Reading Material

Fashion Meets Finance

Background:
The fashion industry is more than just trends and textiles, it’s a major driver of global economic activity. From luxury giants to athletic wear titans like Nike and Adidas, fashion brands shape consumer behavior, employment rates, international trade, and even sustainability debates. Publicly traded companies in the fashion space are key indicators of global economic health and shifting priorities in society.

Case Task:
In this activity, you'll explore how the fashion industry impacts the economy by analyzing the financial performance and market behavior of leading fashion brands.

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Your Mission:

1. Stock Market Snapshot
   Select two fashion companies from the list below (or propose your own):

   • Nike (NKE)

   • Adidas (ADDYY)

   • Lululemon (LULU)

   • H&M (HM-B.ST)

   • Inditex (Zara’s parent company - ITX.MC)

   • VF Corp (Vans, The North Face - VFC)

   • Farfetch, Burberry, or other fashion/luxury brands

   Use sites like Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, or Google Finance to find:

   • Stock performance over the last 12 months

   • Key financial news/events affecting the company

   • Market cap and revenue size

2. Economic Lens
   Analyze the economic role of the company:

   • How many people does it employ globally?

   • How is it affected by inflation, supply chain issues, or global events?

   • What role does it play in global trade and GDP?

3. Link to Your LIA
   Reflect on your own LIA project:

   • How does your topic (fashion, sustainability, philanthropy, etc.) have economic implications?

   • Can it affect employment, trade, investment, or consumer behavior?

Deliverable 

Prepare a 1-page brief

• A chart or graph showing your company’s stock trend

• One financial insight (e.g., why the stock went up/down)

• One economic insight (e.g., the company’s impact on jobs or exports)

• A connection to your LIA topic and its economic footprint