By now, luxury fashion lovers have become quite accustomed to the eye-watering prices of their favorite brands. In recent years, the cost of a classic Chanel handbag has tripled to £8,000, while Hermes’ turbocharged increases haven’t stopped sales from rising by 17 per cent in the final quarter of 2023. With designer dresses routinely costing more than £3,000 and even hoodies costing up to £1,800, most fashion lovers would agree that absolutely nothing will surprise them when it comes to checking the price tag of these coveted items on their wishlist.
Until I saw Miu Miu’s £600 trousers. NO; These are not “trousers” in the American sense, with a waistband, a zipper and two legs; These are features that can at least justify their cost. They’re not even Bridget Jones-esque “big panties,” but they’re about as skimpy as they come. Low hips, high legs and tight hips conjure up images of deeply bronzed sunbathers in 1980s Ibiza; This impression is further strengthened by colors such as canary yellow, pistachio green, column red and bright orange.
However, if you think that the exorbitant prices and challenging proportions of trousers have created a complete storm of indifference, you are wrong. According to fashion tech company Lyst, Miu Miu’s trousers currently rank high – or rather low – as the third most popular fashion item in the world.
These are the findings of the Lyst Index, a quarterly report that analyzes the online shopping behavior of more than 200 million shoppers, combining their search, browsing and purchase history with social media mentions and engagement statistics to produce a final result.
Those who think the world is finally going crazy should remember that overpriced yellow trousers may seem pointless, but the idea behind them is anything but. Fashion is a very serious business; one of the largest industries in the world. At a time when tough economic conditions are leaving even well-established brands such as Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent in the lurch (parent company Kering recently announced group profits are likely to fall by 40 to 45 percent), it is particularly remarkable to see which brands are performing well.
The best performing brand is Miu Miu; It is a brand whose recent results are nothing more than trousers. On Wednesday, owner Prada Group announced that Miu Miu’s sales rose 89 percent in the first quarter of 2024, surpassing the 58 percent growth in 2023. It was launched in 1992 as a more affordable “little brother” series. Miu Miu is now outshining its bigger, smarter sibling, whose sales are up 7 percent over the same period, according to Prada. According to its research, Lyst places Miu Miu as the world’s most popular brand based on search data, while Prada comes in second.
Lyst claims this isn’t just the result of exaggeration. “Powerful storytelling and cultural relevance set Miu Miu apart,” says Katy Lubin, Lyst’s vice president of communications. “The brand is seen as welcoming but also timeless. Shoppers also love its distinctive style, which has sparked a new obsession with underwear as outerwear.”
Indeed, thanks to Miu Miu, the “casual trouser” trend has been gaining momentum for some time now, with a number of influencers, alongside celebrities such as Emma Corrin, Bella Hadid and Alexa Chung, stepping out in the challenging look lately. TikTok and Instagram. Like all of Miu Miu’s trousers (previous versions also featured sequins and silk), its latest £600 pair is perfectly placed to deliver those all-important viral moments that successfully boost sales.
But if Miu Miu is smart about generating virality (its spring 2022 micro mini was another huge social media hit), there are other reasons for its spectacular success. It was first designed by 74-year-old Italian influencer Miuccia Prada, whose own sense of style recently appeared on the cover of the American magazine. Vogue. Unlike many brands that have floundered since the death of their founders, Prada and Miu Miu retain a sense of originality combined with a strong perspective that many of their contemporaries lack.
Secondly, Miu Miu’s fashion shows are real talking points. As well as sitting front row with a phalanx of the coolest actresses, singers and influencers, the outfits on the catwalk are far more enviable and easy to wear than their £600 trousers might suggest. The last fashion show, held in Paris in March, featured a wide range of women on the catwalk, including supermodel Gigi Hadid, 29, rapper Little Simz, 30, and actress Kristin Scott Thomas, 63.
Scott Thomas is unlikely to be seen wearing Miu Miu’s £600 trousers in the near future, but the cast of the show made clear Miu Miu’s broad appeal among women in many different roles and stages of life. Most of their customers are not trouser-wearing influencers, but cash-rich, time-strapped professionals looking for stylish wardrobe solutions to suit their busy lives.
While trousers were combined with shirts, sandals and trench coats in the women’s clothing show, the unisex appeal was not lost on men either. “If I bought these in all colours, they would cost £4,200,” menswear stylist and consultant Simon Chilvers said on Instagram recently. “Did you have to choose one? It would be brown.” Many men have noticed their similarity to Speedos, a series of tight-fitting swim briefs popular in the 70s and 80s.
Only Miu Miu could make budgie smugglers (as the style is known) popular again. As for those who resist wearing these with nothing but a t-shirt and a smile, there is another way. Just add a pair of jeans or shorts and pull up the waistbands to make sure the all-important logo is visible. As Miuccia Prada said backstage after the show: “The important thing is that you can choose what to wear.” And – thank goodness – how you wear it.
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