Sophie Hill, Founder and CEO, Threads Styling

Vogue: Which pieces were your customers particularly responding to in 2020?

Sophie Hill: I think there were two different elements. One we expected, and one we were surprised by and then understood. There has been a huge pivot to athleisure. The lockdown came, and everyone was really focused on what they were wearing at home and their interiors. And the second area we saw was a rise of first-time purchases in high value; that was a response to things being closed, so people were buying pieces that they would have tried on in-store.

So, people were at home, and they had time to really think about considered purchases. As well as those two trends, we saw a lot of fine jewelry and watch selling. The fine wasn’t occasion jewelry, but everyday jewelry pieces that can be worn at home or with existing jewelry. And we saw a rise in custom pieces being ordered.

Which designers/brands/labels performed well for you?

Luxury everyday pieces from Loro Piana and Brunello Cucinelli. Athleisure/loungewear from Cotton Citizen, Les Tiens, La Detresse. Relaxed day dresses from Vita Kin, Asceno, Sleeper
. Everyday jewelry from Shay, Anita Ko, and Tiffany—and high-value jewelry from Lorraine Schwartz, Bulgari, and Melissa Kaye, such as her neon collection.

Sneakers and sandals as house shoes: Yeezy sneakers, Dior sandals. Boots, the key brands being Prada and Bottega Veneta. And Bottega bags: the pouches, cassette bags, and now belt bags; they were an easy buy and on-trend.

Other highlights were: Amina Muaddi—fun, playful shoes, update on classic styles, clients love the color. Eéra: bold, colorful take on fine jewelry; Fendi: the logo styles are most popular. And, puffers: Prada and Miu Miu have been key brands; the most comfortable coat to wear this winter.

Which newer names took off for you?

Kamyen Jewelry: incredible one-of-a-kind styles, as well as layering rings and necklaces. Mach&Mach: the update on tailoring, partywear, and the shoes! V by VAK. Anastasia Kessaris: beautiful carved diamonds. And, La Detresse: the new loungewear—acid-wash tie-dye tracksuits. The latter are gender neutral and feel right for the times. A lot of values that really underpinned people going to take time to think about what they’ve been buying, especially with contemporary and sustainable brands. I think that that movement will continue and that values will only become increasingly important. This year has been about becoming much more conscious about everything—including what we are purchasing.

What, for you, was the biggest shift in fashion in 2020, in terms of what connected?

Definitely for 2020 it’s about the circumstances of where we are and where women are taking hold of that casual, gender-neutral dressing. Taking control is not all about heels. I think we will see more brands as gender neutral. People have been much less easily categorized as a style tribe; one day we might be in athleisure, one day much smarter.

What’s your prediction for 2021?

We saw the evening dress fall off a cliff this year, but people are going to want to dress up and go out when they can. There’s hopefully going to be moments of fun.

Olivia Kim, Vice President of Creative Projects and Home, and Marie Ivanoff-Smith, Women’s Fashion Director, Nordstrom

Vogue: Which pieces were your customers particularly responding to in 2020?

Olivia Kim: Retail has always been a form of entertainment, and I believe that rings truer today. Because of the pandemic and the inability to physically discover, never have more eyes been focused on e-commerce. On one end of the spectrum are customers looking for cozy, comfortable basics, and on the other end of the spectrum are customers who are shopping in Space (our boutique for advanced and emerging designers). Customers continue to vie for special, standout, silly, fun, and entertaining fashion. We’ve seen that new and emerging brands are resonating.

Marie Ivanoff-Smith: The acceleration of casualization is an obvious one. It gave way to a new level of comfort and ease, which will be hard to let go when we will be ready to go out and about. The two-piece set (sweatshirt and jogger) continues to be a best seller. In terms of accessories, it was the obvious rush to offer masks that are both fashion and function.

As the country began settling into life at home, dressing for work calls drove the demand for statement earrings, earring stacks that go up the ear, and statement chains—above-the-keyboard style. Our handbag business morphed into silhouettes that allowed for a hands-free experience—crossbodies and slings are always relevant, but these styles intensified.

[And] in footwear, comfort has been the dominant factor at play in terms of easy-on-off silhouettes. Also, lug boots and Chelsea boots have been particularly strong, allowing customers to look good going out or functioning as a fall-weather boot.

Which designers/brands/labels performed well for you?

