The It List: 9 Brands, Trends, and Items That Mattered Most in 2021

This story was published on Who What Wear, in December 2021.

Read the full story in its entirety on Who What Wear.

As fashion editors, we're always looking forward—we're scouring collections to anticipate next year's biggest trends or scrolling through Instagram to find the next It bag, It brand, or influencer of the moment. It's rare to reflect in fashion, but luckily for us, we here at Who What Wear have one annual tradition that allows us a chance to go down Nostalgia Lane: The It List. Formerly known as our Street Style Awards, The It List is our version of Spotify Wrapped, but for fashion.

How did it go down exactly? We had our editors compile the trends, brands, and pieces that dominated the runways and our social feeds and then had our stylish readers (looking at you) vote for the best of the best. Once you all said your peace, we had a panel of critics weigh in on your favorites for each category. The result? Well, you'll have to see for yourself, but rest assured, if this recap taught us anything, it's that 2021 fashion understood the assignment.

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Every year, one brand manages to embed itself into the collective psyche of the fashion set; this year, it's Jacquemus. It's easy to see why this brand is the It brand of the year—just look at its buzzy micro-cardigans, dreamy resort collections, or the viral F/W 21 runway featuring Kendall Jenner. And when we asked panelist Telsha Anderson-Boone about her opinion on Jacquemus winning the It brand of the year, she stated, "Duh! The king of all things mini, tropical, and vibrant."

But what truly makes Jacquemus an It brand goes back to the designer himself, Simon Porte. You'd never guess it, but Porte is a self-taught designer who launched the brand at the humble age of 19. Porte's fresh perspective in the industry gives him the freedom to turn the coveted je ne sais quoi of French style into approachable ready-to-wear. With every collection, it's as if he's tapped into the fantasy of women and men worldwide to create something everyone wants to buy (our readers included). Just look at what one reader told us about Jacquemus. They said, "I bought my pink Bambino bag this past year, and it's perfect. His accessories are magnifique." So there you have it, friends; when you're able to get everyone to hop onto the mini-bag train, you know you're doing something right.

Last year, '90s shoulder bags were named the It bag of the year by our readers, so it only makes sense that this year's winning style would be the staple of the early aughts, the baguette bag. As our editor in chief, Kat Collings, explained, "A subcategory of the Y2K revival, the baguette bag was ubiquitous this year. The trend has been gaining steam for a while, which makes sense given the sensibility of a shoulder bag and the fact that all the biggest fashion people have been wearing them."

IYKYK that the hype around this bag style isn't just because of all the dreamy iterations of the staple that have been found at Fendi, By Far, and Staud (though it helps). In truth, this bag is an icon in its own right because it's moved beyond a label and cemented itself into the zeitgeist. As one reader told us, "It almost feels fitting with the reboot of Sex and the City that this bag was the It bag of the year. Say goodbye to the days of an impractical bag." It's this bag's popularity and practicality that has cemented it into the hearts of many. It's not any old bag; it's a baguette, fam.

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We'll admit we were a little salty that revenge dressing did not win Trend of the Year. Who doesn't love a cutout moment? Or built-in G-strings? All was forgiven in our books when we found out that Miaou was the winner for the most tagged brand on Instagram. As Kat Collings mused, "Miaou is so Instagram-friendly it's no wonder it won this category. Its eye-catching corsets and dresses are made to celebrate the body, and to that, I say amen!"

Miaou's sets and corsets haven't popped off on the 'gram just because they're oh so hot. In a way, the brand's design ethos speaks to a significant cultural moment we're in: the rise of the hot-girl aesthetic. As one of our readers adeptly put it, "This brand screams Hot Girl Summer." And while summer may be long gone, the style movement spearheaded by brands like Miaou and celebrity icons remains. Because being a "hot girl" is all about embracing yourself, and if you happen to find you're feeling yourself in a cow-print corset, that's all the better.

Our relationship to color has changed throughout the pandemic like all aspects of our lives. One could say the fashion set's sudden adoption of saturated hues surprised everyone—after all, this is the same crowd that was telling us beige and chocolate browns were the only colors that mattered. But 2021 proved that color is back and better than ever, and there's one hue that's been brightening up the world: kelly green.

To comprehend how this hue has managed to distinguish itself from the entire pack of saturated hues and come out as the only color that matters this year requires you to have a holistic view of the state of the world. Colorful clothing has become a way to inject joy into our lives when we need it the most, and in the minds of experts like Anderson-Boone, "There's no better color. Period." Beyond the hue being badass, its popularity can be attributed to Bottega Veneta. As one reader explained to us, "This hue took over everywhere from Bottega Veneta and beyond, and I'm not mad about it. It's a color everyone can look good in." Whether it's the influence of the pandemic or Bottega Veneta, it's clear that this color is here to stay.

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