The mall brand revival has officially arrived. In 2025, legacy retailers are back in the spotlight, fueled by nostalgia-driven storytelling, viral marketing, and real sales momentum. Heritage labels that mastered the art of blending throwback aesthetics with modern cultural relevance are now leading both the charts and the conversation.
This report spotlights the Top 10 Mall Brands of 2025, ranked through a blend of NRF Hot 25 sales data and media-driven popularity metrics. At the top of the comeback wave are Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap, proving that smart creative direction and digital agility can turn legacy into luxury once again.
Top 10 Mall Brands Teen Is Wearing in 2025
The following table presents the top 10 mall brands, combining quantitative performance metrics with qualitative media and strategic success factors.
| Rank | Brand | Primary Popularity Driver | Key 2025 Metric / Feature | Strategic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abercrombie & Fitch | Sales Growth & Brand Repositioning | 15.20% U.S. sales growth (’24 v ’23) | Targeting a more mature, affluent consumer while maintaining mall presence. |
| 2 | Gap | Media Virality & Creative Revival | 8+ Billion media impressions from “Better in Denim” campaign | High-low styling, elevated “GapStudio” line under Zac Posen. |
| 3 | J.Crew | Creative Direction & Collaborations | Editorial praise for being “fully back in the zeitgeist.” | Perfecting core offerings and introducing trend-forward styles via new creative leadership. |
| 4 | JD Sports | Explosive Sales Growth | 41.50% U.S. sales growth (’24 v ’23) | Dominance in the athletic apparel and footwear market, a key mall anchor. |
| 5 | Primark | Value-Driven Expansion | 30.00% U.S. sales growth (’24 v ’23) | Rapid expansion and strong performance in the value-focused fast-fashion segment. |
| 6 | Levi’s | Digital Virality & Classic Appeal | New styles (e.g., “cinch jeans”) going viral on TikTok | Leveraging heritage while adapting to modern social media trends. |
| 7 | Uniqlo (Fast Retailing) | Consistent Growth & Quality | 27.70% U.S. sales growth (’24 v ’23) | Focus on high-quality basics and strategic, measured U.S. expansion. |
| 8 | Madewell | Strategic Partnerships | Partnership with designer-resale platform Reluxe | Offering a relaxed, polished aesthetic with a focus on sustainability and denim. |
| 9 | Victoria’s Secret | Brand Repositioning | Inaugural ready-to-wear collaboration with Joseph Altuzarra | Shifting focus to body-shaping minimalist styles and high-fashion collaborations. |
| 10 | H&M | Accessible Trends & Designer Collabs | Highly anticipated collaborations with designers like Magda Butrym | Delivering trend-forward design at accessible price points. |
Retail Insights: Popularity Drivers in 2025
The mall brand comeback isn’t luck, it’s smart strategy. The resurgence we’re seeing in 2025 is powered by three major forces reshaping legacy retail from the inside out.
1. The Brand Renaissance Effect
Legacy names like Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch have pulled off one of retail’s biggest rebrands, ditching their dated images for fresh creative direction and modern hype.
- Gap’s Media Domination: With Zac Posen as creative director and the launch of GapStudio, Gap has turned into a cultural talking point. Its “Better in Denim” campaign drove 8+ billion media impressions and 500 million views, proving the brand’s viral power translates into real sales, up 5% same-store growth in Q1 2025, extending a six-quarter streak.
- Abercrombie’s Reinvention: Ranked #5 on the NRF Hot 25, Abercrombie & Fitch posted 15.2% U.S. sales growth, fueled by its pivot from teens to a modern, higher-income audience. The brand’s comeback is as much about repositioning as it is about relevance.
2. Collabs and Elevated Product Strategy
Mall brands are shaking off the “basic” tag by tapping into high fashion and culture-forward collabs.
- J.Crew X Creativity: Designer tie-ups with Christopher John Rogers and Maryam Nassir Zadeh have injected cool credibility, while Madewell’s resale partnership with Reluxe aligns perfectly with Gen Z’s sustainability demands.
- Victoria’s Secret 2.0: The lingerie giant is rewriting its narrative, dialing down the “Angels” image and dialing up minimalist shapewear and designer collabs, including a ready-to-wear line with Joseph Altuzarra.
3. Value and Athleisure Power Plays
Mall mainstays in value and athletic apparel are still bringing in the volume and the growth.
- JD Sports leads the pack with a massive 41.5% U.S. sales jump, while Primark follows with 30% growth, reinforcing that affordable, trend-right fashion remains essential to mall traffic. These anchor retailers keep malls relevant and shoppers coming back.
The Mall Isn’t Dead, It’s Trending Again
The 2025 retail narrative proves one thing: legacy never goes out of style; it just reinvents itself. With brands like Abercrombie, Gap, and J.Crew leading a new era of mall cool, growth now comes from cultural relevance as much as commerce. The mall has evolved from a shopping destination into a statement of rediscovered identity where value, virality, and vision collide.
