Clothing and Accessory Stores Trade Associations

Accessories Council (Ac)

U.S. not‑for‑profit that promotes and connects the fashion accessories sector (jewelry, handbags, eyewear, footwear, etc.) through advocacy, awards, education and retail/brand networking. Membership has grown internationally and includes brands, retailers and service providers.

https://accessoriescouncil.org/ Membership: 360

American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)

National trade association representing apparel, footwear and sewn products brands, retailers and suppliers; provides policy advocacy, brand protection, supply chain and trade guidance.

https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/About/ Membership: 1,100

American Gem Society (AGS)

U.S. jewelry trade association focused on ethics, education and consumer protection; admits retail firms, suppliers and credentialed professionals; hosts the AGS Conclave and credentials/titleholder programs.

https://www.americangemsociety.org/ Membership: 3,400

Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)

Nonprofit trade association of American fashion and accessory designers; organizes the CFDA Fashion Awards and supports business development and NYFW scheduling.

https://cfda.com/ Membership: 432

Fashion Group International (FGI)

Global nonprofit network for professionals across apparel, accessories, beauty and home; provides programming, market reports, awards and cross‑industry networking via city chapters.

https://www.fgi.org/ Membership: 5,000

Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA)

U.S. footwear industry’s business and trade association spanning brands, retailers, importers and manufacturers; offers customs/trade advocacy, compliance tools, data and events (e.g., FFANY).

https://fdra.org/ Membership: 500

International Association of Department Stores (IADS)

Global department‑store think tank/network enabling CEO‑level collaboration, benchmarking and research; members are leading department stores that operate fashion, accessory and lifestyle floors.

https://www.iads.org/ Membership: 12

Intercontinental Group of Department Stores (IGDS)

Largest worldwide association of department stores; facilitates executive networking, summits and best‑practice exchange among leading multi‑category retailers with major apparel/accessories assortments.

https://www.igds.org/ Membership: 44

International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

Global trade association for the shopping‑center/marketplaces industry (landlords, retail real estate and retailers); convenes leasing/operations leaders relevant to store expansion and retail real estate strategy.

https://www.icsc.com/ Membership: 70,000

Jewelers of America (JA)

Leading U.S. jewelry business association for retailers and suppliers; provides advocacy, education, certification and consumer‑facing “Find a Jeweler” directory used by jewelry and watch shoppers.

https://www.jewelers.org/ Membership: 8,000

Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC)

Jewelry industry legal‑compliance association supporting retailers, designers and suppliers with advertising/FTC guidance, AML programs, mediation and ethics initiatives.

https://jvclegal.org/ Membership: 800

National Luggage Dealers Association (NLDA)

U.S. luggage/leather/travel goods retailers’ association and network; convenes specialty luggage stores and vendors, offers buying opportunities and industry programming.

https://www.luggagedealers.com/ Membership: 175

National Retail Federation (NRF)

World’s largest retail trade association; represents retailers of all formats (including apparel, footwear, jewelry, accessories) and industry partners; advocacy, research and major events (NRF Big Show, NRF PROTECT).

https://nrf.com/ Membership: 17,000

National Shoe Retailers Association (NSRA)

North American association serving independent shoe retailers with education, vendor programs, benchmarking and networking to improve store performance.

https://www.nsra.org/ Membership: 1,800

National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA)

Trade association for specialty ski and snowboard retailers and suppliers; provides research, advocacy and technical resources (e.g., Combined Indemnified Bindings List) directly supporting winter softgoods/hardgoods shops.

https://www.nssra.com/ Membership: 350

Outdoor Industry Association (OIA)

U.S. outdoor industry trade association uniting brands, retailers and suppliers selling outdoor apparel, footwear and accessories; focuses on policy advocacy, sustainability programs and market intelligence.

https://outdoorindustry.org/ Membership: 1,200

Retail Council of Canada (RCC)

Canada’s national retail association representing retailers of all formats (apparel, footwear, jewelry and more) with advocacy, education and member programs across 45,000 storefronts.

https://www.retailcouncil.org/ Membership: 45,000

Running Industry Association (RIA)

Nonprofit supporting the specialty running retail channel in the U.S. and Canada; builds collaboration among independent run shops, brands and service providers via data, education and member events.

https://runningindustry.org/ Membership: 300

Shop! Association

Global trade association for retail environments and in‑store experience (store design, fixtures, visual merchandising); useful to apparel/accessory retailers upgrading stores and shop‑in‑shops.

https://shopassociation.org/ Membership: 2,000

Tax Free World Association (TFWA)

Global duty‑free and travel‑retail association whose 490 member companies include many premium fashion and accessory brands and operators; offers major trade shows and category advocacy.

https://www.tfwa.com/ Membership: 490