As the year draws to a close, it's time to look back at some of the high-profile women who have shaped our buying decisions over the past 12 months. Global fashion search platform Lyst has named and ranked the most influential celebrities in fashion by monitoring spikes in demand and social media mentions generated by 50 global superstars during the course of 2018, by looking at search and sales response to some of their most talked-about outfits.
This article originally appeared on Harper's Bazaar UK.
Be it oversized hoodies or dramatic ballgowns, Ariana Grande's fans continue to be fascinated by her wardrobe picks. She has driven thousands of searches for her favoured brands, including Reebok, Burberry and Vera Wang this year, while searches for oversized hoodies - an Ariana signature - are up 130 per cent year-on-year.
One of today's most daring, irreverent and playful sartorial taste-makers, Rihanna proved her fashion influence again in 2018. The bold fuchsia dress-cum-body by Saint Laurent that she wore on her 30th birthday sold out worldwide, and even the unusual knit Gucci balaclava that she used to disguise herself at Coachella consequently rose 19 per cent in sales.
Blake Lively is known for her sense of style, but this year she focused on tailoring - a nod to her suit-wearing character in A Simple Favour, directed by Paul Feig (who is also never not in a sharp three piece suit). Her cream striped double-breasted two-piece by Ralph Lauren inspired over 4,000 searches for Ralph Lauren suits the following week.
In September this year, fashion influencer Chiara Ferragani got married in three Dior gowns - a wedding that was widely publicised on social media, making Dior a serious amount of money in the process. As a result, Lyst noticed a 109 per cent increase in searches for the French fashion brand the following week.
Related article: Chiara Ferragni's Wedding Dress Is More Influential Than Meghan Markle's
Serena Williams' tennis outfits caused controversy back in August, after her Lycra catsuit was deemed a step "too far" for the dinosaur-like head of the French Tennis Federation. Her Off-White x Nike ensemble prompted a surge in demand for black tennis outfits week on week and searches for ‘black tennis skirts’ and ‘black tennis dresses’ increased by 108 per cent.
Beyoncé attracted international acclaim when she headlined Coachella, becoming the first black woman to ever do so. Her decision to wear a custom Balmain yellow cropped sweater caused a 58 per cent rise in searches for Balmain hoodies. Her pink suit from the viral Apeshit video inspired a surge in pink suit searches over the summer.
Cardi B speaks to a young audience that are endlessly impressed by her bold, high-octane looks. Her wardrobe choices prompt search spikes for any respective brand, from Christian Siriano to Jeremy Scott. It's not just the luxury market that benefits from her influence - on the high street her support for FashionNova has helped supercharge searches for the affordable retailer.
This time last year the then-Meghan Markle was a newly-engaged woman preparing to be inducted into the royal family. Flash forward 12 months and she's a married duchess with a baby on the way. Part of the appeal with the former Suits actress is her polished yet modern look that deviates from the more traditional style favoured by the royal family. Her wedding dress choices caused huge spikes in searches for both Givenchy and StellaMcCartney, while her daytime looks have also inspired millions of shoppers to try a ‘boat neck’ or ‘tuxedo dress’. On average, if Meghan wears a designer, Lyst reports that brand will see a +200 per cent increase in search demand over the following week.
Related article: Meghan Markle Wore A Rather Revealing Evening Look
Kylie Jenner might now have the edge when it comes to fashion, but sister Kim Kardashian still has the power to boost sales through her fashion choice. She helped revive the Fendi logo when she posted a photo dressed head-to-toe in the FF “Zucca” monogram, helping boost searches by 16 per cent month on month.
Her style might not necessarily appeal to those over the age of 25, but the numbers don't lie; Kylie Jenner is officially the most influential celebrity of the year in terms of style. The reality TV star and beauty entrepreneur has driven more than two million searches this year, from Adidas tracksuits and Dior sunglasses to Victoria's Secret underwear and Alexander Wang mini dresses. The pink mini dress that she wore to her birthday party saw searches for ‘pink dresses’ increase 107 per cent in the following 48 hours.
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