Nike, Birkenstock beat designer labels to head latest Lyst Index

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jul 29, 2020

It’s been a weird year for fashion retail so far and Q2 in particular saw unprecedented global conditions, so it’s no surprise that the latest Lyst Index is a bit different from usual.

It shows what upscale fashion items people having been seeking out and buying and tracking online activity from April to June, it said the honest brand wasn’t a designer label but Nike.

That came as consumers sought comfort at home and bought clothing and footwear for their rethought exercise regimes. Nike (and other sports brands) were propelled by an overall 106% increase in demand for loungewear and activewear.

It’s the first time since The Lyst Index began that a luxury fashion brand hasn’t taken the top spot. Up from third place in Q1, Nike reported a 75% increase in digital sales, making them 30% of its total revenue.

But designer labels still got a look-in with Off-White having fallen from top spot but still making number two on the list. Gucci rose one spot to third and was followed by Balenciaga, Prada, Saint Laurent, Versace, Burberry, Fendi and Bottega Veneta.

Outside of the top 10, Jacquemus rose four places to make number 11, ahead of Valentino, Adidas (up eight places as it saw the same kind of boost as Nike enjoyed), Moncler, Alexander McQueen, Loewe, Balmain, Vetements, Stone Island and Fear of God (the latter rising nine places).

In terms of specific products, Q2 also saw some changes with more ‘humble’ and practical pieces. The top women’s product was the Birkenstock Arizona double strap sandals, which also reflected a genderless trend in the quarter.

The Arizona sandals retail at $99.95 and searches for them spiked 225% over the quarter, while they sold out across many retailers. 

Meanwhile the Marine Serre X R-pur face mask was in second place, signalling strong interest in protective-but-attractive masks.  

Loewe’s basket bag was third and Calvin Klein’s bralette came next. Also on the list were Cult Gaia’s Serita dress, Prada’s nylon gabardine shorts, The Frankie Shop Eva sleeveless T-shirt, the Missoma x Lucy Williams gold chunky entwine hoops, H&M’s puff-sleeved cotton dress and Nike’s court victory tennis skirt.

For men, Off-White took top spot with its arrow logo face mask, ahead of Brunello Cucinelli's double buckle suede sandals and Asics Gt-1000 7 sneakers. Gucci’s GG logo baseball cap was next, ahead of Off-White’s low vulcanised sneakers, the Balenciaga heart locket necklace, Yeezy khaki cotton trousers, JW Anderson’s Colourblock patchwork cardigan, Nike’s Air Jordan 4 retro flyknit sneakers, and Alexander McQueen’s Tread Slick boots.

Lyst said the impact of coronavirus was felt sharply throughout the quarter, although consumer confidence started to return in the final months with the lifting of lockdown restrictions in some markets. 

And it added that in June, “calls for greater equality and racial justice swept the world following the death of George Floyd at the hands of US police officers. While some brands were slow to react and adapt to the changing landscape, Nike made the most of the changed environment.

At a time when some luxury fashion brands struggled to generate as many impressions as usual with events such as The Met Gala and men’s fashion week cancelled. In a video liked over 5 million times on Instagram, Nike twisted its famous slogan to ‘Don’t Do It’ to promote its anti-racism message.