Gucci wins again at top of Lyst Index, North Face has hottest product of Q4

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jan 27, 2021

Gucci has hung on to its most-in-demand number one position in the latest Lyst Index while The North Face had the hottest product in Q4, topping both the women’s and men’s list - a first for the index.

Kering’s Gucci had been number one in Q3 too and it kept its crown during the quarter as Harry Styles wore one of its dresses on the cover of Vogue, it unveiled a North Face collab and ran the #GucciFest fashion and film festival. Overall, it made the most of digital both for marketing and sales.

There was big change in the number two spot though (and more good news for Kering) as Balenciaga leapt three places during the quarter.

But number three position saw an even bigger jump as Moncler soared 10 positions to take bronze medal. It’s perhaps less of a surprise given how busy the company was last quarter as it bought Stone Island, opened a Champs Elysées flagship and launched a collection with Rick Owens. The Italian label was also boosted partly by seasonality and the growth of puffer jackets as a category.

Overall, eight of the 20 hottest brands belonged to Kering or LVMH, and several others formed part of smaller luxury groups, proving that scale really does count.

TOP PRODUCTS

So what were the hottest products at the end of a year like no other? It’s no surprise that they weren’t party-focused as they often are at the end of the year.

For women, The North Face 1996 retro packable Nuptse jacket took top spot, followed by Birkenstock’s shearling lined Boston clogs, Bottega Veneta’s Lug boots, Chloé’s Betty rain boots and UGG’s classic ultra mini boots. That’s interesting given wider reports that footwear in general had a bad year — it seems must-have footwear items defied the overall weakness in the category. 

They were followed by the SKIMS velour hoodie, Jacquemus knitted bralette, Marc Jacobs Snapshot bag, Sleeper feather-trimmed party pyjamas and Stand Studio Nikkicoat.

For men, the same North Face jacket topped the list in what was clearly a great season for the outerwear brand. After that came the Moncler Sassiere down jacket, UGG Scuff Deco slippers, Stone Island Crinkle Reps NY down jacket, and Nike Tech Fleece full-zip hoodie.

Next came another Moncler piece — the Montcla down jacket, then Birkenstock Boston clogs, Canada Goose Garson down vest, On Running Cloud X sneakers, and Balmain 3D effect logo sweatshirt. 

What do these items tell us? Lyst said that in Q4, “shoppers sought comfort and protection. Puffer jackets are a breakout category, with searches increasing by 174%, driven by an increase in walking and outdoor socialising”. That North Face Nupste jacket was helped by its more accessible pricing than labels such as Moncler and Canada Goose, but also by its 1990s look, its buzz on social media and celebrities including Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski being photographed wearing it. 

Slippers and clogs were another breakout category, with searches up 242% year-on-year. Searches for Birkenstock’s shearling-lined Boston clogs increased 367%. 

Lyst also said that with demand still focused on active and casualwear, searches for hoodies rose 71% year-on-year and that Netflix habits continued to inspire shoppers. Marc Jacobs’ Snapshot camera bag was helped by being featured in Emily in Paris, while Stand Studio’s Nikki coat “brings to mind chess boards and The Queen’s Gambit”.

And reflecting the times we live in, the Jacquemus Le bandeau Valensole knitted bra top “occupied a hybrid space between loungewear and going out wear”. Similarly, Sleeper’s party pyjamas “reflected the growing demand for dressier casualwear and soft tailoring”. 

Lyst said that despite many parties being cancelled, with searches for sequins down 77% and stilettos down 12% year-on-year, “shoppers still had an appetite for products that evoke fantasy and let them dress up at home”.