Fashion’s Hottest Brands and Products Q2 2021
The Lyst Index is a quarterly ranking of fashion’s hottest brands and products. Lyst is a global fashion shopping platform, used by more than 150 million people each year to browse, discover and buy items from 17,000 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.
Q2 2021
Hottest Brands
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1
Gucci
- Joined up with Balenciaga in Aria collection
- Launched #GucciBeloved campaign with James Corden
- Introduced new Gucci Décor homeware line
1 -
2
Dior
- Showed Cruise 2022 collection in Athens
- Unveiled menswear collection with Sacai
- Transgender personality Jin Xing featured in fragrance campaign
3 -
3
Nike
- Debuted Air VaporMax 2021 with 40% recycled content
- Naomi Osaka’s second collection launched
- Closed all US operations to commemorate Juneteenth
2 -
4
Louis Vuitton
- Showed Cruise 2022 at Axe Majeur near Paris
- BTS joined as brand ambassadors
- Worn by Amanda Gorman on US Vogue cover
7 -
5
Prada
- Opened over 30 Prada Outdoor pop-ups
- Formed Aura Blockchain Consortium with LVMH and Cartier
- Presented second edition of Sea Beyond with IOC-UNESCO
6 -
6
Balenciaga
- Released Pride collection supporting The Trevor Project
- Unveiled latest Crocs collaboration
- Launched podcast to inaugurate official Spotify account
4 -
7
Moncler
- Announced 21% increase in revenue
- Appointed Gino Fisanotti Chief Brand Officer
- Launched latest Craig Green Genius collection based on idea of contrasts
5 -
8
Bottega Veneta
- 2nd edition of Issued By Bottega magazine released
- Reported 20% revenue growth
- Rappers Skepta, Slowthai and Little Simz fronted Wardrobe 02 collection
8 -
9
Saint Laurent
- Romeo Beckham featured in F/W ‘21 campaign
- Reported 19% revenue growth
- Opened flagship store in Seoul
9 -
10
Versace
- Launched Pride collection to support Born This Way Foundation
- Opened flagship store in Prague
- Worn by Ariana Grande on The Late Late Show
11 -
11
Fendi
- Debuted Fendi Summer Vertigo line with artist Sarah Coleman
- Opened pop-up Fendi Caffès in Milan and Miami
- Launched new pet travel collection for dogs
13 -
12
Burberry
- First luxury brand to pledge becoming Climate Positive by 2040
- Announced partnership with Blankos Block Party game
- Olympia bag campaign featured FKA twigs
12 -
13
Off-White™
- Revealed latest Nike Dunk collaboration
- Opened stores in Paris and Ibiza
- Kid Cudi wore an Off-White dress on Saturday Night Live
10 -
14
Alexander McQueen
- Unveiled F/W ‘21 collection, Anemones
- Dressed Viola Davis for the Oscars
- Launched new Curve bag
15 -
15
Valentino
- Craig Green reworked Rockstud X sneakers
- Dressed Zendaya for the Oscars
- Pledged to go fur-free
14 -
16
Loewe
- Ran Loewe Weaves project reaffirming commitment to craft
- Announced 2021 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize
- Opened seasonal stores in Ibiza and St Tropez
16 -
17
Givenchy
- Launched the 4G bag designed by Matthew M Williams
- Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid featured in S/S '21 campaign
- Worn by Elon Musk on Saturday Night Live
17 -
18
Balmain
- Netflix documentary Wonder Boy followed creative director Olivier Rousteing
- Launched Balmain Sneaker Hub
- Collaborated with Maluma on capsule collection
19 -
19
Jacquemus
- Showed in-season La Montagne collection
- Launched summer capsule with MyTheresa
- Simon Porte Jacquemus announced his engagement on Instagram
18 -
20
Rick Owens
- Launched upcycled collection with Swampgod
- Revealed latest Birkenstock collaboration
- Dropped three new styles with Dr Martens
24
A Turning Point for Fashion?
The pandemic is far from over, but consumers were in a very different mindset in the second quarter compared to the same period in 2020. Searches for dresses increased 371%, sunglasses 198% and beachwear 192%, as the TSA reported the highest number of travellers in the US since March 2020. In key markets, the roll-out of vaccinations and lifting of lockdown saw demand increase for dressier styles, as well as items associated with travel and leisure.
Gucci retains its position as the world’s hottest brand for the fourth successive quarter, while Dior and Louis Vuitton climb in the ranking based on the strength of the external data which The Lyst Index considers. Nike remains high on the list, occupying a unique intersection between style and sport, while Prada moves into 5th place following a succession of influencer-approved products trending throughout the quarter.
With more events and performances taking place, celebrities and influencers were also a key force for driving demand. Among the quarter’s hottest products are The Attico’s zebra print bikini, worn by Hailey Bieber and Dua Lipa; Rodarte’s daisy print dress, seen on Kendall Jenner and Selena Gomez; and Marine Serre and Mugler’s bodycon pieces, worn by Cardi B, Kylie Jenner and Doja Cat.
Gen Z is also a powerful force in fashion, with several trends associated with this cohort coming to the fore in Q2 – in many cases being adopted by older consumers too. From specific items such as Nike’s Air Force One sneakers – the quarter’s hottest women’s product – to movements such as softcore and mermaidcore, consumers born after 1996 are often setting the style agenda. Nascent trends sometimes emerge on TikTok and other social media platforms, before spreading into the mainstream. Rubber and resin footwear is another breakout trend, with demand rising 214% quarter-on-quarter. Balenciaga and Crocs’ latest collaboration went viral in June, while Gucci’s rubber sandals make the hottest women’s products list. The rise of gender-fluid fashion has also been gathering pace, with Thom Browne’s pleated skirt and Fendi’s Baguette bag appearing in the hottest men’s products list; searches relating to agender fashion rose 46% during the quarter.
Normality is starting to return to some consumers’ lives, but as the industry looks ahead to a post-coronavirus future, structural changes continue apace – in many cases catalysed and accelerated by the pandemic. Digital continues to be an area of rapid evolution and untapped potential for the industry, in terms of both commerce and brand building. During the quarter, a NFT-linked hoodie sold for $26,000 and Gucci hosted a virtual garden in the gaming platform Roblox, just two examples of a new dawn in fashion.
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.
Q2 2021
Hottest Women's Products
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Nike Air Force One sneakers
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Bottega Veneta mini Jodie bag
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Jacquemus Le bob Artichaut hat
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Prada organic denim top
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Marine Serre Fuseaux Moonfish leggings
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The Attico zebra print bikini
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Gucci rubber sandals
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Versace Trésor De La Mer swimsuit
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Mugler sheer panel bodysuit
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Rodarte daisy print dress
Q2 2021
Hottest Men's Products
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Adidas YEEZY slides
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Off-White Virgil sunglasses
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Prada PRAX 01 sneakers
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Versace Barocco swim shorts
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Dior Futuristic sunglasses
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Fendi Baguette bag
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Nike Killshot OG SP sneakers
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Gucci horsebit leather loafers
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2 Moncler 1952 logo T-Shirt
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Thom Browne pleated skirt
To request information or images relating to the Lyst Index please contact press@lyst.com
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