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Nov 29, 2017
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Gucci, Forever 21, Rihanna, and frayed jeans are 2017's big hits says Lyst fashion report

Published
Nov 29, 2017

Alessandro Michele’s makeover of Gucci continues to keep the brand in top spot when it comes to overall desirability, and Rihanna is the top influencer, while sleeves have replaced shoulders as the big fashion statement zone this year.


Gucci - Spring-Summer2017 - Womenswear - Milan - © PixelFormula



Those are the headline results of global fashion search platform Lyst’s annual fashion report. Based on tracking over 100 million searches from 80 million shoppers, it also suggest that consumers are finally widening their denim tastes beyond skinny jeans and that Meghan Markle is set to be a top influencer.

So let’s look at the report in more detail. As mentioned, Gucci remains fashion’s biggest star with the brand topping Lyst’s search list in 2017. Its logo T-shirt was June’s top search and Lyst expects its Marmont bag to be top next month.

In second place, we have not a designer brand but a fast fashion chain with Forever 21, at the complete opposite end of the price scale from Gucci, proving a popular search. Its plaid skirt topped the search list during February.

Also in the top 10 are Balenciaga and Vetements at numbers three and four, so a big vote there for Demna Gvasalia. Next come Free People. Saint Laurent, Nike, Topshop, Michael Kors and Givenchy.

TOP TRENDS

Gucci also figures in the year’s major trends because while there were more than 35 million specific Gucci searches, shoppers were also searching for Gucci-style pieces such as loud florals, clashing prints, snakes, and green and red stripes. 

Logos were also big fashion news with Gucci, Balenciaga, Loewe and Saint Laurent proving popular here alongside retro brands Champion, Fila and Kappa. Searches for these three sports brands rose 460%.

And while logos gained ground, slogans have also been a top pick with many designers choosing to embrace feminist or political messaging. “In a year of change, customers looked to fashion to express themselves,” Lyst said.

It also highlighted the appeal of ‘jet leisure’ as a trend with searches for “bright, fun holiday pieces by Zimmerman, Mara Hofman, Eugenia Kim, Dodo Bar Or and Melisa Odabash having started trending in May and remained high all summer.


Balenciaga - Fall-Winter2017 - Womenswear - Paris - © PixelFormula



Retro looks have been big this year too, taking in the 70s, 80s and 90s. That means 90s with crop tops, chain mail, and spaghetti straps, or 70s flares, mustard tones, pussy bow blouses and cords. Disco glitter boots were popular autumn party pieces and searches for sequins rose 42% from June to November. Yeezy, Off-White and The Kardashians helped to bring back the 80s cycling short as searches rose 79%.

Meanwhile, searches including the word ‘deconstructed’ peaked during July and elevated streetwear was key with items from Balenciaga, Vetements and Off-White among the cult pieces of the year.

Lyst also saw an increase in searches for tailored pieces such as blazers (grey plaid was the most popular). And there was a 24% spike in searches for women’s suits with red and pink suiting rising during September.

COLOUR AND MATERIALS

In fact, red and pink were the top two trending colours this year with searches for the former up 102% and the latter up 56%, while there were 19,000 more pink fashion items on Lyst this year.

Also strong were yellow (boosted by Emma Stone’s La La Land dress), khaki, nude, orange, silver, electric blue, mustard and rainbow shades. Both mustard and rainbow have proved strong this month.

On the fabric and pattern front, Lyst has seen rises in searches for gingham, velvet (especially ankle boots), dark florals, plaid, palm prints, wicker, fishnet, camo, vinyl and corduroy.

And shoppers were heavily into fruit with watermelon searches up 140% while pineapples, cherries, lemons and pumpkins also rose this year.

Lyst browsers also spent a lot of time looking for specific styles such as “extreme sleeves” (over 200,000 searches) and “luxe socks” with sock prices up 10% on average as consumers seems happy to pay more for on-trend hosiery. 

Meanwhile unicorn searches rose 130% on Lyst from May to September as 1,000 unicorn-inspired fashion items were uploaded and proved to be a festival season hit.

DENIM

Crazy denim has also been trending, Lyst said. That meant plastic jeans, mud splattered denim, inside out jeans, jeans with detachable legs, and zip-up crotches. Topshop’s clear plastic jeans and Vetements x Levi’s collaboration ‘bare butt’ look were the most searched of the year’s “weird and wonderful” releases.

Denim overall remained a key search with one every two seconds and while skinny jeans remained the top term, mom jeans searches rose 109%. Straight leg jeans searches rose 60% and frayed hems were strong too. Searches with the word ‘hem’ rose 200% with Vetements, Mother and Re/Done frayed hems all popular. Embroidered denim and kick flare jeans also made it into the top six denim searches.


Rihanna is the year's top influencer - Photo: Fenty Beauty



As mentioned, the top bag search was for the Gucci Marmont with the JW Anderson Pierce next, then the Chloé Nile, Cult Gaia Ark, Gucci Dionysus, Dior J’adior, Balenciaga Arena, Loewe Elephant, Simon Miler Bonsai and Off-White Binder Clip.

The top five  sneakers were the Fenty Puma Bow, followed by the Balenciaga Speed, Gucci Ace, Vans Old Skool, and Adidas Gazelle.

Meanwhile, this month’s top searched-for product is the Balenciaga Swing Puffer jacket while last month it was the Topshop Shearling Biker and in September Balenciaga Speed Sneakers.

And finally, who were the year’s biggest celebrity influencers? Rihanna was top, as mentioned, followed by Selena Gomez and Bella Hadid. Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have also been big news, while Melania Trump has figured in the mega-influencers list too. A$ap Rocky, Kylie Jenner and Emily Ratajkowski rounded out the top 10.

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