
100
2 kate spade 91 Reformation 94 Lulus 90 Michael Kors
3 Calvin Klein 88 Michael Kors 80 kate spade 85 Mac Duggal 91
4 Lulus 87 kate spade 78 Reformation 80 Sherri Hill 87
5
Reformation 77 Lulus 74 Maje 72 Lulus 81
6 Alice & Olivia 60 GANNI 66 Calvin Klein 71 Alice & Olivia 75
7
ASTR The Label 56 Sherri Hill 58 ASTR The Label 68 Calvin Klein 68
8 Betsy & Adam 49 CeCe 57 Alice & Olivia 67 Milly
67
9 Sherri Hill
44
HUGO BOSS 55 Banana Republic 57 Susana Monaco
10 Vince Camuto Club Monaco 54 Retrofête 55 Tahari 63
The men’s dress clothing category is again led by Calvin Klein and Michael Kors.
Meanwhile, Emporio Armani, Ministry of Supply and Banana Republic have all
improved their brand heat scores by more than 10 points relative to last year, whereas
HUGO BOSS has fallen o the Top 10 list. Among DTC brands, Suitsupply made it
onto the overall Top 10 list this year, performing most strongly among Gen Z and
19 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
millennials. Also on the Top 10 list, Bonobos is outperforming among millennials and
Indochino is gaining popularity most with Gen X (see Figure 20).
Source: L.E.K. survey and analysis
Figure 20
Men’s dress apparel — Top 10, by generation
Total Score Gen Z Score Millennial Score Gen X Score
1 Calvin Klein 100 Calvin Klein 100 Michael Kors 100 Calvin Klein 100
2 Michael Kors 86 Tommy Hilfiger 82 Calvin Klein 89 Kenneth Cole 87
3 Emporio Armani 73 Michael Kors 73 Emporio Armani 83 Emporio Armani 81
4 Tommy Hilfiger 69 Emporio Armani 56 REISS 80 Banana Republic 76
5
Ministry of Supply 61 Banana Republic
44
Bonobos 73 Theory 73
6 Banana Republic 56 Kenneth Cole Ministry of Supply 72 Michael Kors 68
7
Kenneth Cole 54 Suitsupply 43 Canali
71
Indochino 62
8 Canali 51 HUGO BOSS
42
Tommy Hilfiger Zegna 57
9 REISS
50
Jos. A. Bank Suitsupply 62 J.Crew 56
10 Suitsupply Club Monaco 41 Banana Republic 59 Ministry of Supply 54
20 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
Our Brand Heat Index continues to demonstrate how material dierences in brand
momentum can exist below the surface and how quickly sentiment can change. Once
again, generational dierences in top brand rankings point to the importance of
recognizing that consumers are not all the same and that deep understanding and
tailored strategies are required to win.
This depth of insight has never been more important. As you’ve seen, some industry
leaders have been able to maintain their leadership positions year over year while
others have been overtaken by newer entrants. The notable rise of up-and-coming
brands, some of which even claimed top spots in key categories/cohorts, shows
that consumers’ consideration sets are expanding and they’re increasingly willing to
embrace new and innovative brands beyond legacy players. Accordingly, there’s no
room to rest.
We invite you to connect with us to learn more about the Brand Heat Index and gain
further insights into how consumers feel about your brand. Please don’t hesitate to
contact us.
Endnote
1
Insider, “The 40-year-old millennial and the 24-year-old Gen Zer are in charge of America right now.” https://www.businessinsider.
com/24-gen-z-trends-40-millennial-spending-changing-economy-2021-9
Conclusion
21 L.E.K. Consulting
SPECIAL REPORT
22 L.E.K. Consulting
About the Authors
Laura Brookhiser
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PARTNER, BOSTON
Laura Brookhiser is a Managing Director and Partner in L.E.K. Consulting’s Boston oce. She
is dedicated to the Retail and Consumer Products practices, with a focus on serving clients in
the footwear, apparel and home furnishings industries. Laura’s work spans a number of topics,
including brand positioning and consumer insights, organic and inorganic growth strategy,
customer experience and engagement, M&A and digital and channel strategy.
Jon Weber
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PARTNER, BOSTON
Jon Weber is a Managing Director and Partner in L.E.K.’s Boston oce. Jon serves on the firm’s
Global Leadership team and recently led L.E.K.’s global Retail and Consumer Products practice.
He advises clients on a range of strategic issues, including brand positioning and consumer
insights, growth strategy, digital and channel strategy, pricing and promotions, customer
experience and engagement, performance improvement, and M&A.
Chris Randall
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PARTNER, BOSTON
Chris Randall is a Managing Director and Partner in L.E.K. Consulting’s Boston oce and serves
as Global Co-Head of the firm’s Consumer sector. Chris has extensive experience in footwear
and apparel, sporting goods, home and household products, and other durable goods. He advises
retailers and brands on a range of critical issues, including growth strategy, brand and marketing
strategy, channel strategy, digital, data analytics, organizational strategy, and M&A.