Income per Common Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Oct. 01, 2011	Jul. 02, 2011	Apr. 02, 2011	Jan. 01, 2011	Oct. 02, 2010	Jul. 03, 2010	Apr. 03, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 01, 2011	Jan. 02, 2010
Schedule of Earnings Per Share Basic and Diluted by Common Class [Line Items]
Less: allocation to participating securities									$ (1,864)	$ (1,829)	$ (1,185)
Numerator for basic and diluted income per common share:
Income from continuing operations attributable to Warnaco Group, Inc. common shareholders and participating securities									132,252	147,798	102,225
Income from continuing operations attributable to Warnaco Group, Inc. common shareholders									130,318	145,847	100,963
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes	(61)	(4,177)	(63)	(501)	(8,844)	57	(93)	(337)	(4,802)	(9,217)	(6,227)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax attributable to Warnaco Group, Inc. common shareholders									(4,732)	(9,095)	(6,150)
Net income									127,450	138,581	95,998
Net income attributable to Warnaco Group, Inc. common shareholders									125,586	136,752	94,813
Basic income per common share attributable to Warnaco Group common shareholders (see Note 14):
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding used in computing income per common share									42,425,750	44,701,643	45,433,874
Income per common share from continuing operations	$ (0.11)	$ 1.15	$ 1.03	$ 1.00	$ 0.62	$ 0.92	$ 0.67	$ 1.05	$ 3.07	$ 3.26	$ 2.22
Loss per common share from discontinued operations		$ (0.10)		$ (0.01)	$ (0.18)		$ (0.01)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.20)	$ (0.13)
Net income per common share	$ (0.11)	$ 1.05	$ 1.03	$ 0.99	$ 0.44	$ 0.92	$ 0.66	$ 1.04	$ 2.96	$ 3.06	$ 2.09
Weighted average number of shares and share equivalents used in computing income per common share									43,299,849	45,755,935	46,196,397
Income per common share from continuing operations	$ (0.11)	$ 1.13	$ 1.01	$ 0.98	$ 0.61	$ 0.90	$ 0.65	$ 1.03	$ 3.01	$ 3.19	$ 2.19
Loss per common share from discontinued operations	$ 0	$ (0.10)		$ (0.01)	$ (0.19)			$ (0.01)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.20)	$ (0.14)
Net income per common share	$ (0.11)	$ 1.03	$ 1.01	$ 0.97	$ 0.42	$ 0.90	$ 0.65	$ 1.02	$ 2.90	$ 2.99	$ 2.05
Number of anti-dilutive "out-of-the-money" stock options outstanding									338,500	363,750	436,034
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock options and restricted stock units									874,099	1,054,292	762,523
Calculation of basic and diluted income per common share (Textual) [Abstract]
Weighted average restricted stock outstanding									629,722	598,047	567,917
Segment, Continuing Operations [Member]
Schedule of Earnings Per Share Basic and Diluted by Common Class [Line Items]
Less: allocation to participating securities									(1,934)	(1,951)	(1,262)
Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member]
Schedule of Earnings Per Share Basic and Diluted by Common Class [Line Items]
Less: allocation to participating securities									$ 70	$ 122	$ 77