It’s official: these are the hottest fashion pieces and brands of the decade

Fashion


It’s official: these are the hottest fashion pieces and brands of the decade

By Billie Bhatia

6 years ago

From Isabel Marant’s Beckett trainers to Alexander McQueen’s skull scarf, which of these now iconic pieces from the last decade did you manage to bag? 

There have been some truly iconic moments in fashion over the past decade. From jaw-dropping red carpet moments (thank you Rihanna for being the gift that keeps giving) to cult items we didn’t think we could exist without (hi, Isbael Marant Beckett trainers). 

Now global fashion search platform Lyst has revealed the hottest products of the decade – based on global fashion search, sales data and social media mentions.

This year’s hottest products don’t need much of an introduction as they have no doubt been flooding your Instagram feed all year long (Bottega Veneta, anyone?), but do you remember what was popular in the past? 

Sit back, reminisce, and rejoice when you go through this list and realise all that obsessing finally paid off because you bagged one of hottest products of the decade. 

2010

Fashion lost one of its brightest starts in 2010 when Alexander Lee McQueen passed away. Desperate to get their hands on part of his legacy, fans rushed to by his trademark skull printed scarf. In fact the demand was so high that sales increased by 1,400% in the days after his death.

Alexander McQueen scull scarf

Credit: Alexander McQueen scull scarf

Alexa Chung was the girl of the year with her inimitable style changing the way we dressed forever (no really, she’s why you wear denim cut offs and Hunter boots to Glastonbury). In an ode to the style maverick, Mulberry debuted its incredibly successful Alexa bag – a satchel of sorts, but cooler, naturally. 

Mulberry Alexa handbag

Credit: Mulberry Alexa handbag


2011

2011 was a big year for accessories, Valentino launched its Rockstud collection and transformed thousands of feet into party-ready feet. The commercial success of the collection meant that Valentino continues to produce the Rockstud pieces year after year. 

Valentino Rosckstud shoe

Credit: Valentino Rosckstud shoe

Celine (still under the creative direction of Phoebe Philo) dropped its Trio bag, which became the sartorial symbol for any true normcore adopter. (You can still spot an OG normcore dresser by their now worn in but still incredibly chic Trio bag; the Stylist fashion desk holds two such bags). 

Celine Trio handbag

Credit: Celine Trio handbag


2012

This was the year when Rihanna took the crown for most talked-about fashion influencer after her Unapologetic album launched, and the UK was gripped by London’s 2012 Olympics. 

Ultimate French cool-girl, Isabel Marant created wedged trainers – the shoe we never knew we needed – and people around the world lost their minds (myself included). A wedged trainer, I mean how did that not exist before? The Beckett trainer was a cult buy that might not be reprised, but at least we will always have 2012. 

Isabel Marant Beckett trainers

Credit: Isabel Marant Beckett trainers

Goyard’s classic tote bag superseded Louis Vuitton’s Never Full as the bag to be seen with. In fact, if you head to any Goyard boutique now you will be greeted with the same sized queue as 2012, making it a true investment piece.  

Goyard St Louis tote bag

Credit: Goyard St Louis tote bag


2013

The year was 2013 and Cara Delevigne’s eyebrows were so famous they caused a fall in tweezer searches according to Google data, and were front and centre in almost every fashion advertising campaign.

After Phoebe Philo’s runway success with the Trio bag, the designer came through with another Celine smash hit courtesy of the skate shoe. Coming in a hi and lo top style as well as range of colours and fabrications, the skate shoe was found on every stylish foot in fashion. 

Celine skate shoe

Credit: Celine skate shoe

While it was all simple on the feet, bags took a different turn. Alexander Wang’s heavily studded Rocco bag was 2013’s most-desired. (Even if you had to be incredibly strong to carry it around all day). 

