Value Retailers Continue to Gain Ground

Shoppers tightened their spending in the apparel/accessories/footwear category in 2025, a new study by Consumer Edge found. Despite an overall drop, value-driven brands continued to gain share, even among higher-income shoppers.

That, in turn, signals that income alone no longer reliably predicts how people shop for apparel heading into 2026, the provider of global consumer data-driven insights concludes.

“Even higher-income consumers are becoming more selective, shifting spend toward brands that offer a clear value proposition – whether that’s quality, pricing, relevance or brand affinity,” said Michael Gunther, Consumer Edge’s VP and Head of Insights. “As we enter 2026, brands with a clearly defined customer and brand message will have an advantage over those taking a broad, one-size-fits-all approach.”

Other notable findings from the report include:

• Millennial shoppers shifted their spending toward practical, value-led brands: Spending pullbacks were sharper among 25- to 34-year-olds, but brands including Quince, Uniqlo, Buck Mason and Depop gained traction as shoppers prioritized versatility, quality and value.
• Resale and off-price continue to outperform: Consignment and thrift spending grew year-over-year, with Depop, Poshmark and The RealReal leading the charge. At the same time, off-price department stores, including T.J. Maxx, Ross and Nordstrom Rack continued to outperform traditional department stores.
• Footwear and athletic apparel remain under pressure: Spending in the category remained soft, with larger, established players continuing to lose momentum while newer and more trend-driven brands captured incremental share.
• Luxury spending diverges across brands: Cartier stood out as one of the few single-brand luxury houses to gain share, while Gucci and Louis Vuitton continued to lose wallet share. Within the multi-brand luxury category, Mytheresa and Net-a-Porter gained share, while SSENSE declined amid its ongoing restructuring following a bankruptcy protection filing.

Click here for more from the Consumers Edge study.