Our structure is our strength
Our portfolio of brands is managed under a unique organizational structure. Brands with affinities in terms of consumer lifestyle and merchandise category are grouped together within one of our coalitions: Outdoor and Action Sports, Jeanswear, Sportswear, Contemporary Brands and Imagewear.
Each coalition includes brand-focused management teams that are charged with designing and implementing strategies for profitable growth. By leveraging best practices within VF, our coalitions enable us to boost productivity gains in manufacturing and distribution and realize significant savings in sourcing, operations, finance and human resources. Cross-coalition teams ensure that best practices and innovations developed within one coalition are available throughout the entire company.
We further distinguish between our businesses by grouping our coalitions into two categories: lifestyle and heritage. Our lifestyle coalitions — which have higher expected revenue growth rates — are Outdoor and Action Sports, Sportswear and Contemporary Brands. These coalitions contain most of the brands we have acquired since the beginning of our Growth Plan — brands that offer an array of growth opportunities both in the U.S. and abroad. Our heritage coalitions — Jeanswear and Imagewear — are strong, stable businesses with leading market shares and very healthy profit margins and cash flows. Over the coming years, we expect that our lifestyle coalitions will account for 60% of total revenues, up from 49% in 2008.
Our coalitions also provide us with a very balanced base of business across multiple channels of distribution, and across many different geographic markets.
At VF, our coalition structure remains an integral part of our strategy for success and a distinct competitive advantage.
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Outdoor & Action Sports
The success of our Outdoor and Action Sports brands is based on our ability to forge strong and authentic connections with specific consumer lifestyles like hiking, outdoor adventure, skateboarding and surfing. The success of our Outdoor and Action Sports brands is based on our ability to forge strong and authentic connections with specific consumer lifestyles like hiking, outdoor adventure, skateboarding and surfing. Constant product innovation is the key, bringing consumers the functional and fashionable solutions they want, when they want them. And the results are impressive: Outdoor and Action Sports are our fastest growing businesses, both domestically and internationally. Branded retail stores have been an important part of the Outdoor and Action Sports growth story, and we will continue to open additional stores for our Vans®, The North Face®, Kipling® and Napapijri® brands, both in the U.S. and abroad. |
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Jeanswear
With a long heritage and approximately $2.8 billion in annual revenues, the VF Jeanswear coalition sells more pairs of jeans than any other company in the world. But we're not stopping there. With a long heritage and approximately $2.8 billion in annual revenues, VF sells more pairs of jeans than any other company in the world. But we're not stopping there. We continue to drive success in our Jeanswear brands by extending into additional categories, including shirts, shorts, accessories and other casual apparel products. We're also excited by the opportunities we are pursuing in growing markets such as China, Russia and India. |
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Sportswear
Contemporary styles and a sense of casual elegance are the hallmarks of the brands within our Sportswear coalition. Contemporary styles and a sense of casual elegance are the hallmarks of the brands within our Sportswear coalition. With its strong nautical heritage and classic American design, Nautica® is an iconic brand. In addition to men's and women's sportswear, the Nautica brand is licensed across a variety of categories including fragrance, home accessories and eyewear. Our Sportswear coalition also includes the Kipling® brand's U.S. business, which is growing rapidly in department stores and through its own retail stores. |
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Contemporary Brands
VF's newest coalition, Contemporary Brands, was established in 2007 with the acquisition of the 7 For All Mankind® and lucy® brands. VF's newest coalition, Contemporary Brands, was established in 2007 with the acquisition of the 7 For All Mankind® and lucy® brands, and has grown with the acquisition of the Splendid® and Ella Moss® brands. In 2009 we moved the John Varvatos® brand into the coalition. Inspired by modern design and a cultivated lifestyle, these brands offer contemporary apparel, footwear and accessories to consumers who appreciate sophisticated products and high-quality fabrication. |
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Imagewear
Our Imagewear coalition is comprised of two successful lines of business: Image and Activewear. Our Imagewear coalition is comprised of two successful lines of business: Image and Activewear. |
Coalitions at a glance
3-Year Coalition Revenues and Profits (Dollars in Millions) 
