Trump Tariffs: Assessing the Tariff's Economic Impact
On April 2, 2025, the United States introduced a new universal tariff policy, instantly impacting the prices of imported goods. As tariffs increased, both American merchants and shoppers became concerned about price surges. This article, powered by BeyondStyle's AI-driven data, explores how the new tariff rate has affected leading sports and fashion brands. If you are a retailer, brand, or consumer, understanding these price trends is essential for making informed decisions in a volatile market. Our exclusive Tariff Impact Index offers a transparent, data-driven look at price changes across top brands, helping you navigate the economic impact of tariffs with confidence.
Table of Contents
- 1. What is the Tariff Impact Index and Why Does It Matter?
- 2. How Are Tariffs Affecting Prices in 2025?
- 3. Top 20 Brands: Price Trends Before and After April 2
- 4. Brands Experiencing the Highest Price Surges
- 5. How Is the Tariff Impact Index Calculated?
- 6. What Drives Brand Price Changes Under New Tariff Rates?
- 7. Frequently Asked Questions About Tariffs and Brand Pricing
- 8. Key Takeaways: Navigating Brand Price Trends in a Tariff Era
1. What is the Tariff Impact Index and Why Does It Matter?
The Tariff Impact Index is a proprietary metric developed by BeyondStyle to measure how tariffs affect brand pricing in the US sports and fashion markets. Following the April 2 tariff announcement, a 10% universal tariff rate was imposed on a wide array of imported goods, including many top brands. This index helps clients and consumers understand the direct impact of tariff changes on retail prices, providing a transparent benchmark for market analysis.
Why is this important? Tariff increases often lead to higher costs for importers, which are then passed on to consumers. By monitoring the Tariff Impact Index, you gain valuable insight into which brands are most affected by tariff policy changes and how these changes translate into price fluctuations.
2. How Are Tariffs Affecting Prices in 2025?
Since the April 2, 2025 tariff increase, American retailers and shoppers have seen noticeable shifts in product pricing. The tariff rate increase has triggered a wave of price increases across both luxury and mainstream brands, as higher import costs are factored into retail prices. The economic impact is felt at every level of the supply chain, from importers to end consumers.
The Federal Reserve and market analysts have noted that the average effective tariff rate has risen, leading to upward pressure on the consumer price index. As tariffs on imports from China and other trade partners took effect, brands responded in various ways—some absorbing costs, others raising prices or adjusting product assortments.
3. Top 20 Brands: Price Trends Before and After April 2
To quantify the effect of tariffs on brand pricing, BeyondStyle analyzed over 8,000 brands and 10 million items. The table below shows the average selling prices of the top 20 brands—before and after the new tariff policy took effect:
| Brand Name | Apr 1, 2025 | May 15, 2025 | %Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray-Ban | $173.05 | $201.15 | 18.30% |
| Ralph Lauren | $187.84 | $197.13 | 13.24% |
| Tory Burch | $333.14 | $356.25 | 12.11% |
| Calvin Klein | $71.61 | $78.29 | 10.43% |
| Alexander McQueen | $719.52 | $760.45 | 9.50% |
| Balenciaga | $1,112.10 | $1,176.11 | 8.36% |
| Michael Kors | $252.83 | $252.61 | 7.77% |
| Gucci | $829.51 | $870.95 | 7.75% |
| Burberry | $675.12 | $687.85 | 5.59% |
| Adidas | $87.32 | $88.64 | 4.22% |
| Patagonia | $115.14 | $116.34 | 3.63% |
| Puma | $69.23 | $70.20 | 3.46% |
| La Mer | $290.24 | $293.89 | 2.55% |
| Coach | $210.97 | $211.37 | 2.55% |
| New Balance | $104.26 | $105.41 | 1.51% |
| NIKE | $75.41 | $76.31 | 1.15% |
| Alo | $108.87 | $109.96 | 0.94% |
| Lululemon | $71.58 | $70.08 | 0.75% |
| Givenchy | $809.39 | $781.74 | 0.66% |
| Arc'teryx | $228.89 | $225.56 | -0.74% |
Key insight:
The tariff impact index based on top 20 brands is 5.9% on May 15. So there is indeed an increase for the fashion and sports category. We can see that all top 20 brands except one has a price drop. Note that we compute the correlation between tariff change and price change. There is not necessarily a causality. We will continuously monitor and track the price change and report this index number.
