Q1 2021

Fashion’s Hottest Brands and Products Q1 2021

The Lyst Index is a quarterly ranking of fashion’s hottest brands and products. Lyst is the definitive fashion shopping platform, used by more than 150 million people each year to browse, discover and buy items from 12,000 brands and stores. The formula behind The Lyst Index takes into account Lyst shopper behaviour, including conversion rates and sales. It also includes Google search data, as well as social media mentions and engagement statistics worldwide over a three month period.

Q1 2021
Hottest Brands

Q4 2020

1
Gucci
- The North Face collaboration released
- Started selling digital sneakers with Wanna
- Dressed Billie Eilish and Harry Styles for the Grammys
1
2
Nike
- Reported 59% increase in digital sales
- Launched first hands-free sneakers for adaptive athletes
- Took legal action over unauthorised ‘Satan’ shoes
11
3
Dior
- Unveiled F/W ’21 collection virtually at Versailles
- Appointed Blackpink’s Kim Ji-soo global ambassador
- Launched Snapchat lens for trying sneakers in AR
–
4
Balenciaga
- Opened new store in Barcelona
- Launched glow-in-the-dark capsule collection
- Parent company Kering confirmed the brand is fur-free
2
5
Moncler
- Reported strong double-digit ecommerce growth
- Acquired remaining 30% of Stone Island
- Introduced Born to Protect jackets made from recycled materials
3
6
Prada
- Reported online sales up by >200% in FY20
- Presented second women’s collection by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons
- Held Sea Beyond ocean preservation awards with UNESCO
5
7
Louis Vuitton
- Showed F/W ’21 collection virtually in Paris' Louvre museum
- Opened new flagship store in Ginza, Tokyo
- Appointed Naomi Osaka brand ambassador
–
8
Bottega Veneta
- Debuted quarterly digital journal, Issued by Bottega
- Featured Missy Elliott in the first edition
- Reported positive revenue growth in 2020 despite Covid-19
7
9
Saint Laurent
- Catherine Deneuve and Kate Moss feature in S/S ’21 campaign
- Released S/S ’21 film directed by Gaspar Noé
- Opened new store in Frankfurt
6
10
Off-White
- Launched ‘I support Black women’ campaign with activist Trinice McNally
- Introduced Imaginary TV video platform
- Announced seven new sneakers with Nike
4
11
Versace
- Launched Medusa Power Talks on Clubhouse
- Introduced new monogram for F/W ’21
- S/S ’21 campaign features Kendall Jenner, Precious Lee and Hailey Bieber
8
12
Burberry
- Reported digital sales growth >50% in their Q3 FY21
- Recognised in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for first time
- Launched virtual store with Elle Digital Japan
12
13
Fendi
- Debuted collections designed by Kim Jones
- Demi Moore, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell featured in S/S ’21 haute-couture show
- Appointed actress Song Hye-Kyo as an ambassador
10
14
Valentino
- Presented S/S ‘21 haute-couture virtually at Rome’s Galleria Colonna
- Launched editorial partnership with comedian Elsa Majimbo
- Partnered with Startupbootcamp on fashion tech
9
15
Alexander McQueen
- Announced resale collaboration with Vestiaire Collective
- Parent company Kering confirmed the brand is fur-free
- Donated surplus material to fashion students
14
16
Loewe
- Presented F/W ’21 as a newspaper supplement
- Launched Surplus Project bags made from surplus leather
- Announced Loewe Foundation / Studio Voltaire award for under-represented artists
15
17
Givenchy
- Matthew M. Williams presented his 2nd RTW collection
- Dressed The Weeknd for his Superbowl performance
- Kim Kardashian, and Kendall & Kylie Jenner posted selfies wearing F/W ’21
17
18
Jacquemus
- Opened temporary flower shop in Paris
- Released S/S ’21 campaign featuring couples
- Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus was on GQ France's cover
13
19
Balmain
- Presented travel-inspired F/W ’21 collection
- Unveiled S/S ’21 campaign shot in Lanzarote
- New episodes of L’Atelier Balmain podcast released
16
20
Stone Island
- Moncler acquired remaining 30% of the firm
- Announced multi-year partnership with New Balance
- Partnered with Turin’s C2C festival on Stone Island Sound project
19

Outlook Stormy, with Rays of Optimism

In a quarter which marked the first anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic, ecommerce continued to be a bright spot for the fashion industry. Lyst now has 150 million annual shoppers, whose browsing and buying habits across our website and app inform The Lyst Index rankings.

Gucci retains its position at the top of the list, thanks to strong demand from online shoppers, and its ability to create brand moments which resonate with digital audiences. As the house prepares to celebrate its 100th year, further buzz was generated by a picture of Lady Gaga and Adam Driver on the set of the forthcoming, unaffiliated movie House of Gucci. Nevertheless, there is stiff competition from Dior, which enters The Lyst Index for the first time this quarter, in third place. Previously excluded because of its distribution model, the demand for pre-owned Dior – combined with the external data which the ranking considers – makes the brand impossible to ignore. Louis Vuitton also enters for the first time this quarter, despite limited distribution through Lyst.

Nike takes second place in Q1, buoyed partly by seasonal demand for fitness wear, but also by newsworthy moments, such as the launch of its first hands-free shoes. Designed for adaptive athletes, the Go FlyEase racer found broad appeal and is among the Lyst Index’s hottest products. Nike’s most talked-about moment came at the end of the quarter, though, when the sportswear giant took a legal stance against MSCHF and rapper Lil Nas X’s unauthorised ‘Satan’ sneakers. That episode raises some interesting questions about how consumers interact with – and remix – products and brands. It is also a reminder of how unplanned moments can dominate the headlines for companies strongly embedded in culture.

Brands face headwinds from economic uncertainty, the slow resumption of travel, and a third wave of Covid-19 in Europe. Still, there are signs of consumer optimism following the vaccine roll-out and anticipated opening-up in many markets. Some commentators have asked whether shoppers will divert spending from fashion to travel and experiences in the coming months. For now there are signs of pent-up demand being released for items beyond loungewear. The future for fashion brands seems a little brighter.

Hottest Products

To find the world’s hottest products, Lyst’s formula filters more than eight million items by volume of social media mentions, searches, page views, interactions and sales across thousands of online stores. We group colours for styles, and take into account global demand per volume of stock available.