Published
Jan 26, 2022
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Lyst Index: Balenciaga tops ranking, cold weather clothes and partywear all strong

Published
Jan 26, 2022

Q4’s Lyst Index saw a trio of power brands in the top spots but also a significant faller and one major name leaping six places, possibly due to the return of winter sports in Europe after two years in which the season was dented by the pandemic.


Moncler



Balenciaga stayed firmly in number one position after a few high-profile months in which Demna Gvasalia was celebrated at the CFDA Awards and the label worked on an SS22 The Simpsons collab.

Kering’s Gucci was second, also in a period driven by collabs (with both Balenciaga and The North Face). And Prada rose one place to be number three, a move that underlined the label’s comeback in recent years. 

Louis Vuitton was also up one place at number four after it presented Virgil Abloh’s final collection in Miami, and Moncler leapt a massive six spots to number five. It had a busy few months as it topped the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for Textile, Apparel and Luxury Goods, launched its first-ever fragrances, collaborated with Fortnite, Hoka and Evian, and prepared for the return of the ski season as travel rules were relaxed.

Elsewhere in the top 10, Dior didn’t fare so well as it dropped three places to number six, even though it also made the most of the ski season with its first ski capsule. 

Meanwhile, Fendi was seventh, ahead of Saint Laurent, Versace and Bottega Veneta.

The rest of the top 20 comprised Valentino, Burberry, Nike (down as many as seven places at 13), Loewe, Alexander McQueen, Jacquemus (up three spots), Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, and Miu Miu scraping into the list at number 20 as it rose four places.

TREND DRIVERS

Some of the big events of the quarter included the death of Virgil Abloh whose Off-White label has taken the number one position in the hottest brands list five times. It wasn’t included in the ranking this quarter while the company came to terms with the loss of its founder. But the only brand to achieve more number one positions is Gucci, and the only other brands ever to have made the top spot are Balenciaga and Nike – all larger and longer-established labels. 

The House of Gucci movie release helped to make Gucci’s 1953 Horsebit loafers the hottest men’s product during the quarter, while TV shows Succession, And Just Like That, Emily in Paris and even Squid Game all drove “significant demand for items and styles worn by the protagonists”. 


Partywear pieces were back on the agenda for consumers - Prada



Lyst also said that the relationship between sport and fashion continued to grow, with major luxury brands appointing athletes as ambassadors, and releasing new outdoors, active and ski collections. 

And the ‘gorpcore’ trend remained popular throughout the year, with an uptick in Q4 as consumers sought technical outerwear and footwear to withstand the elements. Among the hottest products, Prada’s Re-Nylon bucket hat (boosted by a TikTok challenge with billions of views), The Frankie Shop’s quilted jacket, Arc’Teryx’s Alpha SV jacket and balaclavas from Miu Miu and Stone Island all addressed chilly weather. With health and political uncertainty rising again, “a survivalist element began to filter into fashion too”. 

TOP PRODUCTS

At the other end of the spectrum, the festive season brought an increase in partywear demand. While such styles have diversified of late to include party knitwear and pyjamas, Nensi Dojaka’s sheer tulle bustier top, Gucci and Balenciaga’s The Hacker Project crystal jacket (worn by Beyoncé) and Saint Laurent’s 68 crystal-embellished boots (seen on Hailey Bieber) were among the most-wanted specific items.

The hottest products list (arrived at by looking over 8 million items and analysing searches, sales, mentions and more) saw the Balenciaga Neo Classic small bag coming top. It was ahead of the Prada Re-Nylon bucket hat and the Frankie Shop Teddy quilted jacket. The Gucci + Balenciaga The Hacker Project crystal jacket was fourth, ahead of Prada’s padded nylon slip-on shoes, then that Nensi Dojaka tulle bustier top, the Valentino Garavani V Logo signature reversible belt, Saint Laurent 68 boots, Miu Miu crochet hood and face covering and UGG Tazz slippers.

Meanwhile for men, as mentioned, the Gucci 1953 Horsebit loafers topped the list, ahead of Omega’s Seamaster Diver 300 Watch, Prada’s Re-Nylon puffer jacket, Moncler’s Cuvellier short down jacket, and the Fear of God Essentials hoodie. Off-White Out of Office sneakers were next, followed by the Arc’teryx Alpha SV jacket, Adidas Yeezy NSTL boots, The North Face NSE III Tent mules, and Stone Island’s ribbed wool balaclava.

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