Balenciaga ranked hottest brand in The Lyst Index Q3 2021

Kering-owned Balenciaga reintroduced haute couture, collaborated with video game Fortnite, and teamed up with Kanye West for the launch of his Donda album. Celebrities including Rihanna and Kim Kardashian wore Balenciaga to the Met Gala, catalysing countless memes and social media posts. Searches for the brand spiked 505 per cent following the event.

Topping the women’s hottest products list is Prada’s raffia tote bag. Influencers posted numerous Prada bags on social media throughout the quarter, including versions in nylon, terry and with crystal embellishment, but the raffia style captured shoppers’ imaginations. The bag also aligns with the Tik-Tok craze for crochet, as trends continue to emerge from social media first.

On the men’s hottest products list, a pair of Yeezy shoes takes top spot for the second consecutive quarter. The Yeezy foam runners first dropped last summer, but searches spiked by 411 per cent in the third quarter this year.

The increase was driven by the release of two new colours, as well as the continued surge in demand for rubber and resin footwear.

Italian luxuty fashion house Bottega Veneta’s terry slides and British fashion label JW Anderson’s chain mules are both included in the women’s hottest products list, while brands such as Birkenstock and Crocs remain popular.

In-person fashion shows made a comeback in the third quarter, while star-studded events including the Met Gala, the Emmys and the VMAs generated buzz. Consumers attended more social gatherings and sought dressier styles, as well as resort wear.

Sporting moments including the Olympic Games and the US Open also inspired consumers during the third quarter of this year. The Nike sneakers worn by Emma Raducanu are the fourth hottest women’s product, with searches for Nike tennis shoes rising by 86 per cent after the teenage player won the title.

At the other end of the footwear spectrum, searches for high heels increased by 177 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2020, as demand for going-out styles grew. Versace’s towering Medusa Aevitas platforms, worn by celebrities including Ariana Grande, Beyoncé and Dua Lipa, were the second hottest women’s product.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)