What Sold in 2020: The Year of At Home Style, Jewelry Splurges, and Classic Bags With Big Resale Potential

Which designers/brands/labels performed well for you?

[As well as the names already mentioned] Moncler, Versace, Fendi, The Row, Balmain, and Burberry.

Which newer names took off for you?

One of the brands that we’ve recently brought in is Lou Lou Studio; the pieces are relaxed, but with a more elevated silhouette. We also had a lot of success with Simon Miller.

What, for you, was the biggest shift in fashion in 2020, in terms of what connected?

The emphasis on casual dressing: less dresses, less tailoring, but more sneakers. (Though high heels with emotion did well: Christian Louboutin, Amina Muaddi.) We’ve seen a big response to chunky chain jewelry from Boucheron and Bvlgari; people are on Zoom, so they’ve been asking for pieces which are bold.

What did you find didn’t connect this year?

The whole special occasion black tie evening, very specific dressing, for obvious reasons.

What’s your prediction for 2021?

I can’t wait for 2021. We are so excited about it already. What we all hope for is that we are going to want to celebrate and have lots of moments to get dressed up again. I also think we are going to want to travel again, so we will need things to travel in, or to wear at resorts. And more bright colors; it’s time for happy clothes, happier times.

KATE DAVIDSON HUDSON, FOUNDER, EDITORIALIST YX

Which pieces were your customers particularly responding to in 2020?

I’ve seen a definite return to investment pieces and pieces with a sense of familiar iconography. It feels as if consumer behavior on the luxury end of the spectrum is somewhat of a psychological reaction to the pandemic in that as everything around us is changing so rapidly and with such rampant unpredictably, shoppers default to the most familiar options.

As a result, the heritage and legacy brands, along with pieces rendered in classic silhouettes or treatments, connected with the most resonance this year. Legacy brands such as Chanel, Hermès, and Dior, along with classic pieces including: diamond studs, tennis necklaces, and simple gold chains were the most popular jewelry investments. Consumers seemed to disproportionately favor familiar designer name brands across all categories. 

I also saw a heavy conversion rate across all categories of elevated athletic and leisure wear, for obvious reasons, as life in lockdown in many of our major markets created a new construct for how people were living their day-to-day lives. Designer derivations on classic sweat suiting options from The Row and Isabel Marant to eco-conscious lines like The Pangaia, were important players this year.