Goldman Sachs Survey Identifies Top Global Fashion Brands Among Millennial Women

Goldman Sachs recently conducted its 2015 Teen Vogue-GS brand survey to identify fashion brand popularity among Millennial women. Survey participants were asked to rank 250 global fashion brands based on familiarity, favorability, word of mouth, ownership and purchase intent. The female Millennial demographic is a critical customer base for almost every fashion brand, and Goldman analyst Lindsay Drucker Mann has revealed the top-ranking global brands of 2015.

Athletic Dominates In Tough Environment

Goldman reported that overall favorability metrics among top brands have declined over the past year, which is indicative of the tough environment many of these companies currently face.

Mann called athletic apparel the “big story” of 2015. This year’s numbers for athletic brands marks the second straight year of strong performance in the space.

The 'Love It' List

The first list in the Goldman Survey is the list of top brands according to Teen Vogue’s “It Girls.” It Girls are influencers and innovators between the ages of 13 and 39 at the forefront of fashion.

It Girls named the following five brands as their most favorable in 2015:

• 1. Forever 21
• 2. PINK VS (owned by L Brands Inc (NYSE: LB))
• 3. Victoria’s Secret (L Brands)
• 4. Nike Inc (NYSE: NKE)
• 5. Sephora

The 'Brands Rising' List

In addition to the It Girls’ list, Goldman also revealed this year’s "Brands Rising" list, a group of brands that are most likely to witness a breakout in popularity among mainstream female consumers. Here are this year’s top brands:

• 1. Topshop
• 2. Nasty Gal
• 3. Brandy Melville
• 4. Free People (Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN))
• 5. Essie

Goldman sees these brands as “well known and loved by our It Girls but still are off the radar for the national sample.” Mann added that these brands typically see big boosts in national familiarity following inclusion on this list.

Disclosure: The author holds no position in the stocks mentioned.