Multibrand fashion group VF Corporation sees Asia –especially China – as the primary driver of growth in the years ahead. VF’s brands include Vans, Kipling, Lee and The North Face. The plan is to continue to focus on locally relevant innovation, further invest in demand creation and leverage its scale and capabilities to fully capitalise on the growth opportunities and take market share.

China has seen consistent, strong growth from the country’s three largest brands: The North Face, Lee and Vans. In particular, Lee in China has experienced consistently strong growth over the years for the company, with product innovations driving recent success.

VF brands currently maintain a presence in more than 170 Chinese cities. And, that number is expected to increase in coming years. The corporation sees growth potential in a market with increasing affluence, a burgeoning middle class and increasing sophistication and demand for quality jeanswear. While jeans ownership is about eight pairs per person in North America, in China, it is still less than one pair per person.

The company sees a competitive edge in market, particularly for Lee. VF launched Lee as the first owned business in China in 1995.