Nike, H&M and Zara among the most valuable apparel brands for 2017

London - With the increasing demand for athleisure and active wear, it should comes as little surprise that Nike has retained its title as the world's 'most valuable' apparel brand once more. In fact the sporting goods giant has managed to increased its brand value by 13 percent this year, hitting 32 billion dollars (26.1 billion pounds) according to the latest data from strategy consultancy Brand Finance.

Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M also managed to hold onto its spot in second place with a brand value of 19 billion dollars (15.5 billion pounds) for 2017, an increase of 24 percent compared to 2016. Thanks in part to its international campaigns and store expansion, which saw the retailer open 442 stores in 2016, H&M has ensure its global presence keeps on growing.

However H&M may have to keep an eye out for Spanish fast-fashion competitor Zara, which saw its brand value grow 43 percent to 14.4 billion dollars (11.7 billion dollars) this year and therefore surpassing Louis Vuitton to claim the third spot in Brand Finance annual ranking. Scroll down to see FashionUnited's charts comparing the top 10 most valuable fashion brands 2016 and 2017 worth and the top 50 ranking.

Top 10 2017 with brand value 2017 and 2016 in comparison

Top 50 most valuable apparel brands for 2017