As indicated by the Lyst Inde for Q4, 2025, shoppers are prioritizing ‘safe heritage investments over seasonal experimentation. In a fiscal quarter defined by economic uncertainty and a sprawling ‘game of musical chairs’ among luxury creative directors, there is a decisive turn toward stability. For the second consecutive quarter, Saint Laurent secured the #1 position, followed closely by Miu Miu.
While the industry buzzed with debuts at Dior and Chanel, consumer demand increased by 4 per cent for Saint Laurent's sharp, consistent aesthetic. This ‘wait and see’ attitude suggests that high-fashion recalibrations have yet to convert into meaningful retail traffic, leaving the podium to brands that double down on their established design codes.
The ‘Borecore’ growth and the high street elite
The most disruptive data point of the quarter is the continued dominance of high-street major COS, which retained the #3 spot with a 60 per cent rise in demand. This trend was further bolstered by Massimo Dutti’s debut in the elite Top 20 (ranking 16th), with searches for its puffer jacket - this quarter’s second-hottest product - skyrocketing by 347 per cent. Lyst analysts have identified this shift as ‘Borecore,’ a move toward ultra-functional, modern classics like the Polo Ralph Lauren cable-knit quarter-zip, which became the world's hottest product with a 75 per cent spike in interest. From Burberry’s Nova check scarf (demand up 307 per cent) to Nike’s strategic re-entry into the Top 20 via its Skims collaboration, the data confirms that ‘emotional familiarity’ is currently the most valuable currency in global retail.
Lyst is a global fashion technology platform and shopping app utilized by over 200 million annual users to discover and purchase from 17,000 brands. The company’s ‘Lyst Index’ serves as the definitive industry benchmark, aggregating search volume, sales, and social media engagement. By bridging the gap between luxury houses and premium high-street retailers, Lyst provides real-time insights into consumer behavioral shifts across 150 countries.