Kim: Interestingly enough, super-buzzy, Instagrammable brands never missed a beat and if anything gained more momentum during this time. It must be the mentality of “I am bored and stuck at home, so what can I show up on my social channel that makes me and my friends/followers happy?” That definitely includes Marine Serre moon-print anything, Jacquemus Chiquito and Petit Chiquito bags, Molly Goddard colorful Fair Isle sweaters, and Vaquera teddy-bear necklaces.

Which newer names took off for you?

Kim: Peter Do and Merryl Rogge were both new collections we launched and have seen a great response. Both of these designers have come through incredible mentors (Phoebe Philo and Dries Van Noten), so there is a definite cheering squad for them, rightfully so.

What’s your prediction for 2021?

Kim: As a retailer, in particular here at Nordstrom, I’ve always loved that we can be a platform for discovery and share our point of view around relevance with our customers; that matters now more than ever. Customers want to know that we are engaged with issues that matter to them and support brands with messages that resonate with their core values. In 2021, I think customers will continue shopping with this mindset and look to brands that stand for diversity and inclusion, as well as small and emerging brands that have been most impacted by the pandemic.

Ivanoff-Smith: When predicting 2021 trends, we foresee the recent confinement impacting fashion for many years to come. We are ready to experience the joy of dressing again through vibrant multicolored prints applied to gorgeous tops and day dresses, creating a sense of escapism. Historically, coming out of wars and pandemics, we crave freedom and liberation: We predict the acceleration of sexy looks through skin-showing, formfitting bodywear with unexpected cutouts, all in comfortable knits worn with casual pants or shorts. Wear-to-work is transformed to become work-from-anywhere: Elevated knitwear or luxe lounge coordinated sets offer new alternatives to the sweatsuits. Optimistic colorful jewelry and novelty printed handbags—easy and happy accessories! Joy through a casual lens.

Maybe the most important is the anticipation of all tomorrow’s parties and how we will celebrate the holidays. We are hearing from friends who want to buy gowns and flashy sequin tops, dreaming of Great Gatsby–style exuberant fêtes. The 1920s and early-century fashion are already starting to influence the key silhouettes into leaner and languid, seductive designs. So, after all, we might live through our Roaring Twenties, and that would be fabulous!

Marco Tonizzo, Buying and Merchandising Director, Yoox

Vogue: Which pieces were your customers particularly responding to in 2020?

Marco Tonizzo: A different lifestyle changed the customers’ habits and their use of fashion, but they kept the joy of shopping. They redirected their spending to styles that catered to their new routine. We saw a surge of leisurewear/casualwear, but also accessories kept their share. Even with all the limitations of this new way of living, you can still love and buy a new bag or new shoes and share this joy with your friends through Instagram.

Which designers/brands/labels performed well for you?

Iconic designers and the designers that had a strong proposition before the pandemic remained relevant through their strong storytelling and community engagement. I’m thinking about Gucci, Saint Laurent but also Nike and Stone Island, to name a few.

Which newer names took off for you?

Among the big names that I mentioned and that are still the top sellers, we see smaller brands that are becoming more relevant recently, like Jacquemus and GCDS. Though they are absolutely different in terms of style and audience, they have in common the ability to connect very strongly with customers: For customers, buying something from them feels like being part of a community.

What, for you, was the biggest shift in fashion in 2020, in terms of what connected?

There is overall more consideration in buying. Before the pandemic, the approach to fashion was about excess. There was the urge for buying more and more and to show it off. The pandemic shifted this approach to a more conscious one. People still love fashion and buy fashion, yet they value more the styles that are long-lasting, timeless. The side effect is also reconsidering if and how their purchases impact the planet, and they appreciate it when a store or a brand offers something more sustainable.

What did you find didn’t connect this year?

Unfortunately, the circumstances forced all of us to skip events and, with them, the chance to dress up. All brands and items that once were big sellers for occasions have seen a great drop.

Charles Gorra, Founder and CEO, Rebag

Vogue: Which pieces were your customers particularly responding to in 2020?

Charles Gorra: We get a lot of data on the trends that we saw, what has and hasn’t sold, using an algorithm that lets us know instantly what people are buying. This year, there were some constants and a few novelties. Handbag resale is powered by the likes of Hermès and Louis Vuitton. We saw that all of their classic models have sold really well. That’s very much the impact of COVID; when the economy becomes more challenging, the consumer becomes more focused and investment conscious.

Which designers/brands/labels performed well for you?

