The hottest fashion item right now is a sweater trendsetters own in every color

Given that crop tops and baby tees made up the majority of my wardrobe for a long time, I surprised myself when I started gravitating toward long-sleeved tops and warm sweaters on store racks and across countless online shops. “Maybe our frontal cortex is finally developing,” a friend said to me as she put a semi-sheer, midriff-baring top back on the hanger. Maybe. Or maybe we are just cold.

Back in the iconic year of 2016, and for many years after, a crop top paired with high-waisted trousers was a combination you simply had to have in your wardrobe. Even in winter, I wore short tops with bare skin peeking out underneath, all in the name of fashion. However, since last winter, I have noticed that neither I nor many people around me seem to have that tendency anymore. Perhaps we have finally realized that warm outfits can absolutely be chic, as our fashion editor Tina often points out, but I also believe trends have played a major role, subtly lowering the hemline of tops over the years. Of course, sweaters, turtlenecks, which will forever be my favorite wardrobe staple, and various sweatshirts have always been popular in winter as the most practical and warm pieces of clothing. Still, they rarely took the throne as the most desirable, on-trend fashion item. According to the Lyst Index, that is exactly what happened in the last quarter of 2025.

Courtesy of Ralph Lauren

The quarter-zip sweater by Polo Ralph Lauren was the most sought-after fashion item at the end of 2025. Yes, this comfortable and rather simple sweater outperformed the season’s most coveted handbag, as well as the UGG boots that are not really boots and the legendary Burberry scarf, launching itself straight to the top of the ranking. Searches for quarter-zip sweaters and sweatshirts rose by 132 percent over the past three months, and this particular sweater was the most searched for globally. This was certainly influenced by the fact that the popularity of the Ralph Lauren brand itself increased, surpassing Prada, Burberry, and Gucci. Last year, the brand launched an innovative styling app on its website, and Ralph Lauren then received the CFDA Award for best female designer, which undoubtedly played a role in the brand ultimately landing in fourth place among the most popular brands.

However, when it comes to the zip-collar sweater itself, while the Polo Ralph Lauren model may have claimed the crown, other fashion houses also presented their own versions of this piece, further fueling its popularity. Quarter-zip sweatshirt versions were presented by Jonathan Anderson in his debut collection for Dior Men, as well as by Matthieu Blazy in the Chanel Métiers d’art 2026 collection. Alongside them, we should not forget the celebrity-favorite Miu Miu sweatshirt with a quarter-zip fastening.

Chanel Métiers d’art 2026, Courtesy of Chanel

Dior Men Spring 2026, Gorunway.com

Among the most sought-after fashion items, unusual pieces often appear, those that capture attention either through their unconventional design or their dizzyingly high price. That is why it feels particularly refreshing to see a truly practical and elegant piece take the top spot on the list, one that many of us already have in our wardrobes.