Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Policies - Additional information (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Summary of Significant Policies - Additional information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Jan. 03, 2015
Customer
Dec. 28, 2013
Dec. 29, 2012
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Net foreign currency transaction gains (losses) $ 6.1us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossRealized $ 9.1us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossRealized $ 18.6us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossRealized
Cash equivalents 585.9us-gaap_CashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 474.0us-gaap_CashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue  
Advertising expense 713.7us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 671.3us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 585.2us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
Corporate advertising expense 62.6vfc_CooperativeAdvertisingCosts 58.6vfc_CooperativeAdvertisingCosts 51.7vfc_CooperativeAdvertisingCosts
Shipping and handling cost 309.9us-gaap_ShippingHandlingAndTransportationCosts 298.5us-gaap_ShippingHandlingAndTransportationCosts 269.1us-gaap_ShippingHandlingAndTransportationCosts
Royalty expenses $ 13.2us-gaap_RoyaltyExpense $ 13.4us-gaap_RoyaltyExpense $ 12.6us-gaap_RoyaltyExpense
Number of largest customers 10vfc_NumberOfLargestCustomersAccountedForPortionOfRevenue    
Ten largest customers as a percentage of total revenue 20.00%vfc_EntityWideRevenueMajorCustomerPercentageOfRevenue    
Sales as Percentage of revenue by largest customer 8.00%vfc_SalesToLargestCustomerAccounts    
Minimum      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets 3 years    
Minimum | Machinery and Equipment      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 3 years    
Minimum | Real Estate      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Leases term 3 years    
Minimum | Equipment      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Leases term 2 years    
Maximum      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets 30 years    
Maximum | Machinery and Equipment      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 10 years    
Maximum | Building      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 40 years    
Maximum | Real Estate      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Leases term 15 years    
Maximum | Equipment      
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Leases term 5 years