Does Gucci, Off-White or Balenciaga rule the fashion world?

Luxury fashion is having its moment in the sun. On Wednesday, global fashion-search platform Lyst released its ranking of the world’s top fashion brands for the fourth quarter of 2018, and luxury brands such as Gucci, Balenciaga and Versace dominated. This fits in with recent data from The NPD Group, which showed that dollar sales of luxury fashion in the US market have increased by 50 per cent in recent years, with substantial growth in sales of expensive apparel and footwear. Ermenegildo Zegna and Stella McCartney set the scene for eco-friendly technology “The luxury market is evolving, new brands are getting attention, and online retailer platforms are elevating the competitive landscape,” Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser for NPD, said in a statement accompanying the report. To put together the ranking, Lyst analyses the online-shopping behaviour of more than five million consumers a month, monitoring how these shoppers search, browse and buy fashion across 12,000 designers and stores online. The report also takes Google search data and social media mentions and engagement statistics into account. How luxury retail is turning to gaming to drive brand-consumer interactions Find out which brands were featured below: 10. Burberry Despite scepticism around its turnaround efforts, Lyst data shows that Burberry’s “revamped look” is resonating well with customers, the report said. The brand has come under new management after long-time creative director Christopher Bailey left last year. Burberry x Vivienne Westwood puts the punk into vintage According to Lyst, Burberry has been rolling out limited-edition drops, which are exclusively shoppable on Instagram and Chinese messaging app WeChat. These have been selling out in hours, the report said. 9. Valentino Thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow, Valentino had a buzzy start to the fourth quarter. The actress-turned-businesswoman wore a Valentino dress for her wedding in September. Valentino’s dramatic Paris offering leaves Celine Dion in tears 8. Vetements Vetements continues to hold its place in the top 10. It experienced a spike on social media after Tilda Swinton wore a red Vetements dress to the Sitges Film Festival in Spain in October. 7. Stone Island Stone Island has reappeared in the top 10 after a six-month hiatus. Searches for Stone Island products were up 122 per cent in the most recent quarter, according to Lyst, and the brand was mentioned over 327,000 times on social media. 6. Versace Versace returned to the limelight last year after it was bought by Michael Kors, now Capri Holdings, for US$2.12 billion. Versace sets men free in first show since Michael Kors buyout Capri said it plans to grow Versace’s revenue from about US$808 million to US$2 billion, expand its footprint from 200 to 300 stores, and ramp up its shoes and accessories assortment. 5. Fendi In October, Fendi launched its Fendi Mania capsule collection, which featured a mash-up of the Fendi/Fila logo, designed by an Instagram artist. Fendi celebrates ‘Fendi Mania’ collection with Jolin Tsai The launch events for this collection, which took place in nine cities, lit up social media, Lyst wrote, creating a spike in interest around the brand. 4. Moncler Moncler made fourth place on the list, and its signature luxury down jackets were included on Lyst’s hottest men’s and women’s products lists too. Moncler and Hiroshi Fujiwara launch edgy streetwear 3. Balenciaga Ugly sneakers are still in vogue, which means Balenciaga continues to shine. Would you pay more than US$1,275 for these luxury sneakers? The brand came into the limelight in December, after Michelle Obama wore a US$4,000 pair of thigh-high silver Balenciaga boots to an event in New York to promote her new book. 2. Off-White Off-White continues to be one of the internet’s buzziest brands. Founded in 2012, this high-end streetwear label is the brainchild of Virgil Abloh, who is also artistic director of Louis Vuitton Men’s. LV’s Abloh gives suit and tie a makeover at Off-White Paris show Its Nike x Off-White The Ten series was the hottest sneaker collaboration of 2018, according to Lyst. 1. Gucci Gucci reigned supreme at the end of 2018 after taking various top spots throughout the year. Its success has been attributed to creative director Alessandro Michele, who has led the brand since 2015. Michele seems to have a keen awareness of what young people want, including bright, eclectic colours and patterns that are engaging, eye-catching, and look good on Instagram, Business Insider wrote in July after visiting one of its stores. Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele, masters the art of alchemy From October to December, more than six million shoppers searched for Gucci accessories. These have become some of the most powerful products in fashion, according to Lyst. Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter This article originally appeared on Business Insider