Alexander Wang Rocco bag

Credit: Alexander Wang Rocco bag


2014

A young Kendall Jenner broke away from her reality TV family in 2014 to pursue her own modelling career when she walked for Marc Jacobs in New York. From there the demand was real with Kendall appearing in numerous fashion campaigns and shows – so much so that she and sister Kylie were named by Time magazine as the most influential teenagers in the world.

Dior embellished trainers

Credit: Dior embellished trainers

But what we were lusting after? Crystal embellished Dior trainers and those Dior pearl stud earrings. This was peak Raf Simmons for Dior, who brought a modern sportiness to the French brand. 

Dior pearl earrings

Credit: Dior pearl earrings


2015

The fashion world saw its biggest shake-up yet when Alessandro Michele became the creative director for Gucci, giving the brand a whole new look. Part of his maximalist agenda were fur-lined back less Gucci Princetown loafers; despite being relatively impractical, fashion editors queued round the block for them. 

Gucci Princetown loafer

Credit: Gucci Princetown loafer

Speaking of queuing, Mansur Gavriel also caused quite the stir in 2015 with its minimalist bucket bag. Coming in a range of colours and with close to no branding, the new accessories brand found a sweet spot in the fashion community. 

Mansur Gavriel bucket bag

Credit: Mansur Gavriel bucket bag


2016

There was a lot going on in fashion in 2016; the industry became obsessed with Vetements – the underground Paris collective which saw its leader Demna Gvasalia become the creative director for Balenciaga. But before that moment the cooler-than-cool brand teamed up with an unlikely co-conspirator, DHL, to create a t-shirt that totally divided fashion camps. 

Vetements x DHL t-shirt

Credit: Vetements x DHL t-shirt

Meanwhile, Jonathan Anderson released his hero Pierce bag to his eponymous label, with a design based on a pierced septum. 

JW Anderson Pierce bag

Credit: JW Anderson Pierce bag


2017

2017 brought with it a political landscape that we had never seen before with Donald Trump taking on his first year as president and Britain choosing to leave the E.U. Perhaps it comes as no surprise then that, Dior’s “We Should All Be Feminists” T-shirt took the top spot of most wanted item of 2017. 

Dior t-shirt

Credit: Dior t-shirt

Cardi B was on the money when she sang “I like those Balenciagas, the ones that look like socks” on her hit I Like It. The sock-like trainer became a street style sensation and spawned hundreds of high-street versions. 

Balenciaga Speed trainer

Credit: Balenciaga Speed trainer


2018

It was Balenciaga and its trainers making headlines again, but this time with a very different look. The ‘ugly dad’ shoe trend was the most talked about style of the year with Balenciaga’s mega chunky Triple S setting the fashion agenda for footwear on and off the catwalk. In fact it was Balenciaga making all the headlines (and all the memes) as Demna continually created talking point pieces, including that giant Joey Tribbiani-inspired jacket. 

Balenciaga Triple-S trainer

Credit: Balenciaga Triple-S trainer

When it came to bags, Gucci dominated the market with its reinvention of the ‘GG’ logo that was now emblazoned across crossbody bags, bumbags and totes. 

Gucci Marmont belt bag

Credit: Gucci Marmont belt bag


2019

And so we get to this year and what a year for fashion it has been. Bottega Veneta has been the most talked about brand all year long (I promise, it hasn’t just been me); the brand’s Stretch sandals spiked 53% on Lyst. If that wasn’t enough, its leather dumpling-like Pouch bag has sold out every time it has been re-stocked with wait-lists in the thousands. 

Bottega Veneta sandals

Credit: Bottega Veneta sandals

From the practical to the impractical, Jacquemus’ social media sensation Le Chiquito bag has also been a total sell-out. Which is quite the feat considering the things you are able to actually fit in the tiny bag are a piece of gum, a pound coin or a sim card. 

Jacquemus Le Chiquito mini bag

Credit: Jacquemus Le Chiquito mini bag

So, what will the new decade bring? 


Lead image: Getty 

Images: Courtesy of Lyst 

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