The Lyst Index, Analyzed by a Merchant
A Knicks Hat, $298 silk-and-lace shorts, a TikTok scarf — and what I was surprised didn't make the Lyst Index
Q2 2026: The Hottest Items According to Lyst
Knicks Championship Hat
Pleats Please Issey Miyake Madame-T Stole
Skims Jelly Shoe
Gucci Vittoria Thong Sandal
Chloé Jelly Mules
Massimo Dutti Toe Sandals
Chanel Shield Sunglasses
Dôen Iona Shorts
Adidas x Willy Chavarria Soccer Jersey
Zimmermann Daylight Dress
In this send: You’ve seen the Lyst Index rankings, but have you reviewed the why behind it? Here is my overview through the lens of an experienced merchant. The why behind the demand. Plus: Chanel, TikTok Scarf, Knicks in five, Kill Bill yellow, StockX, Adidas Mexico Kits, lace-lingerie-as-daywear, Madame T-stole, Voranida Rujekitnara, pierced nipple bra, and I have thoughts. Tell me in the comments what your thoughts are — any surprises? What is missing?
First Let’s Set The Stage:
What is Lyst, and what is the Lyst Index? Lyst is a fashion shopping app. It pulls together more than 27,000 brands and retailers in one place, and 160 million people use it a year to browse and buy. Every quarter, Lyst uses all that shopping activity to publish the “Lyst Index”. A ranked list of the brands and specific products that are generating the most buzz and demand at that moment.
How is it calculated? Lyst looks at three things: desire (are people talking about and wanting something), demand (are people actively searching for and shopping it), and discovery (is it spreading, showing up in social, search, and even AI shopping tools). They weight recent activity more heavily than older activity, so a brand can’t coast on last quarter’s buzz. Notably, they exclude anything driven purely by a sale or a discount, and anything driven by negative attention (a scandal, a controversy) which is meant to be a measure of genuine excitement, not just price-chasing or gossip.
What period does Q2 2026 cover? April through June 2026.
I Have Thoughts
Seeing the Lyst data on Hottest Brands and Hottest Products is like opening up a present. Did the clues you were thinking about pan out? Is it a complete surprise or did you know what was coming? I start to unravel what the items are explaining about how we are searching and shopping but then also go back to previous years and quarters to see how it all fits together, or doesn’t.
The Q2 data is no exception. It had a few surprise moments — a sports team paraphernalia making it on to the list? Of course, it’s the Knicks. But I haven’t seen something like that register in some time. And even the number 2 item threw me into an immediate detective mode.
Behind the paywall: what the Knicks hat, a $298 pair of shorts, and a TikTok scarf trend are actually telling us about how (and why) we shop. I break down the merchandising strategy behind each pick, dig back through past quarters to see what repeats and what doesn't, and connect the pop culture dots that helped place brands and items onto the Lyst Index. You don’t need to be deep in the retail industry to find this interesting. I made it fun, I promise!
