Italy’s Gucci was the hottest brand on the planet in the third quarter of this year, according to The Lyst Index, a quarterly ranking of fashion’s hottest brands and products. It was followed by Italy’s Off-White, US brand Nike and Prada respectively. Paris-based fashion house Balenciaga was ranked fifth, Italy’s Fendi was ranked sixth and Versace seventh.
The rest in the top ten were French luxury fashion brand Saint Laurent and Italy’s Bottega Veneta and Valentino.Italy's Gucci was the hottest brand on the planet in the third quarter of this year, according to The Lyst Index, a quarterly ranking of fashion's hottest brands and products. It was followed by Italy's Off-White, US brand Nike and Prada respectively. Paris-based fashion house Balenciaga was ranked fifth, Italy's Fendi was ranked sixth and Versace seventh.#
When Gucci livestreamed its Epilogue collection in July, worldwide views exceeded 35 million, making it the brand’s most-watched digital event ever. On Lyst, page views for Gucci increased by 52 per cent in the third quarter year-on-year, London-based fashion shopping platform Lyst said on its website.
Jacquemus, which is 11th hottest brand following its rapid ascent, was among the first to hold a socially distanced fashion show since the crisis began. Set in a wheat field outside Paris, the show yielded a rich crop of social media posts despite the limited number of attendees. Demand for the brand rose by 186 per cent in the 24-hours following the event.
The coronavirus pandemic continues to upend the fashion industry and change consumers’ habits, but fashion isn’t going out of fashion, according to Lyst.
Shoppers are willing to spend on brands that spark excitement and joy, while categories like bags and high heels are rising again, global uncertainty notwithstanding, it added.
If early lockdown saw consumer confidence falter, and preferences pivot towards loungewear and activewear, the third quarter of the year painted a sunnier picture, all things considered. A greater proportion of spending is happening online, there is still a bias towards less formal styles, and brands which lack a distinctive personality are suffering.
But for those which combine a strong point of view with a robust approach to digital, there is reason for optimism, Lyst said.
Fashion thrives on reinvention, and brands across the spectrum stepped up to innovate as it became clear that coronavirus and social distancing weren’t going anywhere fast. From releasing products suited to increasingly home-based lifestyles—Versace’s personalised bathrobes and Loewe’s line of home fragrances—to adapting how their collections are shown and marketed, the third quarter’s hottest brands rose to the challenge, Lyst observed.
Collaborations have long been a tactic for brands to scale awareness and expand their audiences, and this quarter was no exception. From Valentino and Levi’s to Prada and Adidas, a wave of new and existing partnerships were released or announced. Now more than ever, the hottest brands see strength in togetherness.
The tie-up between Nike Jordan brand and Dior on a range of sneakers that dropped in July will surely be a contender for the most-hyped fashion moment of the year.
While familiar names dominate the top of the hottest brands list, shoppers also sought smaller and newer established labels — particularly those with buoyant creative energy, and a purpose that resonates.
Marine Serre makes its first appearance in the top 20, and is also the fastest rising brand this quarter, having climbed 10 places. LA-based Fear of God moves up 1 place to become the 19th hottest brand, after entering The Lyst Index for the first time in the second quarter this year.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)