The Top Trending Brands for 2021 So Far Suggest Shoppers Are Ready to Dress Up Again
"Sweats have seen us through the past year, but many fashion-lovers are now looking to set aside the sweatpants and rediscover the joy of dressing up."
Lyst's first quarterly ranking of trending fashion brands and products of 2021 is in — and, like you might expect, the results suggest that shoppers are ready to get dressed up again.
The global shopping platform published its Lyst Index for Q1 of 2021, which covers the first three months of the year, on Wednesday. The report is broken down into three rankings: the 20 hottest brands, the 10 hottest women's products and the 10 hottest men's products from Q1. Its findings are based not only on the behavior it sees on its products (from searches to conversion rates and sales), but also Google search data, social media mentions and engagement statistics worldwide.
Gucci once again tops Lyst's ranking of hottest brands (it nabbed the same spot last quarter), which the platform attributes to a strong demand from online shoppers over the past few months, its collaboration with North Face at the beginning of the year, its upcoming centennial anniversary and the filming of "House of Gucci" starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver. Nike rose to 2nd place — up from 11th in Q4 2020 — in Q1, thanks to a "seasonal demand for fitness wear," as well as the buzzy release of its first hands-free shoe and the controversy surrounding MSCHF and Lil Nas X's unauthorized Satan shoes, according to Lyst. And Dior entered the list strong, rounding out the top three. (Big news included its Fall 2021 show at Versailles, naming Blackpink's Jisoo as an ambassador and dropping a Snapchat lens that allows users to try on sneakers.)
In terms of specific products — which it determines based on "volume of social media mentions, searches, page views, interactions and sales across thousands of online stores," according to the report — Lyst highlights the GG canvas bomber jacket from North Face x Gucci, a pre-owned Hermès Kelly bag, Bottega Veneta's Lug boot, Prada's re-edition 2005 nylon bag and The Attico's Devon mules as the top five trending women's pieces. Some of these, like the Devon mules from Attico and Kelly bags, can be attributed to celebrities being photographed in and sharing them. Interest in pre-owned luxury continues to build, Lyst adds, with shoppers seeing these pieces both as worthwhile investments and as something they can wear everyday.
More broadly, Lyst's search data shows us that there's a desire to move beyond sweatpants in 2021. "Categories such as high heels and dresses are rising, with searches up 163% and 222% quarter-on-quarter," the report reads. In a statement, Lyst's content director Bridget Mills-Powell said: "Sweats have seen us through the past year, but many fashion-lovers are now looking to set aside the sweatpants and rediscover the joy of dressing up. In the fashion industry, we're seeing a spirit of openness and togetherness, with many brands collaborating. Influencers are raising the profile of newer designers like Nensi Dojaka. Cultural moments like Amanda Gorman's role in the presidential inauguration inspired fashion lovers with her poetry and Prada ensemble. Its exciting to see optimism making a comeback."
That's not to say brands won't face challenges over the next few months: In the report, Lyst points to "economic uncertainty, the slow resumption of travel, and a third wave of Covid-19 in Europe" as immediate concerns. "Still, there are signs of consumer optimism following the vaccine roll-out and anticipated opening-up in many markets," the company writes. "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."
See the 20 hottest brands, the 10 hottest women's products and the 10 hottest men's products from Q1 of 2021, according to Lyst, below.
Top 20 trending brands for Q1 of 2021:
Gucci
Nike
Dior
Balenciaga
Moncler
Prada
Louis Vuitton
Bottega Veneta
Saint Laurent
Off-White
Versace
Burberry
Fendi
Valentino
Alexander McQueen
Loewe
Givenchy
Jacquemus
Balmain
Stone Island
Top trending women's products for Q1 of 2021:
Nike Go FlyEase racer
Adidas x Ivy Park monogram bucket hat
Top trending men's products for Q1 of 2021:
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