In this RB Insight, we dive into the data shaping the new wave of UK fashion and beauty power players breaking into the US market, moving beyond headline moments to quantify who is truly winning stateside. This report ranks the top 10 UK brands not on hype, but on revenue acceleration, depth of US distribution, and measurable brand visibility across retail and digital channels. The analysis reveals a clear playbook for breakout success: digital-first scaling, high-impact retail partnerships, and a sharply defined brand narrative increasingly separate the brands building durable US franchises from those generating only short-lived buzz.
Ranking of Top 10 UK Brands in the USA Market
The following table presents the ranked list of the top 10 UK fashion and beauty brands based on their successful US expansion. The “Success Score” is a composite metric derived from reported revenues, market share, and strategic achievements in the US.
| Rank | Brand | Category | Estimated Revenue (US/Global) | Key Metric of Success | Success Score (Out of 100) |
| 1 | Gymshark | Fashion (Activewear) | ~$800M+ (Global) | Digital-first growth, SoHo Flagship, 9% YoY growth | 95 |
| 2 | Charlotte Tilbury | Beauty | ~$560M+ (Global) | Strategic Sephora partnership, high-profile US marketing | 92 |
| 3 | Burberry | Fashion (Luxury) | ~£510M (Americas) | Established luxury leader, strong physical presence | 88 |
| 4 | Jo Malone London | Beauty (Fragrance) | N/A (Estée Lauder owned) | Dominance in the luxury fragrance segment, ELC growth driver | 85 |
| 5 | AllSaints | Fashion | ~$550M+ (Group) | The US as a major market, strategic acquisition of John Varvatos | 82 |
| 6 | The Inkey List | Beauty | N/A | High-growth mass-market beauty, Ulta expansion | 80 |
| 7 | Varley | Fashion (Athleisure) | ~$80M+ (Global) | Rapid growth (130% DTC increase), opened SoHo store | 78 |
| 8 | Space NK | Beauty (Retail) | N/A | Strategic acquisition by Ulta Beauty, boosting Ulta’s sales | 75 |
| 9 | Lush | Beauty | ~$150M+ (Online) | Strong ethical brand presence, improving the North American trend | 72 |
| 10 | Dr. Martens | Fashion (Footwear) | ~$1.1B (Global) | Significant US footprint, working to overcome wholesale challenges | 70 |
Top 10 UK Brands in the US Market
1. Gymshark: The Digital-First Disruptor
Gymshark’s success in the US is a testament to the power of a digital-first, community-driven expansion model. The brand, founded in 2012, has effectively utilized social media and influencer marketing to build a massive, loyal following in the US before committing to significant physical retail. Their reported revenue of over $800 million globally, with the US being a primary growth market, highlights the effectiveness of this strategy . The opening of their flagship store in SoHo, New York, in 2024, signaled a successful transition from a purely online presence to a strategic omnichannel approach, further solidifying their market position.
2. Charlotte Tilbury: Strategic Retail and High-Impact Marketing
Charlotte Tilbury has become a beauty powerhouse in the US, largely due to its strategic partnership with Sephora, which began in 2018. This move provided immediate, high-visibility access to a vast network of US consumers. The brand’s high-impact, celebrity-endorsed marketing campaigns, coupled with its luxury positioning, have driven significant sales, with the company reporting over $560 million in global sales. The brand’s success demonstrates the critical role of well-chosen retail partners in accelerating US market penetration for beauty brands.
3. Burberry: Enduring Luxury Presence
As a heritage luxury brand, Burberry’s expansion is characterized by enduring presence and high-value sales. The Americas region contributes significantly to its global revenue, with approximately £510 million generated in 2025. While the brand has faced recent challenges, its established network of physical stores in key US cities and its ongoing “Burberry Forward” strategy to reignite brand desire ensure its continued status as a top-tier UK brand in the US.
4. Jo Malone London: Fragrance with quiet power
Jo Malone London has become a prestige fragrance favorite in the U.S., known for minimalist bottles, clean visuals, and colognes built to layer, like English Pear & Freesia and Wood Sage & Sea Salt. Now part of Estée Lauder Companies, the brand sells through U.S. department stores, boutiques and e-commerce, and in 2025 introduced an AI-powered scent advisor to guide American shoppers to tailored picks online.
5. AllSaints: London leather for the American wardrobe
Founded in London in 1994, AllSaints is now a global fashion player with a heavy U.S. footprint, recognized for leather jackets, slouchy knits, and muted, rock-inspired womenswear. By 2010, roughly 50% of its sales already came from outside the UK, driven largely by U.S. and Asian expansion, and the brand now runs stores in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, plus a dedicated U.S. e-commerce site.
6. The Inkey List: Democratizing skincare in Sephora aisles
Launched in the UK in 2018, The Inkey List has built a strong U.S. presence by simplifying skincare into ingredient-led products—think Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, and Retinol—at accessible prices. In its first three years, the brand grew nearly 600%, sold almost 20 million products globally, and amassed over 2.1 million community members before taking growth investment from Aria Growth Partners to accelerate international scale.
7. Varley: London–LA athleisure for the modern woman
Founded by Lara and Ben Mead, Varley splits its roots between London and Los Angeles, designing performance-first lifestyle clothing for women who want studio-to-street polish. The brand is now stocked by premium U.S. retailers like Trendygolf USA and Mytheresa, where its leggings, half-zips, quilted jackets, and knits are positioned as elevated alternatives to mainstream athleisure.
8. Space NK: The British curator powering U.S. discovery
Space NK, founded in London in 1993, operates as a prestige beauty curator—an edited destination for high-end skincare, makeup, and fragrance from around the world. In the U.S., its online presence and wholesale partnerships introduce American consumers to both British brands and global cult labels, functioning as a filter for “best in class” products rather than offering sheer volume.
9. Lush: Activist bath bombs across North America
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Lush Cosmetics, born in Poole, England, has turned ethical bath and body into a global phenomenon, with a major store base in North America. As of the year ending June 30, 2024, Lush operated 869 permanent shops in 50 countries, with 666 in group subsidiaries and a strategic focus on relocations and refurbishments—many in North America—to improve visibility and profitability.
10. Dr. Martens: UK workboot turned U.S. style staple
Dr. Martens, founded in Northamptonshire, has become one of the most recognizable footwear brands in the U.S., particularly among women buying boots and platforms. In its latest reported full year, the company posted revenue of £877 million sterling, down 12%, and profit of 43%, but emphasized that its Americas direct-to-consumer business had returned to growth thanks to full-price selling and improved inventory discipline.
Emerging Success Stories
Brands like The Inkey List and Varley represent the next wave of successful UK expansion. The Inkey List has mirrored the success of other accessible beauty brands by focusing on a clear, “no-BS” product philosophy and leveraging the mass-market reach of Ulta Beauty. Varley, with its focus on the “tennis-core” and “quiet luxury” athleisure trend, has achieved a remarkable 130% increase in its direct-to-consumer (DTC) business, proving that niche, trend-focused brands can achieve rapid scale in the US.
