AUDIO: These are the top performing brands in Apparel and Footwear 2017

PODCAST - In this monthly Fashion Friday podcast series by Euromonitor International, we will have a closer look at the top performing brands in Apparel and Footwear 2017.

Euromonitor’s provisional data for apparel and footwear reveal the industry will have another strong year and emerging markets continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the market?

China remains one of the most influential countries in apparel and footwear with some of the fastest growing brands globally originating in China. The provisional data reveal the pace is set by Balabala, which is expected to deliver 24 percent value growth in 2017, which is well ahead of other stronger performers globally in 2017. Balabala is a childrenswear brand that’s benefitted from the Chinese government’s abolishment of the one-child policy in 2015 which has caused a significant rise in Chinese birth rates which are up 13 percent over the last two years. Consequently, baby and toddler wear is one of the fastest growing category in China. More so, Balabala has also benefitted from a comparatively more sophisticated millennial generation of parents in China that do not only want quality clothing for their children but also fashionable and trendy clothing, and many parents are trading up. Also from China, outerwear brand Bosideng and sportswear brand Anta are among the top performers of 2017 according to the provisional data both expected to grow by 14 percent.