Of course it wouldn’t be the arrival of New Year’s without an annual “Best Of” list, and with so many fashion brands ushering in a new wave of trendy styles and wares to the masses, 2017 proved to be yet another amazing year in fashion.
As such, we’ve put together a list of some of the top names and brands that truly stood out in the fashion world this year, breaking through the clutter with modern interpretations of decades-old favorites and ushering in new industry standards with exciting partnerships and collaborations. Below, the hottest fashion brands of 2017.
Perhaps no label left more of a mark in 2017 than Balenciaga, returning to the forefront of high-end designer wear by putting a modern, luxurious spin on nostalgic fashion classics, making waves both inside and outside the fashion scene and starting several new trends in the process.
Clearly taking inspiration from Ikea’s oversized Frakta shopping bag, the Spain-based fashion house created a designer version of the ubiquitous blue bag, ditching the cheap but sturdy polypropylene in favor of premium leather and an Italian construction, then affixing a $2,145 price tag to it. Balenciaga also ushered in several surprising footwear trends, first with their sock-sneaker Speed Trainers and then again with their polarizing Triple-S sneakers, which turned ugly and clunky beat-up “dad shoes” into a popular sneaker trend the likes of which have since been copied by everyone from established designers and sneaker players to mass-market fast-fashion brands like Aldo and Zara.
Continuing on the trip down memory lane, the recent ‘90s fashion revival has seen a return of other once-popular brands that have stalled over the years, including Tommy Hilfiger, Guess, Fila, Champion, and Calvin Klein, which has arguably stood a lot taller than the rest of late. Of course this shouldn’t come as much surprise, as the classic American label that made its name putting everyone from Mark Wahlberg and Kate Moss to Brooke Shields and yes, even Justin Bieber, into a pair of its famous tighty whities was also able to capture one of today’s hottest fashion designers as its new creative lead—Raf Simons. And while this would be his second year at the creative helms, it would also prove to be his breakout one.
Sticking hard and close to the brand’s American roots, Raf put an elevated spin on classic American staples like cowboy boots, quilted jackets, and yes, even denim boiler suits. And with a continuation of those classic Calvin Klein underwear ads now featuring some of today’s hottest celebs coupled with that ubiquitous Calvin Klein logo re-appearing with other ‘90s-era fashion logos on a seemingly endless array of apparel, there’s no doubt Calvin Klein is poised for an even bigger year ahead in 2018.
Also poised for a big year ahead is Gucci, whose use of bold, mostly animal-themed motifs first introduced under newly formed Chief Creative Officer Alessandro Michele continued to resonate with the masses in 2017, where sales grew 50% in just the first quarter alone.
Even bolder for the year were pieces sporting the label’s classic ‘90s-era Gucci logo in large print over various polos, hoodies, sweats, and outerwears. Combine that with several notable collaborations, including one with famous Harlem designer Dapper Dan and men’s luxury e-commerce fashion giant MR PORTER, and it was clear once again how effective Alessandro and Gucci have been at cementing their brand as one of today’s top fashion leaders.
Speaking of fashion leaders, reigning streetwear king Supreme helped bring luxury streetwear mainstream (to the dismay of some) by teaming up with the current king of designer fashion, Louis Vuitton, for a first-ever collaboration of its kind. From bomber jackets, backpacks, trunks, and even skateboards outfitted with the classic Louis Vuitton monogram set against bright Supreme red backdrops to cleaner duffels and accessories in red with the large white Supreme logo laid out across them, the unlikely marriage between the two was clear. And fruitful, as the items quickly sold out within hours after their release, no doubt in large part due to the seemingly endless amounts of pics posted by various celebs and influencers flaunting the fresh wares on Instagram.
Another streetwear label making the rounds on this year’s lists of top fashion brands is Virgil Abloh’s Off-White, which has officially surpassed his former employer, Kanye West’s Yeezy, in the rankings of today’s hottest fashion labels. 2017 saw Off-White partner with Warby Parker for a line of sleek, minimalist sunglasses as well as a successful collaboration with Nike, where Abloh refashioned 10 models from the Nike archive, including fan favorites like the Air Jordan 1, Air Force 1, Air Max 90, and the Hyperdunk, proving once again that streetwear has clearly infiltrated all facets of fashion, and is no doubt poised to make an even bigger splash in 2018.
