Share-based payments (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 03, 2017	Jan. 29, 2016	Jan. 30, 2015
Share-based payments
Number of shares of common stock authorized for grant	31,142,858
Shares available for future grants	17,691,607
Share-based compensation expense
Pre-tax	$ 36,967	$ 38,547	$ 37,338
Net of tax	22,550	23,513	22,780
Total unrecognized compensation cost	$ 53,700
Expected weighted average expense recognition period (in years)	1 year 7 months 6 days
Board members
Share-based payments
Vesting period	1 year
Other stock option | Employee
Share-based payments
Vesting period	4 years
MSA Time Options
Options Issued
Balance, at the end of the period (in shares)	90,467
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)	90,467
Average Exercise Price
Balance at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 19.06
Remaining Contractual Term
Balance, at the end of the period	2 years 8 months 12 days
Intrinsic Value
Balance at the end of the period	$ 4,900
Intrinsic value of options exercised	$ 5,300	6,600	6,800
MSA Performance Options
Options Issued
Balance, at the end of the period (in shares)	66,290
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)	66,290
Average Exercise Price
Balance at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 19.15
Remaining Contractual Term
Balance, at the end of the period	2 years 8 months 12 days
Intrinsic Value
Balance at the end of the period	$ 3,600
Intrinsic value of options exercised	$ 5,500	$ 4,900	$ 4,900
Stock options
Weighted average for key assumptions used in determining the fair value
Expected dividend yield (as a percent)	1.30%	1.20%	0.00%
Expected stock price volatility (as a percent)	25.40%	25.30%	25.60%
Weighted average risk-free interest rate (as a percent)	1.60%	1.80%	1.90%
Expected term of options	6 years 3 months 18 days	6 years 4 months 24 days	6 years 3 months 18 days
Share-based compensation expense
Pre-tax	$ 12,008	$ 11,113	$ 8,533
Net of tax	$ 7,325	$ 6,779	$ 5,206
Stock options | Other stock option
Options Issued
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares)	2,429,965
Granted (in shares)	996,984
Exercise of share-based awards (in shares)	(524,129)
Canceled (in shares)	(204,162)
Balance, at the end of the period (in shares)	2,698,658	2,429,965
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)	675,234
Average Exercise Price
Balance at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 61.19
Granted (in dollars per share)	84.73
Exercised (in dollars per share)	51.64
Canceled (in dollars per share)	75.69
Balance at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	70.64	$ 61.19
Exercisable at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 54.40
Remaining Contractual Term
Balance, at the end of the period	7 years 10 months 24 days
Exercisable at the end of the period	6 years 4 months 24 days
Intrinsic Value
Balance at the end of the period	$ 18,842
Exercisable at the end of the period	$ 12,849
Weighted average grant date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 20.06	$ 18.48	$ 17.26
Intrinsic value of options exercised	$ 17,300	$ 20,800	$ 2,500
Stock options | MSA Time Options and MSA Performance Options
Share-based payments
Vesting period	5 years
Contractual term	10 years
Performance Share Units
Share-based payments
Vesting period	3 years
Weighted average grant date fair value of awards issued (in dollars per share)	$ 84.67	$ 74.72	$ 57.91
Intrinsic Value
Balance at the end of the period	$ 12,754
Units Issued
Awards outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares or rights)	144,097
Granted (in shares or rights)	121,246
Converted to common stock (in shares or rights)	(69,393)
Canceled (in shares or rights)	(21,567)
Awards outstanding at the end of the period (in shares or rights)	174,383	144,097
Share-based compensation expense
Pre-tax	$ 7,258	$ 4,856	$ 5,461
Net of tax	$ 4,427	$ 2,962	$ 3,332
Restricted Stock Units
Share-based payments
Weighted average grant date fair value of awards issued (in dollars per share)	$ 84.56	$ 74.67	$ 57.87
Intrinsic Value
Balance at the end of the period	$ 36,713
Units Issued
Awards outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares or rights)	640,910
Granted (in shares or rights)	282,828
Converted to common stock (in shares or rights)	(340,916)
Canceled (in shares or rights)	(80,861)
Awards outstanding at the end of the period (in shares or rights)	501,961	640,910
Share-based compensation expense
Pre-tax	$ 17,701	$ 22,578	$ 15,968
Net of tax	$ 10,798	$ 13,772	9,742
Restricted Stock Units | Employee
Share-based payments
Vesting period	3 years
Restricted Stock | Chairman and chief executive officer
Share-based compensation expense
Pre-tax			7,376
Net of tax			$ 4,500