UK and European Fashion Brands: Cracking the US Market

The transatlantic gap worth billions

American shoppers have a well-documented weakness for British and European style, yet the machinery of cross-border retail keeps getting in the way. Research from market access provider Sold Through, published in its report Dressed for America: The US Opportunity for UK and European Fashion Brands, puts the untapped opportunity at around $50 billion in the US apparel sector. The reason it remains untapped is not a lack of interest. It is friction.

Approximately 373 million Americans buy clothes, and the US apparel economy is worth $373 billion… but European brands capture only a fraction of it. Today, 57% of US adults — about 157.7 million people — already shop with European labels, spending an average of $219.20 each per year. That adds up to a $34.5 billion slice of the market.

So far, so promising. The problem lies with the shoppers who never make it to checkout.

What American buyers actually value

The appeal of European and UK brands is not a marketing invention. When asked why they would choose an overseas label over a domestic one, 81% of American consumers said European and UK brands offer something distinct. Their reasons break down as follows:

• Higher quality materials — 25%
• Superior craftsmanship — 24%
• Better value for money — 24%
• Greater garment longevity — 14%
• Brand heritage and narrative — 12%

Accessories and shoes are the categories drawing the most attention, chosen by 27% and 26% of shoppers respectively. These are the entry points where a European brand’s reputation for materials and making is easiest to demonstrate — and where a single bad delivery experience can destroy a customer for good.

Why the checkout is where intent dies

The obstacle is operational rather than aspirational. Some 78% of US consumers report significant friction when trying to buy European goods, with an estimated 215 million shoppers pointing to specific problems. The recurring complaints include:

1. Unpredictable shipping and customs charges
2. Inconsistent sizing conversions
3. Complicated return policies
4. Fulfilment timelines that lag domestic standards
5. No US shipping option at all — reported by one in ten consumers

Because of these barriers, 26% of US adults — roughly 71.9 million potential customers — currently spend nothing at all on European fashion. That inactivity represents an estimated $15.7 billion in lost annual revenue.

When Americans do buy, they gravitate towards localised channels rather than direct international shipping. Multi-brand online retailers account for 25% of purchases, while US department stores and localised brand websites each capture 21%.

Local fulfilment beats long-haul promises

The lesson for UK and European brands is straightforward: American consumers expect the convenience they get from domestic retailers, and anything less reads as a reason to abandon the basket. Dan Cate, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Sold Through, argues that European brands must adapt to domestic retail expectations rather than relying on shipping from abroad. Consumer intent, he notes, often collapses the moment delivery costs, sizing ambiguity or return complexity enter the process.

Competing effectively means treating the US as a domestic market. That could involve local warehousing and returns processing, close partnerships with established US retailers, clear sizing guidance built around American fit preferences, and pricing that includes duties and shipping upfront. None of these are glamorous investments. All of them remove the friction that currently stands between a willing shopper and a completed sale.

With $50 billion in play and consumer goodwill already established, the brands that solve the logistics puzzle will be the ones that convert admiration into repeat custom.