Trends so outlandish, you need to see to believe.
We all know the power social media — namely, Instagram — has on setting a fashion trend alight and driving sales. To succeed in the feed, brands have taken advantage of creating memorable and unexpected fashion moments – memes, if you will – honing streetwear’s graphics and logos causing logomania and a 90s/00s aesthetic revival.
By analysing spikes in fashion demand throughout the year, global search engine Lyst compiled a timeline of some of the major fashion moments that had everybody trolling the interwebs to know more… Some will strike you immediately, while others may result in being puzzled. A word of caution, once you discover why Fendi’s scarf was so searched, you can’t unsee it.
2018 was a year when politics, fashion and culture felt more intertwined than ever.
Scroll for the top ten most unexpected fashion items for 2018:
1/10
Gucci Heads
Alessandro Michele’s imagination ran wild for Gucci’s Autumn/Winter 2018 campaign that saw models walking down the runway carrying life-size replicas of human heads. Inspiring many a Halloween outfit the heads were in hot demand with ‘Gucci heads’ being searched for over 1,000 times in October.(Lyst)
2/10
The Ragged Priest Backless Jeans
The ridiculous jeans trend started with Topshop’s plastic in 2017. The Ragged Priest followed this year, launching their backless jeans in January. The brand saw an increase of 167% in searches month on month and promptly sold out.(Lyst)
3/10
Ugg ‘Fluff Yeah’ Slides
Priced at $155 USD the furry slides divided the internet. While people may not have been wearing them poolside there was a 25% increase in searches for the brand.(Lyst)
But hey, if these take your fancy, you should explore the Stolen Girlfriends Club x Crocs collab from New Zealand Fashion Week…
4/10
Vetements Spider-Man Glove Dress
One of many meme fashion hits by designer Demna Gvasalia, it was viewed over 20,000 times in September.(Lyst)
5/10
Nike Fanny Pack Slides
Nike created a hybrid of two top-selling products, belt bags and slides, and the resulting shoe melted the internet. (Lyst)
6/10
Jacquemus La Bomba Hat
The giant woven hat was the subject of much controversy thanks to fashion industry watchdog @DietPrada. It sold out worldwide and kickstarted an Instagram trend for hiding behind big hats.(Lyst)
7/10
Gucci Balaclava
After Rihanna wore the Gucci balaclava to Coachella there was a 19% spike in searches for the item in 24 hours.(Lyst)
8/10
Lobster Print
Searches that included the word lobster increased 45% over spring and proved a popular choice for swimwear and beach accessories.(Lyst)
9/10
Versace ‘Joots’
In July Jennifer Lopez wore a pair of slouchy denim boots (that resembled jeans) with an oversized white shirt, adding another milestone to her memorable Versace moments list. Searches for Versace boots increased 11% that week. (Lyst)
10/10
Fendi ‘Touch of Fur’ Scarf
This Fendi scarf set the internet ablaze in October, searches for the designer increased 77% month on month. (Lyst)… Why you ask? It’s been said the pink variation resembles some lady parts. You do the math.