Nike on YouGov’s 2026 US fashion rankings: perceived quality up, value perception lags

Nike leads US fashion in both consideration and quality, but consumers do not think the brand offers comparable value for money — and competitors are taking note. That is the core finding of a 2026 report from global research firm YouGov, which tracked brand perception across more than 32,600 US adults between Feb. 1, 2025 and Jan. 31, 2026.

The report ranks fashion brands across three measures — consideration, quality and value — and makes for instructive reading for the sporting goods industry: athletic and performance brands dominate all three rankings, while apparel incumbents and lifestyle labels occupy the margins.

Consideration: sporting goods brands own the top tier

Nike places first overall for purchase consideration, with 36.3 percent of US adults saying they would consider the brand when next buying clothing, shoes, accessories or luggage. Skechers (35.5 percent) and Levi’s (35.5 percent) follow, with New Balance (30.2 percent) and adidas (29.6 percent) also appearing in the top ten. Under Armour rounds out the ranking at position nine with 23.0 percent.

The generational breakdown is where the data becomes commercially actionable. Among Gen Z and Millennials, Nike and adidas hold a commanding dual lead. Nike is the most considered brand in both cohorts, reaching 55.4 percent among Gen Z and 53.6 percent among Millennials. Adidas follows in second place in each group, at 47.3 percent and 45.1 percent respectively. New Balance holds third place in both cohorts, a position that reflects its sustained brand investment over recent years. Puma ranks fourth among Gen Z (31.8 percent) and sixth among Millennials (30.2 percent) but drops out of the overall top ten — a signal that its resonance is concentrated in younger demographics.

The picture shifts sharply at older age groups. Among Baby Boomers, Skechers reaches 45.5 percent consideration — its highest across any segment — while Nike falls to tenth place at just 20.6 percent. The North Face and Columbia enter the Gen X and Baby Boomer top tens respectively, tracking how outdoor credibility translates to purchase intent among older consumers.

The quality–value gap: Nike’s strategic exposure

Nike ranks near the top on perceived quality but trails on value, according to YouGov’s data. The brand posts a quality net score of 47.8, placing it second behind Levi’s (54.1) and ahead of New Balance (43.6) and adidas (43.5). On value for money, however, Nike sits ninth at 21.6, a gap of roughly 26 points versus its quality score. Adidas shows a similar, though narrower, split, with 43.5 for quality and 26.7 for value.

New Balance stands out among performance labels for a more balanced profile. It ranks third for quality (43.6) and sixth for value (31.4), suggesting a more consistent offer across both measures. The North Face, by contrast, places sixth on quality at 41.5 but does not feature in the value top ten, in line with its premium positioning.

Skechers combines relatively strong value perceptions with broad appeal. It ranks seventh on quality (40.4) and third on value (35.1), a mix that helps explain its momentum in consideration.

The improvers: Skechers, Hoka and the challengers

YouGov’s year-on-year comparison identifies Skechers as the most-improved brand across the entire US fashion landscape, with gains sufficient to lift it to second place overall. Among running-specific labels, Hoka — owned by Deckers Brands — and Brooks Running both post notable advances, suggesting that sustained brand investment in the specialty running space is translating into broader consumer awareness.

The North Face and New Balance also record consistent, if more modest, gains. The pattern across this group points to a broader dynamic: in a market where the top positions have been stable for years, the most meaningful competitive movement is happening one tier below — among performance challengers building consideration incrementally rather than through step changes.

What US consumers actually wear: athleisure holds, Gen Z diverges

A separate YouGov survey of 1,004 US adults adds texture to the brand data. Matching athleisure sets top the list of positively received apparel trends, with more than a third of respondents saying they like or love the category — a figure that climbs to 57 percent among consumers who say fashion matters to them. Hiking and camping-style clothing worn as everyday dress also scores well, reflecting the continued blurring of outdoor functional wear and lifestyle apparel.

Among Gen Z, gender-neutral clothing stands out: 60 percent of that cohort view it favorably, against 37 percent of the general population — a gap wide enough to warrant attention from brands developing product and marketing strategies for younger consumers.