Every year four times a year, the global shopping platform Lyst releases its big quarterly index of the hottest fashion brands and items for that season. We always eagerly devour it because it really does provide a lot of insight into the sartorial things people are clamoring for. A key takeaway from the Q3 report is that Balenciaga overtook the enduringly popular Gucci for the top spot in the list of the hottest brands in the world.
Balenciaga has been getting tons of buzz in 2021, so it’s not all that surprising to see that they’re in this position. This year it created its first couture collection in 53 years and Kim Kardashian West walked the red carpet of the Met Gala in a custom Balenciaga look that was one of the night’s most talked about. If we’ve gotten you in the mood to add a little Balenciaga into your wardrobe, scroll on for some of the least expensive (and coolest) items on the market. They’re all under $500 and all bear one of the brand’s iconic logos.