Consumers’ lust for luxury shows no signs of waning. Global fashion search platform Lyst released Thursday its index of the hottest brands and products of Q1 2019, revealing online shoppers’ equal interest in both Italian luxury megabrands and luxury streetwear labels.
Off-White topped the list, following a quarter that saw the Virgil Abloh-designed label launch a duo of online collaborations, including an exclusive collection with Mr Porter and a reusable water bottle in partnership with Evian and MatchesFashion.com.
Familiar names like Gucci, Balenciaga, Valentino, Fendi, Prada and Versace nabbed spots in the top 10—each boosted by searches for accessible accessories like scrunchies and sneakers, and celebrity partnerships.
New social initiatives from luxury labels also caught the attention of consumers, Lyst reported. In March, Gucci launched “Gucci Changemakers,” an initiative that in part aims to help communities of color across North America. The No. 2 brand also invested $10 million in a new program to improve diversity and inclusion. Meanwhile, Prada, which ranked No. 6, responded to the blackface criticism it received for some of its products in December 2018 by announcing a new diversity council in February.
Saint Laurent saw the biggest movement up the index, jumping 17 places to round out the top 10, buoyed by an artistic collaboration with rapper Travis Scott and the popularity of its chain wallet, which Lyst says is driving sales worldwide.
And streetwear luxury labels Stone Island and Vetements continued attract attention through collaborations. No. 7 Stone Island dropped an anticipated collaboration with Supreme in March, while Vetements stayed relevant with co-branded products with Levi’s, Oakley and Reebok.
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Hot products
A bag and headband are among the most coveted women’s items of the quarter. Alexander McQueen’s oversized sole sneaker was the hottest women’s product in Q1, followed by Prada’s stud-embellished headband and Jacquemus’ $470 “Le Chiquito” handbag that is just 4.5-inches in length.
In addition to analyzing its own site searches, the report also factors in social media metrics, taking into account brand follower growth and multi-platform mentions of products, brands and related keywords—an area that Nike excelled in this quarter for its sporting hijab. While Lyst reports that searches for the hijab have been increasing since the product’s release last September, demand went up 125 percent on Lyst in Q1 after retailer Decathlon abandoned its plans to sell a sporting hijab in France. The news boosted Nike’s social mentions by 4,900 percent.
And searches for “tie-dye” are increasing. Lyst says it is one of the fastest-growing fashion search keywords of the year so far. Proenza Schouler has benefited from the psychedelic trend. The brand’s tie-dye turtleneck ranked No. 9 on Lyst’s index of hottest women’s products.