It is hard to measure fashion. What does well on the runway might not top the charts in sales. Global search platform Lyst has boldly come up with a way to rank luxury fashion brands. The Lyst Index is a quarterly ranking of the hottest brands and products in fashion. We are using their data to make our own fashion brands 2019 list.
Lyst uses several factors to compile their rankings. First, they analyze the behavior of over 5 million shoppers a month by compiling their searching browsing, and buying habits. The formula includes data from all over the globe. They also factor in social media metrics such as brand follow growth and multi-platform metrics. Internet virality plays a large role in the success of a fashion brand. Here are the top five performing luxury fashion brands who we should watch in 2019.
Off-white
The brand describes itself as “OFF-WHITE c/o VIRGIL ABLOH™: Defining the grey area between black and white as the color Off-White™.” The rise of luxury streetwear has propelled this line to the top spot on Lyst’s fashion brands 2019 list. For the fall/winter season, Virgil Abloh has already successfully introduced sell-out sneakers in a popular collaboration with Nike. His line dressed Serena Williams for the US Open, too. Multiple collaborations with established names like Mykonos and Ikea have established his credibility. Off-white’s SS19 show in Paris was athletics-inspired and very well received. Look to see more of this superstar brand next year.
Gucci
Gucci slipped to second place on the luxury fashion brands Lyst Index after holding on to first place for most of 2018. For the new 2019 Cruise collection, Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele has brought back a grungy, 1980s inspired vibe. “There is a different kind of fashion and beauty, that’s complex, it’s an aesthetic anarchy where everyone belongs,” is how he explains it. Current season products, like the Fall 2018 collection and the Sylvie bag, are selling well. A highly anticipated first collaboration with the legendary Dapper Dan has also generated a lot of buzz for this iconic fashion house.
Balenciaga
Balenciaga has held steady in the number three spot on Lyst’s Index of top luxury fashion brands and looks to remain a fashion favorite in 2019. Demna Gvasalia, the creative director at Balenciaga since 2015, has brought the brand back to the forefront.
Fashion to me is a mirror, a reflexion of what’s going on around us. This is manifested in the collections. Daily life is what speaks to people, everyday life. They are Balenciaga archives transposed from the 1950s to today, adapted to 2018, 2019, to the future.
Balenciaga’s fashions break the rules, and fashion shoppers love it. A new track shoe exclusive with Selfridges and the Volt Triple S are two releases to watch for in 2019.
Prada
Prada made the leap from the tenth spot to fifth place on the fashion brands 2019 list. The relaunched Linea Rossa line is doing extremely well with both loyal customers and new fans of the iconic fashion house. Patrizio Bertelli, chief executive officer (CEO) of Prada Group and husband to Miuccia Prada, recently stated that “a new phase of progress has begun in which Prada can deliver its full potential.” Customers certainly agree. We look forward to seeing more exciting new products from Prada in 2019.
Versace
The iconic Italian fashion brand Versace bumped up one spot to sixth place partly due to headlines. Michael Kors Holdings officially announced that they had acquired Versace in September of this year.
The acquisition of Versace is an important milestone for our group…We believe that the strength of the Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo brands, and the acquisition of Versace, position us to deliver multiple years of revenue and earnings growth.
It will be intriguing to see what impact, if any, this new relationship has on the brand. Celebrity endorsements from Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, and Blake Lively have spiked the number of searches for Versace products. Versace will enter the streetwear market in 2019 thanks to a collaboration with Kith.
These luxury fashion brands will be the ones to watch in 2019. Part of their enduring appeal is that they wisely opt to collaborate with rising stars in the design world to maintain their relevance. Trends in fashion brands 2019 are continuing as you can see in our post about Los Angeles Fashion week trends.
