The Hottest Fashion Brands and Products Revealed Register for free to continue reading
Fashion search platform Lyst has revealed the hottest brands and product trends for Q3 2021, ranging from over-the-top “dopamine dressing” to humble gaming accounts.
The shopping site and app are used by more than 150 million people, according to Lyst, with products from 17,000 brands and stores available.
Balenciaga was crowned the hottest brand right now by Lyst, after it reintroduced haute couture, released a collaboration with the video game Fortnite, and Kanye West incorporated it to create merchandise for his latest album Donda.
After Rihanna and Kim Kardashian appeared at this year's Met Gala in Balenciaga, sparking thousands of memes on social media, searches for the fashion brand increased 505 percent.
Other high fashion brands, including Gucci, Dior, Prada and Louis Vuitton, followed Balenciaga's lead on the Lyst list. But Nike broke through the luxury ranks by placing sixth, and the Nike shoes worn by teen tennis star Emma Raducanu became the fourth most popular women's product.
Searches for Nike tennis shoes increased 86 percent after Raducanu made tennis history by becoming the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since 1977, when she won the US Open in September.
The list of most popular products suggests that Brits oscillated between comfort and the need to make a statement with their footwear.
Searches for high heels are up 177 percent this quarter compared to the same quarter in 2020, and Versace's hot pink Medua Aevitas platforms teetered near the top of the list.
Bottega Veneta's plush flip-flops and JW Anderson's slouchy chain mules also made the women's hottest list, while men craved Adidas X Yeezy foam running shoes and sneakers Cloudburst Thunder by Prada.
The Yeezy foam runners launched last summer, but searches for the offbeat shoe increased 411% in Q3 2021 following the release of two new colorways.
But it was Prada's raffia tote that topped the list of most popular products for women, spurred by social media influencers who posted versions of the bag crafted in nylon and plush, and embellished of Cristal.
The emergence of more extravagant products has been attributed to the phenomenon of "dopamine dressing," the term used for dressing in a way that makes you feel good. Roxanne Assoulin and Eliou Circus beaded jewelry was a "featured category" on both men's and women's listings, with searches up 229%.
Furry bucket hats, which took the trend charts by storm earlier this year, remain popular, with a pastel-hued piece by Emma Brewin closing out the women's list.
The site noted that as pandemic restrictions eased in many parts of the world, in-person fashion shows and awards have made a comeback. Closer to home, the demand for going out clothes also saw an increase, as people began to attend more gatherings and social events.
