If you thought that 2018 was the year that Meghan Markle broke the internet when she fused celebrity culture and royal tradition by becoming the Duchess of Sussex, think again. That digital feat still belongs to one family. Yep, you guessed it: the Kardashian-Jenners.
In Lyst’s Year in Fashion Report, which ranks the fashion trends, influencers, designers and products of the year, the global search platform monitored the social media spikes and mentions generated by 50 celebrities and how these related to product searches and sales. The star who topped this ultra-influencer list is Kylie Jenner, who drove more than two million searches from consumers who viewed her Adidas tracksuits, Alexander Wang minidresses and Dior sunglasses as aspirational. To put her pulling power into context, the dress she wore to her 21st birthday party saw searches for “pink dresses” increase 107% in the following 48 hours.
How did she pip her sister, Kim Kardashian West, to the post? Jenner might have fewer Instagram followers (119 million compared to Kardashian West’s 120 million) but this year, she was crowned the world’s youngest self-made billionaire owing to her burgeoning beauty empire, as well as giving birth to her first child.
Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian West took second place, having already received the CFDA’s first ever Influencer Award earlier this year, thanks to her ability to drive trends – cycling shorts, neon pieces and retro logos can all be traced back to her wardrobe. Fendi, in particular, has seen a 16% month-on-month boost in searches since Kim posted a picture of herself wearing its Zucca monogram head-to-toe.
The Duchess of Sussex takes third place, as Lyst reports that a brand will, on average, see a 200% increase in search demand after Meghan has worn it. The terms “boat neck” and “tuxedo dress”, which have become synonymous with her style, have also become popular search terms with shoppers.
Cardi B, who was the talk of fashion week after a solid FROW attendance, and Beyoncé, who was the first black woman to headline Coachella this year, followed by an epic world tour, sit in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
With regards to the brands that set Instagram alight, the outcome was refreshingly less celebrity-driven and more grounded in sustainability. Veja and Reformation were the most popular brands on the social media platform (in first and second place, respectively), and Lyst saw a 47% increase in environmentally-aware searches, from “vegan leather” to “organic cotton” and “econyl”.
The most in-demand products – Gucci’s logo belt, Off-White‘s industrial belt and Fendi logo-printed tights make up the top three, respectively – are undoubtedly influencer-led, but even the appearance of “econyl” on the search spectrum proves that we’re making (small) strides in those dad trainers towards a more conscious shopping mindset.
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This article first appeared on Vogue.co.uk