4. Brands Experiencing the Highest Price Surges
BeyondStyle also identifies brands with the most significant price jumps—often due to higher exposure to imports or less pricing flexibility. Here are the top 20 brands with the largest price increases:
| Brand Name | Apr 1, 2025 | May 15, 2025 | %Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Collection | $106.10 | $239.08 | 119.44% |
| Unwritten | $20.67 | $44.62 | 118.85% |
| Macy's | $590.32 | $1,202.87 | 101.30% |
| Marc New York | $98.16 | $187.02 | 84.46% |
| Billieblush | $46.12 | $74.79 | 80.49% |
| Giani Bernini | $32.36 | $58.66 | 80.12% |
| Effy | $1,006.34 | $1,716.42 | 70.45% |
| Samsonite | $235.62 | $330.07 | 67.21% |
| Carter's | $16.28 | $25.12 | 61.07% |
| First Impressions | $10.90 | $16.93 | 58.81% |
| Charter Club | $40.22 | $66.48 | 58.19% |
| 8 by YOOX | $71.35 | $94.98 | 57.06% |
| Mancini Leather | $81.31 | $123.28 | 52.43% |
| Kipling | $63.08 | $93.04 | 51.17% |
| Mou | $159.01 | $243.48 | 48.99% |
| Kurt Geiger | $151.42 | $213.61 | 48.01% |
| Disney | $42.88 | $64.30 | 45.67% |
| LA Pop Art | $24.14 | $34.52 | 43.15% |
| Nautica | $51.37 | $76.19 | 43.09% |
| 2028 | $32.66 | $46.61 | 42.69% |
Key insight:
Some brands, especially those heavily reliant on imports or with less pricing power, saw price surges exceeding 100%. This highlights how tariff policy can create significant disparities in price trends across the retail landscape.
5. How Is the Tariff Impact Index Calculated?
The Tariff Impact Index is computed by:
- Selecting the top 20 brands by popularity from BeyondStyle’s merchandising database.
- Calculating each brand’s average selling price on April 1 (pre-tariff) and May 15 (post-tariff).
- Determining the percentage change for each brand.
- Computing a weighted average of these changes, reflecting the relative importance of each brand in the market.
This methodology ensures the index accurately reflects the average effective tariff rate impact on leading brands, providing a clear, actionable benchmark for clients and consumers.
6. What Drives Brand Price Changes Under New Tariff Rates?
Several factors influence how brands adjust prices after a tariff increase:
- Tariff exposure: Brands importing a large share of their goods from China or other affected countries are more likely to raise prices.
- Supply chain flexibility: Brands able to shift sourcing or negotiate better terms may limit price increases.
- Market positioning: Luxury brands may absorb some costs to maintain image, while value brands may pass on costs more directly.
- Retailer strategy: Some retailers may temporarily absorb tariffs to retain market share, while others adjust prices immediately.
The direct impact of tariffs is thus shaped by both external market forces and internal brand strategies.
7. Frequently Asked Questions About Tariffs and Brand Pricing
Q: Are all brands equally affected by the new US tariff?
A: No. Brands with higher import exposure or less pricing power tend to see larger price increases.
Q: Does the Tariff Impact Index show causality between tariffs and prices?
A: The index reveals correlation, not causality. While price increases often follow tariff hikes, other factors (supply chain disruptions, currency fluctuations) may also contribute.
Q: How often is the Tariff Impact Index updated?
A: BeyondStyle updates the index regularly, tracking ongoing tariff changes and their effects on brand pricing.
8. Key Takeaways: Navigating Brand Price Trends in a Tariff Era
- The Tariff Impact Index provides a transparent, data-driven view of how US tariff increases affect brand prices.
- Most top brands saw price increases after the April 2, 2025, tariff policy, with an average rise of nearly 6%
- Some brands experienced price surges of over 100%