With Bottega Veneta, we have seen an incredible interest in the resale side of things; some of the new Bottega bags sell close to their original retail price—80 or 90% of what they sold for. That tells you the level of interest. Daniel Lee has done an incredible job with things like the Pouch and the Jodie; they pretty much sell through instantly. And Dior has had a strong year; they’ve benefited from their vintage revival. The reissued Saddle bag has been a huge winner—and has increased the demand for the older vintage bags.

What, for you, was the biggest shift in fashion in 2020, in terms of what connected?

One interesting data point is that things sold. I would like to stress that. As a category, handbags and accessories have been quite shielded. If you look at apparel, that’s been difficult for many companies. We don’t have as many events, as many dinners. We have seen that accessories—not just bags but watches and jewelry—are quite steady. That’s a behavior we’re trying to develop: shifting from consumption to investment. There’s always going to be emotion in buying. It used to be all emotional, and now the spectrum is moving to that data point [of investing], and that’s what’s driving a purchase.

What did you find didn’t connect this year?

There have been some shifts. Those ultra-premium items, the deep five-digit items, the limited editions or exotics—those were all harder, a little bit slower and a little more conservative there [in the customer buying those]. Also, any item let’s describe as edgy or super frivolous, the thing you would have used for one night at a cocktail party. That philosophy of extraordinary items you’d use once or twice, that has slowed down a bit. And anything in between in size was less desirable: Mini bags sold well, everything that was micro, as did the opposite end of the spectrum, the oversized.

What’s your prediction for 2021?

The expansion of the resale mindset, particularly for bags but maybe across every category. COVID has fast-forwarded us two or three years in our behavior. Once the mindset shifts, I don’t see it going back. We will be thinking about the resale value but also sustainability; there’s going to be the emergence of a conscious consumer. Value-driven elements will meet societal or sustainability goals; we will join both together.

Tracy Margolies, Chief Merchant, Saks Fifth Avenue

Vogue: Which pieces were your customers particularly responding to in 2020?

Tracy Margolies: I’d say our customers are leaning into a more comfortable but put-together look. It’s neutral colors, head-to-toe knit dressings, pieces that were casual with comfort—but also fashionable. That’s really important to add. We’ve seen a rise in emotional investment pieces, from Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Balenciaga, Gucci, and Dior. Some of those sales are with classic bags, but we also saw the mini bag take off. There’s been an interest in activewear, particularly if it’s logo’d. And with shoes, it’s been sneakers, slides, and combat boots.

Which designers/brands/labels performed well for you?

[As well as the names already mentioned,] Moncler, Versace, Fendi, The Row, Balmain, and Burberry.

Which newer names took off for you?

One of the brands that we’ve recently brought in is Lou Lou Studio. The pieces are relaxed but with a more elevated silhouette. We also had a lot of success with Simon Miller.

What, for you, was the biggest shift in fashion in 2020, in terms of what connected?

The emphasis on casual dressing: less dresses, less tailoring but more sneakers. (Though high heels with emotion did well: Christian Louboutin, Amina Muaddi.) We’ve seen a big response to chunky chain jewelry from Boucheron and Bulgari. People are on Zoom, so they’ve been asking for pieces that are bold.

What did you find didn’t connect this year?

The whole special-occasion, black-tie, evening, very-specific dressing, for obvious reasons.

What’s your prediction for 2021?

I can’t wait for 2021. We are so excited about it already. What we all hope for is that we are going to want to celebrate and have lots of moments to get dressed up again. I also think we are going to want to travel again, so we will need things to travel in or to wear at resorts. And more bright colors: It’s time for happy clothes, happier times.

Kate Davidson Hudson, Founder, Editorialist YX

Vogue: Which pieces were your customers particularly responding to in 2020?

Kate Davidson Hudson: I’ve seen a definite return to investment pieces and pieces with a sense of familiar iconography. It feels as if consumer behavior on the luxury end of the spectrum is somewhat of a psychological reaction to the pandemic in that as everything around us is changing so rapidly and with such rampant unpredictably, shoppers default to the most familiar options.

As a result, the heritage and legacy brands, along with pieces rendered in classic silhouettes or treatments, connected with the most resonance this year. Legacy brands such as Chanel, Hermès, and Dior, along with classic pieces including diamond studs, tennis necklaces, and simple gold chains, were the most popular jewelry investments. Consumers seemed to disproportionately favor familiar designer name brands across all categories.

