Kors, Moncler lead UK Google 10-year search surge, but Balenciaga is peaking now

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Dec 10, 2018

A raft of major fashion names have benefited from the rise of street fashion and luxury’s growth in the past decade with a new study of Google search data by UK-based multibrand menswear e-tailer Standout showing just how big an increase in searches some brands have seen in Britain in the past decade.

But while labels such as Michel Kors and Moncler are at the top of the table in terms of increased searches, activity around those brands actually peaked a few years ago with others now challenging them for the fastest search growth.

Standout said that Kors has seen the biggest leap in searches over the past decade (1,800%), although interest in the label peaked in 2014, a year in which it was riding high as the dominant name in ‘affordable luxury’ handbags. Its search growth began to tail off in 2017.

Meanwhile Moncler is in second place with a 1,100% increase, although again, interest in the brand was higher two years ago, despite the buzz generated more recently by the firm’s Moncler Genius initiative.

But positions three through to 10 see a number of brands enjoying higher search activity this year in particular with interest in all of them peaking in 2018. 

Balenciaga is in overall third place on the list with a 1,000% increase in search activity and that interest peaking this year. An influencer favourite, its most popular items of recent years include the Triple S Sneakers and Speed Stretch-Knit High-Top Sneakers.

Behind it is Canada Goose (+900%), possibility benefiting in the UK from the opening of its flagship on London’s Regent Street recently. Its down-filled coats continue to be the brand’s most sought-after range of products. 

Next is Tommy Hilfiger (+750%), which is riding the wave of its recent Gigi Hadid link-up and its current deal with British racing driver Lewis Hamilton.

Fila is one of the labels to soar on the back of the sports-street trend and its search activity has risen 700% over the last decade, while Champion, in eighth place has risen 500% as it exploits the same trend. Both brands have shown up in other reports as major names in demand due to the logo trend this year.

Sandwiched between them in seventh spot is Skechers (+550%), possibly benefiting from its Camila Cabello endorsement, while Under Armour is up 400% in ninth place and Dr Martens is up 350% in 10th position.

Brands seeing smaller - but still significant - rises include Versace (300%), Vans (287.5%), New Balance (250%), Stone Island (233.33%), Barbour and Hugo Boss (both 157.14%), Superdry (150%) and Calvin Klein, Louboutin and Ted Baker (all up 133.33%).

It’s interesting that both Superdry and Barbour are some way off their peak years with search activity around the former peaking as long ago as 2012 and the latter in 2011.

Those names make up most of the first 23 in the list, but also worth noting is that Gucci is in 13th place with a 231.32% rise that hit a peak both in 2017 and continues to do so this year. It shows that the Alessandro Michele look is still resonating with consumers. Alexander McQueen, meanwhile, has also peaked this year (tying for 14th place with New Balance) on a rise of 250%.

The rest of the top 30 includes Hollister, Louis Vuitton, The North Face, Levi’s, Burberry, Converse, Reebok and Ralph Lauren.