In this article, we take a look at the 15 most well-known clothing brands in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the clothing fashion industry and go directly to 5 Most Well-Known Clothing Brands in the World.
Clothing Industry: An Analysis
The global clothing industry grew from $551 billion in the year 2021 to $606 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 9.9%. However, the pandemic after effects, rate hikes and supply-chain disruptions due to the ongoing Ukraine war are expected to slash the apparel industry CAGR by 3.8% and the market is projected to reach a share of $768.26 billion in 2026 at the CAGR of 6.1%.
McKinsey opines that the luxury market is likely to outperform the rest of the apparel industry since wealthy shoppers’ shopping patterns are largely unaffected by market downturns. They forecast a growth rate for luxury fashion to be 5 to 10% in the US in 2023.
As for the masses, the Consumer Pulse survey found that more US-based consumers have switched brands to find lower prices than at any other time since the pandemic. Of those that switched, more than a third went for private-label products and the 90% of them stated that they intend to incorporate this behavior into their routines.
Trends
The luxury clothing industry has been the strongest performer in the larger apparel market, with a 33% shareholder return relative to 9% in the value segment. However, athleisure-wear is fast rising in popularity among regular as well as luxury customers.
Athleisure market generated a growth of about 20.3% from 2019-2021, as people worked from home and switched to a more casual and sports wardrobe during lockdowns. By comparison, the traditional apparel industry returns were 4.5% for the same period, per McKinsey.
The athleisure market is expected to grow with a CAGR of nearly 7% from 2019 to 2026, per the Allied Market Research, reaching a market share of $257 billion.
Key Players
Some of the major brands in the clothing industry include Louis Vuitton, Prada and Burberry. Their apparel can be purchased from virtually all around the world, and online at Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) and Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT).
Louis Vuitton generated close to $37 billion in revenue in the first half of 2022 according to the company's books.
Now that we’re familiar with the apparel industry, let’s get to the 15 most well-known clothing brands in the world.
15 Most Well Known Clothing Brands in the World
Our Methodology
For our list of the 15 most well-known clothing brands in the world, we’ve ranked them based on their following on Instagram. We’ve also mentioned the brands’ number of stores and level of presence around the world.
So with further ado, let’s move to the 15 most well-known clothing brands in the world.
Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI), simply known as Levi’s, is an American clothing brand based in San Francisco, California. It is one of the most well-known clothing brands in the world due to the popularity of its denim jeans, which enjoy an iconic status. As of 2022, 8 million people are following Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) on Instagram.
Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) has over 500 company-operated stores around the world and its products are available in over 100 countries. Its clothing items can also be found on Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) and Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT).
14. Hermès International Société en commandite par actions (PARIS:RMS.PA)
Instagram Following: 12.4 Million
Hermès International Société en commandite par actions (PARIS:RMS.PA), popularly known as Hermès, is a Paris-based luxury brand that sells ready-to-wear apparel for both men and women.
Hermès International Société en commandite par actions (PARIS:RMS.PA) sells globally and has 306 retail stores worldwide. Hermès’ products are considered a status symbol by many, owing to their high prices. Its Instagram page is being followed by 12.4 million people as of 2022. The company’s YoY growth for 2021 was 24%, at an annual revenue of $10 billion.
13. Puma SE (PUMSY)
Instagram Following: 12.5 Million
Puma SE (PUMSY) is a German global corporation that designs and sells athleisure and casual clothing. It is one of the biggest names in the athleisure industry and as such, has 12.5 million people following it on Instagram as of 2022.
Puma SE (PUMSY) sells its products in roughly 120 countries, employing nearly 1,500 people in its 832 retail stores. Out of these, 102 are in the US alone, with California having 15 Puma SE (PUMSY) stores, highest of any US state.
12. Balenciaga
Instagram Following: 14.3 Million
Balenciaga is another well-known name in the clothing and luxury fashion industry. The company is based in Paris and is owned by Kering SA (PARIS:KER.PA).
Kering SA (PARIS:KER.PA) operates 182 Balenciaga stores all around the world. Its official page has 14.3 million people following it on Instagram in 2022.
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is an American clothing company headquartered in New York City. It designs and sells clothing articles from mid-tier to luxury segments. Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is well-known around the world for its iconic polo shirts and logo symbolizing the sport. The company has 14.3 million people following it on Instagram.
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) has roughly 9,000 distribution centers in the world, per Statista. On the other hand, it has 424 directly-run retail outlets globally.
10. Armani
Instagram Following: 19.2 Million
Armani, officially known as Giorgio Armani S.p.A., is one of the most well-known clothing brands in the world out of Italy. It has a following of 19.2 million people on Instagram where the company regularly updates its followers on new apparel products.
Armani’s retail network currently has 500 stores in 46 countries. Out of these, there are 81 Giorgio Armani boutiques, 171 Emporio Armani stores and 165 A/X Armani Exchange stores, among others.
Armani’s brand popularity partly comes from cinema. Its fashion accessories, including apparel, have been featured in various movies. Some of these include Goodfellas, Untouchables and Pulp Fiction.
9. Burberry Group plc (LSE:BRBY.L)
Instagram Following: 19.9 Million
Burberry Group plc (LSE:BRBY.L) is a British high-end fashion company headquartered in London. The company had an annual revenue of $3 billion in 2021. Burberry Group plc (LSE:BRBY.L) is a household name in the fashion community. It has a following of 19.9 million people on Instagram as of 2022. Burberry Group plc (LSE:BRBY.L) has 218 stores across the world as per Statista.
8. Fendi
Instagram Following: 20.2 Million
Fendi is another well-known clothing brand out of Italy. It is especially known for its ready-to-wear apparel and fur-based clothing. Fendi is followed by over 20 million people on Instagram. The brand had 215 stores across the world as of 2018, 39 of which are in the United States alone.
7. adidas AG (XETRA:ADS.DE)
Instagram Following: 26.6 Million
adidas AG (XETRA:ADS.DE) is a world renowned brand of athleisure and other sports items. Based in Germany, adidas AG (XETRA:ADS.DE) is the largest athleisure-wear manufacturer in Europe. The company is followed by 26.6 million people on Instagram as of 2022. It has a staggering 2,184 number of retail outlets throughout the world and operates in over 150 countries.
6. Dolce & Gabbana
Instagram Following: 29.4 Million
Dolce & Gabbana is a luxury fashion house based in Milan, Italy. The company designs and sells luxury apparel in roughly 100 countries through over 300 mono-brand outlets.
While the brand is famous in much of the world, its popularity fell in China in 2018 following an ad campaign that was perceived as highly offensive by the Chinese people. It showed a Chinese lady trying to eat Italian food with a pair of chopsticks, while being “mocked” and “patronized”.
Following the backlash, the company issued an apology in November of the same year and while it's still struggling to regain lost popularity in China, it remains one of the most well-known brands in the world overall.
You can check out their clothing items review on platforms like Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) and Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT).
