Data confirms that Miuccia Prada is the queen of the industry (you heard it here first).
While it may feel natural to suggest that the fashion industry is simply a vanity project designed to stroke egos and furnish the feet of the overtly self-indulgent label-obsessive — and to a degree that assertion would not be wholly erroneous — the business of style is, at its core, a business. As with all major trades, there are the big players, the underdogs, the investments and billion-dollar deals, and those who rise to the top quarter on quarter. With April drawing to a close and the haze of summer lingering around the corner, the Lyst Index has released the latest installment of its much-anticipated report divulging the data on the hottest brands and products from the first three months of 2024.
A fashion technology company and premium shopping app, Lyst analyses the habits of over 200 million consumers taking into account shopper’s behaviour, searches on and off the platform, and online brand traction.
In a year where discussions around the inclusion and hiring (or lack thereof) of female creative directors at major fashion houses have abounded, one woman is leading the industry — and breaking records as she goes. The 74-year-old Miuccia Prada is by no means a new name, and to insinuate that her success is a recent discovery would be to discredit decades of innovative service to her craft. However, it is fair to suggest that Miu Miu and Prada have never been as marketable and in demand as in 2024, and the data now backs this up.
Reclaiming the coveted title as the hottest brand in the world from sister brand Prada, Miu Miu has achieved a monumental first for any Lyst Index company by having three items included in the top 10 hottest items roll — numbers 1, 3, and 7 respectively. The Miu Miu x New Balance sneakers collaboration is officially the most desired item of the quarter, having sold out within hours of release. Coincidently, this is also the first occasion that New Balance has entered the index, taking the 15th spot. Searches for the footwear brand are up 17%, most likely thanks to partnerships with Aimé Leon Dore, Saleh Bembury, Junya Watanabe Man, and, as aforementioned, Miu Miu.
Also making their debut is Alaïa, with the house’s jewelled ballet flats (or Mary Jane’s — semantics!) declared the 4th hottest product of the year thus far as searches rise by 43%. It is perhaps worthy to reminisce on the enchanting Alaïa FW24 ready-to-wear collection presented in Paris back in January, hailed by online luxury fashion circles to be one of Pieter Mulier’s finest moments. This collection may have had very little influence on the brand’s consumer popularity growth (after all, they have a viral shoe, don’t you know), however, it certainly cannot have hurt.
Many factors can enact harm on a global luxury fashion brand, and announcing the departure of a beloved creative director is certainly high on this particularly exhaustive catalogue. Nevertheless, the opposite has taken place for both Valentino and Dries Van Noten, with the former announcing the withdrawal of Pierpaolo Piccioli and the latter the retirement of the eponymous designer. Searches for Valentino spiked 84% week-on-week following the news that former Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele, whose work has had a Marmite-effect, would be replacing Piccioli, assisting the brand up to 9th position on the hottest brands index. Equally, searches for Dries Van Noten surged 31%, although the house does not feature on either brand or product lists.
Elsewhere, Saint Laurent has hoisted itself up to the top five for the first time, as online hunts for Saint Laurent items following its Paris Fashion Week show went up 10%. Balenciaga’s redemption arc (whether rightly or wrongly) is succeeding, too, as the brand re-enters the top 10 for the first time following Q3 of 2022. Celebrity endorsements from the likes of Kim Kardashian, Paloma Elsesser, and Nicola Peltz Beckham have certainly aided. Moreover, Dolce & Gabbana — a brand that has been blacklisted by celebrities and fashion acolytes alike — has debuted in the 18th position. 🌀
Molly Elizabeth is a freelance fashion writer and commentator based in London.