I also saw a heavy conversion rate across all categories of elevated athletic and leisurewear, for obvious reasons, as life in lockdown in many of our major markets created a new construct for how people were living their day-to-day lives. Designer derivations on classic sweatsuit options from The Row and Isabel Marant to eco-conscious lines like The Pangaia were important players this year.

In tandem, a return to the flat utility boot, Bottega Veneta and Chanel being among the top performers. Designer or legacy brand name sneakers also represent a larger share of closet space than in years past. And pure-play athletic wear, as many clients endeavored to stay in shape through home setups throughout the shutdown, also tracked with increased frequency.

Which designers/brands/labels performed well for you?

The tried-and-true legacy brands connected with the most resonance, Chanel, Hermès, Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Cartier, Tiffany, and Van Cleef & Arpels, for example, were among some of the strongest performers. I also saw an increase in beauty spend (more specifically: skin care) as it’s likely that more of our consumers’ share of wallet recalibrated during the pandemic from experiential expenditures to self-improvement efforts (fitness, skin care, etc.) as a parallel focus to investing in the heritage fashion and jewelry brands.

Which newer names took off for you?

Sustainability and, more broadly speaking, brands who build community around larger ethically conscious ideals tracked with more import this year: The Pangaia, Reformation, Prada Re-Nylon, Veja, and AllBirds, as well as clean, ethically sourced beauty, were a larger part of the consumption picture.

Beyond socially-conscious-driven purchases, the newer labels that found relevance were those that referred back to or rooted their ethos in a  derivation of more classic aesthetic archetypes, like a Khaite or Wardrobe.NYC. Think: the perfect trench, impeccably constructed knits, or a classic puffer jacket.

What, in your view, was the big shift in fashion in 2020?

I think 2020 forced the industry (and us as a company) to prioritize efficiency and smarter operating models, meaning a shift in collection production that is more demand driven and fashion shows with closer alignment to real-time customer consumption patterns, as well as a new reliance on digital innovations that are personalized to each customer.

With our YX app, once the pandemic hit, our private styling and operations team had to reengineer methods by which private styling clients could upload their digital closets onto the app without our production team being able to physically enter and inventory clients’ respective closets. The compounded need for digital born out of this year will represent a permanent shift in how consumers and retailers interact.

The one-to-one personalized correspondence through digital touch points, that also provide differentiated experiences, is what 2020 taught us will be the working formula for the industry in the future.

What did you find didn’t connect this year?

Generally speaking, a maximalist mood did not connect. Novelty statement pieces that felt charged with a sense of of-the-moment relevance or demonstrably trend driven were not among the pieces that connected this year. I think this makes sense given the inability for people to socialize and largely being confined to one’s home, the louder pieces felt incongruous with the overall mindset of clients.

Set against the current backdrop of financial uncertainty, I think even the top-level luxury clients with large pockets of discretionary income are seeking somewhat of a long-term value proposition in the pieces they are buying. This thinking naturally lends itself to the brands and aesthetics I’m seeing convert this year.

What’s your prediction for 2021?

I think as the fashion world and world at large struggles a bit to find its footing and sense of equilibrium, as the vaccine is disseminated and we emerge from this pandemic, the investment pieces, legacy brands, brands with a strong socially driven community, and luxe leisurewear options will continue to dominate.  Digital is the biggest opportunity for 2021. People will likely continue to be hesitant to go into stores through much of 2021, so I think social commerce and any funnels through which brands can connect directly with the consumer, in a highly-personalized way to replace the in-store one-to-one correspondence of yesterday, are the next frontier.

We’re seeing this all day, every day, with the YX App. Consumers are now conditioned to transact online, and we’re seeing the adoption of digital styling and shopping skyrocket following the initial shock of the pandemic. It’s the multichannel methodology that is working: live chats, image or video sharing, high-touch customer service, and social commerce. This omni-channel approach will all contribute to increased digital penetration on the consumer end. Shoppers are savvier now: They will be looking for sophisticated digital experiences that connect with them personally and provide them a curated experience that replaces the emotional lure they once sought in brick-and-mortar stores.

In the future, I believe brick-and-mortar stores will take on more of a showroom role, whereas the bulk of transactions will take place digitally. For that reason, retail needs to find a way to dovetail into a consumer’s daily life at every touch point, not the reverse. For that reason, I think 2021 will see a seismic shift in the relationship between consumer and retailer, and those who can layer a human touch onto an intuitive digital experience will win.