Levi’s, The North Face and Columbia are turning to women to fuel their next phase of growth

Step aside, kids.

Iconic clothing brands, historically more popular with men, are turning to women to drive the next leg of growth.

CEOs of Timberland owner VF Corp., Levi’sAnd Columbia Sportswear They have recently focused on women to increase their revenue and expand their customer base.

The opportunity is huge. Needham analyst Tom Nikic estimates that the U.S. women’s clothing market is about 70% larger than the men’s clothing market. In other words, women spend much more money on clothing than men.

“If you’re skewing too much towards men, you’re actually leaving half the population behind,” Nikic told CNBC.

The efforts at VF Corp., Levi’s and Columbia reflect a broader trend in the apparel industry where brands are seeking growth in an increasingly competitive market, analysts say. While these companies have been selling women’s clothing and shoes for decades, executives are increasingly treating female consumers as a strategic priority rather than just another customer segment.

The appeal for investors is simple. Acquiring more female customers allows brands to expand their addressable markets without having to embark on a radical path.

“There was no good structural reason why some of these brands were so masculine,” Nikic said. “If they can grow successfully with women while maintaining their strength with men, this is a significant opportunity.”

VF Corp. took over three years ago to revitalize the company after a period of declining sales. CEO Bracken Darrell described women as a major “unlocker” for many of its brands, including Vans, The North Face, Timberland and shoe maker Altra Running.

Darrell said the opportunity stems from both women’s increasing purchasing power and their influence on broader consumer trends.

“Women have influenced men’s choices in a greater way than many of us who run predominantly male brands appreciate,” Darrell said in an interview. “There’s always been greater opportunities for us across all our brands if we try to break into women.”

VF is incorporating this focus into further product development across its portfolio. A hallmark of skate culture, Vans introduced more women’s clothing, pearl-studded shoes, and shoe jewelry. known for it iconic yellow bootsTo broaden its appeal among female shoppers, Timberland has turned to elevated designs, expanding its assortment with products like the Stone Street platform boots and other women-focused silhouettes.

At The North Face, the company is collaborating with Kim Kardashian’s Skims and other fashion brands while also expanding its offerings for female outdoor enthusiasts. The Advanced Mountain Kit line, one of the brand’s premium performance collections, now includes a full women’s collection.

Darrell said The North Face is the company’s “biggest opportunity for women.” It’s also the company’s largest brand by revenue, accounting for about 42% of its $9.6 billion in fiscal 2026 sales.

“We believe the North Face could double from $4 billion to $8 billion over a period of time,” he said, estimating that women could account for more than $2 billion of that potential growth.

A focus on women could also play a role in helping Vans return to sustainable growth, according to Jefferies analyst Blake Anderson. She said young women could help raise awareness through social media and online shopping channels by acting as “powerful brand advocates and trendsetters.”

The Vans brand had been struggling for years before Darrell’s arrival. But revenue trends are improving. On a constant currency basis, sales fell 11% in VF’s fiscal year ending in March. fiscal 2025 And 2024respectively. The company forecasts a mid-to-single decline for 2027.

In fiscal 2026, VF broke a streak of three consecutive years of declines in companywide sales; The North Face and Timberland grew 5% on a constant currency basis. It is guided for another year of growth in fiscal 2027.

So far during Darrell’s tenure, VF shares are down about 7% when dividends are included. This tracks down State Street popular retail ETF There was a 38% increase in this time period, known as XRT. But last year the stock outperformed XRT, returning almost 36% versus roughly 10%.

Levi’s has emerged as one of the clearest examples of how expansion in women’s clothing can translate into growth.

Former Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass became chief executive of Levi’s in January 2024, following a one-year stint as president. He is tasked with accelerating growth and advancing the company’s transition to a direct-to-consumer-first business.

As part of this strategy, Gass has made attracting female shoppers a key priority through the company’s “Win With Her” initiative, which first launched in Europe and has since expanded across the business. Earlier this year on CNBC’s “Mad Money,” Gass told Jim Cramer that women’s clothing now accounts for 38% of Levi’s business, up from roughly one-third by 2022. It aims for a 50-50 income split between men and women.

“There was an 11 percent increase in women” [2025]“We have a long way to go between 38% and 50%, and that’s incremental business for us,” Gass said.

In the company’s first-quarter 2026 earnings call, Gass said women’s apparel grew 13% in the quarter, while men’s clothing grew 7%. Levi’s described the category as a “strong growth engine” in its 2025 annual report, noting that it carries higher gross margins while being underpenetrated.

The company has expanded beyond denim into dresses, skirts, tops and lifestyle clothing. It has also stepped up its marketing efforts, including a high-profile partnership with Beyoncé in 2024.

Levi’s also changed the way its stores sell. Women’s clothing now features prominently in the front windows of many locations across the United States; supported by lifestyle exhibits designed to showcase mannequins and full outfits.

Needham analyst Nikic said Levi’s shows how brands can grow their women’s business without compromising the momentum of male customers.

“The women’s sector is performing even better, but men’s products continue to sell well,” he said. “When you can get balanced growth across both men and women, that obviously does wonders for your P&L and your stock price.”

Since Gass became CEO in January 2024, Levi’s shares have returned 66%, including dividends. During this period, the stock has significantly outperformed XRT’s 28% return. It also narrowly surpassed the S&P 500’s total return of 58%.

Levi’s will report its next quarterly earnings on Wednesday.

Columbia Sportswear follows a similar strategy.

At a recent investor conference, CEO Tim Boyle pointed to the success of Columbia’s Amaze Puff Jacket, a stylish winter coat, as an example of how the company is broadening its appeal beyond the clothing and shoes popular for hiking, fishing and more.

“It’s extremely trendy,” said Boyle, who has been CEO since 1988. “It brought a lot of new people to the brand.”

Boyle said the jacket generated significant interest on social media and helped introduce Columbia to consumers who traditionally might not view the company as a fashion brand.

The company continued to build on this momentum. Appearing on CNBC’s “Mad Money” in May, Boyle emphasized that women’s outerwear is his main focus and said Columbia plans to expand its Amaze collection into additional seasons.

Columbia expects sales to rise 1% to 3% this year after falling 3% on a constant currency basis last year. Over the past year, the stock has returned about 1%, tracking XRT’s 10% rise.

Stock performance across the group has been mixed, but their pursuits are aligned.

“The average woman spends nearly twice as much on her closet each year as the average man in the United States,” Nikic said.

Darrell said this was an opportunity the company could no longer afford to overlook.

“You can’t ignore the fact that over 50% of the population is female, so that’s always been a huge opportunity for these brands,” he said. “Investors should be excited to know that we’re not ignoring them, we’re going after them.”