Overall, the top fashion brands in SEA comprises an even split between international brands such as Levi's, Adidas and Dior, alongside local favourites like Viet Tien in Vietnam and Filipino fashion house Penshoppe. This indicates that while multi-national brands still dominate, local fashion houses are gaining market share by constantly updating their designs to cater to local tastes. However, despite growing competition from local challenger brands, multinational labels like Nike have also held strong. The sneaker giant claimed the first ranking in three markets, more than any other brand. Vietnam, Philippines and Thailand all awarded Nike the highest score. Uniqlo came out top in Malaysia and Singapore, while Adidas claimed the top spot in Indonesia.
Let's have a closer look at the top 10 SEA performers
1. Uniqlo
Known for providing stylish casual wear at attractive prices, the Japanese fast-fashion brand was founded in 1984 and has since enjoyed global success. Rather than chasing trends, the brand focuses on functional basics and with this formula is on track to becoming one of the most successful clothing retailers in the world. Uniqlo scored highly in the buying experience category, and was a particularly strong performer in Singapore, where it achieved top scores across brand awareness, purchase frequency, digital touchpoints and was second only to Singapore Airlines as the brand Singaporeans would most recommend.
2. Nike 
While the sneaker giant may have been pipped to the top spot by Uniqlo, it still held strong finishing second overall. In fact, Nike was the top fashion brand in three markets: Vietnam, Philippines and Thailand, benefitting from strong brand awareness, customer service and recommendation scores. If it hadn't of been for Uniqlo's strong support in Singapore and Malaysia, Nike may have well taken the crown.
3. Việt Tiến
Established in 1975, Viet Tien is one of the leading men's fashion brands in Vietnam. It has more than 1,300 stores spread throughout Vietnam's provinces and is known for its varied product lines: Viet Tien, Viet Long, Smart Casual, Manhattan, San Sciaro, etc. Its third place ranking overall is largely due to its strong domestic support, scoring highly for purchase frequency and buying experience in Vietnam.
4. Bench 
A proudly Filipino clothing and lifestyle brand, Bench has come a long way from its origins in 1987 where it began life as as a men's t-shirt store in Makati, Philippines. Today it has become a one-stop shop for casualwear, underwear, and sportswear for both men and women. With a growing number of stores internationally, and with celebrity brand ambassadors such as Bruno Mars, Joe Jonas, and Adam Levine, it's fast becoming a global powerhouse. It achieved top scores for brand awareness and customer service in the Philippines, ultimately securing its ranking in fourth position overall in SEA.
5. Adidas
The German sportswear giant has ranked in the top five of SEA's top fashion brands. It also made the top five in every individual market, including first position in Indonesia, where it achieved high scores for brand awareness and buying experience. Indonesia ranks among the three largest sourcing countries for the adidas Group, and has been crafting Adidas sneakers since 1988. Although Adidas is a long established player in the sportswear market in SEA and a firm favourite, it couldn't quite outstrip some of its competitors, but nevertheless still finishes in the top five.
6. Penshoppe 
Established in the Philippines in 1986, Penshoppe is a popular retail platform where customers can shop for on-trend and affordable casual wear. Today it's the leading fashion retailer in the Philippines and this tallies with its high scores for brand awareness and customer service in its home market. While Penshoppe has expanded its presence to other SEA countries, including Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam, it's the brand's popularity in the Philippines that has ultimately earned it the sixth ranking in SEA's top fashion brands.
7. Yody
Established in 2014, Yody is a Vietnamese fashion tech brand and currently has more than 270 stores across Vietnam, focusing on producing everyday fashion. Yody prioritises sustainable approaches above the fast-fashion trend. The brand states on its website that it uses S'Cafe fabric (derived from coffee beans) as well as Coolmax, Airycool, and Birdseye pique fabric. Yody was a top 10 favourite among fashion brands in Vietnam, and the company has recently expanded beyond its home market opening its first physical store in Thailand with plans to expand to plans to launch in Malaysia and the US in the future.
8. Dior 
The French fashion powerhouse is the highest scoring luxury brand in the overall top 10. In Vietnam it achieved top scores for buying experience and quality. Dior has increasingly partnered with celebrities in the region to front its campaigns, leading to a surge in popularity.
9. Padini
Padini is one of the most popular online clothing stores in Malaysia, known for embracing eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and repurposed textile waste. It's affordable clothing lines has made it a household name in Malaysia, and a major player in its ecommerce market. It benefits from high brand awareness and purchase frequency in its home market, enough to earn it a place inside the overall top 10.
10. Levi's 
Known for its denim jeans, Levi's has just scraped inside the top 10 of SEA's top fashion brands. Levi's has been actively expanding its presence in the region, and most recently opened its largest store in Southeast Asia, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s Suria KLCC mall. The denim king made the top 10 of fashion brands for most countries in SEA, and was a top scorer in Malaysia for brand awareness.
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