The Lyst Index Q2 2026: Fashion’s HottestQuarter Was All About Desire, Sport andSummer

If fashion has taught us anything this summer, it’s that desire rarely follows a straight line. It moves through celebrity moments, cultural conversations, changing aesthetics and, increasingly, the things we see everywhere before we even realise we want them. The latest Lyst Index for Q2 2026 offers a snapshot of exactly that. While the usual luxury heavyweights continue to dominate the fashion landscape, this quarter’s rankings reveal something slightly more interesting beneath the numbers: consumers are responding to fashion that feels of the moment. At the top of the list, Chanel remains the world’s hottest brand, holding onto the number one position. The house’s Shield Sunglasses also landed on the Hottest Products list, following a staggering 363% increase in demand. It is perhaps unsurprising. In a season built around summer dressing, the right pair of sunglasses has become less of an accessory and more of a cultural signal. Meanwhile, Miu Miu climbs two places to take second, following a 30% rise in demand. The brand’s continued ability to sit comfortably between polished luxury and a more playful, youthful sensibility has made it one of fashion’s most consistent cultural forces. But Q2 wasn’t only about the houses already sitting comfortably at the top. Massimo Dutti recorded the quarter’s biggest rise, jumping eight places to number 10 after a 43% increase in demand. Celebrity visibility during Cannes helped propel the brand forward, once again proving how quickly a red-carpet moment can translate into consumer desire. Elsewhere, Celine climbed five places to number 15, with demand increasing by 31% as anticipation and curiosity around Michael Rider’s creative direction continues to build. Phoebe Philo also made her first appearance on The Lyst Index at number 18, following a 29% increase in demand. Her growing retail presence suggests that the Philo universe is expanding beyond cult status and into something much larger. And then there’s Chloé, which climbed three places to number 11 following a 20% increase in demand — another indication that consumers remain interested in brands capable of creating a distinct world around the clothes they sell. Summer, But Make It Fashion Perhaps the clearest story of the quarter, however, is found in the Hottest Products list. Summer footwear completely took over, accounting for four of the top ten products. SKIMS Jelly Shoes saw demand explode by 2,170%, while Gucci’s Vittoria Heels rose by 1,322%. Chloé’s Jelly Mules followed with a 657% increase, alongside Massimo Dutti’s Toe Sandals, which saw demand rise by 304%. The numbers are dramatic, but the trend itself feels very familiar: fashion is increasingly drawn towards pieces that can instantly communicate a mood. Jelly shoes, barely-there sandals and statement heels all belong to that particular category of summer dressing that feels nostalgic and new at the same time. They are easy to wear, easy to photograph and, importantly, easy to recognise. Beyond footwear, the appetite for resort dressing continued to grow. Issey Miyake’s Madame-T Stole experienced a 501% increase in demand, while Zimmermann’s Daylight Dress rose by 322%. DÔEN’s Iona Shorts also saw demand increase by 96%. The message seems clear: consumers aren’t necessarily looking for a completely new wardrobe. They’re looking for pieces that make their existing one feel like summer. When Sport Becomes Style But perhaps the most interesting part of this quarter’s Index is how clearly sport continues to bleed into fashion. Demand for the New York Knicks Cap surged by 4,276%, while the Adidas x Willy Chavarria Soccer Jersey saw a 373% increase in demand, coinciding with their respective sporting moments. It’s a reminder that fashion doesn’t exist in isolation. The things we wear are often shaped by what we watch, who we support and the cultural moments happening around us. Sportswear has long moved beyond the stadium, but this season feels particularly reflective of how blurred the boundaries between sport, fashion and identity have become. A cap or football jersey can function as much as a cultural reference as it does an item of clothing. And maybe that is the real story behind the Q2 Lyst Index. The brands winning right now aren’t simply selling clothes. They are selling participation in a moment. Whether that means wearing Chanel sunglasses, slipping into jelly shoes, carrying a summer stole or putting on a football jersey, fashion consumers are increasingly buying into the feeling attached to an object. Luxury still matters. Celebrity still matters. But so does context. Because ultimately, the hottest products aren’t always the most expensive ones. They’re the ones that manage to capture exactly what people want to feel right now.