Vans and The North Face’s parent company VF Corp.

Vans and The North Face’s parent company VF Corp. is thriving in the retail wasteland. VF ranked as the fourth-largest apparel and shoe company in the U.S. at the end of last year, and continues to climb the ranks, reporting a revenue surge of 23% last quarter. Vans in particular is appealing to young consumers with collabs (like Vans X Marvel) and by creating shoes that can be customized with anything from family photos to art. Smart acquisitions and embracing Amazon as a selling partner are also setting VF apart. (Forbes)