Irish designer Jonathan Anderson officially leads the world’s hottest fashion brand Loewe

Loewe is the hottest brand in the world right now. That’s according to the most recent Lyst Index report, a quarterly publication led by the fashion-tech company and shopping app Lyst.

The report is regarded as one of fashion’s greatest touchstones for understanding and measuring industry trends, and this is the first time Loewe has topped the list. Why? Much is owed to its creative director of ten years, Derry native Jonathan Anderson.

“One of the oldest luxury houses, under creative director Jonathan Anderson the Spanish brand has undergone a renaissance, climbing 13 places over the last 12 months to take the number one spot for the first time. This quarter, searches for Loewe have increased 19 per cent,” the report states.

Loewe’s Anagram tank top, spotted on Kylie Jenner, is the hottest product of the quarter, while its basket bags (you’ve seen them in every beach post on Instagram) also continue to drive global demand with a halo effect on searches for dupes online, according to the report – so much so, that Lyst granted these basket bags cult accessory status.

Other contributing factors include Loewe’s coveted Paula’s Ibiza 2023 collection, Beyonce’s standout customs looks for her Renaissance world tour (her illusive hand-printed gown elated the whole internet), and the presentation of the 2023 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in New York.

“In the attention economy, with brands fighting for relevance and front of mind, Loewe’s commitment to craftsmanship has succeeded in capturing the imagination of different cohorts of customers, driving brand heat that’s backed up by surging demand and sales for hero products online,” the report notes.

Second in line to Loewe is Prada, who topped the list for two previous quarters running, and was dethroned only this quarter by Loewe’s meteoric success. Fellow Italian label Versace takes third place, while Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta, and Valentino follow suit.

The idea of “fighting for relevance” the report alludes to can be understood in the context of Loewe’s head-turning, avant-garde and experimental runway shows which translates well on social feeds like Instagram and TikTok. Anderson has become synonymous for his left-field designs like anthurium breastplates, glitch-like jumpers, egg-splat heels, and tongue-in-cheek references.

To measure a brand’s ‘hotness’, the Lyst Index takes into account social media mentions, activity, and engagement statistics worldwide, alongside Lyst shoppers’ behaviour, searches on and off its platform, product views, and sales over a three month period. And given Anderson’s ability to have a front-row cast of Succession actors, he has nailed the pay-off of brand exposure and virality online.

The 38-year-old designer is from Magherafelt in Co Derry and founded his eponymous label in London in 2008, before being announced as the creative director of Loewe in 2013. He is described as being “internationally heralded as a significantly original talent” by the Business of Fashion.