From top to bottom, this is a visualization of the top 30 brands on Grailed, by total GMV. On the right side, you’ll see how brands shifted on this list, relative to its position in 2019.

Some things we’ve noted:

Supreme

Coming as no surprise, Supreme sits atop our power ranking, where it’s held steady since we started surfacing this yearly wrap up back in 2017. At this point, talking about Supreme’s dominance almost feels like calling the sky blue, but before you roll your eyes, there’s some things that are worth noting. Of course, the biggest news to emerge for the Box Logo was its acquisition and $2.1 billion valuation courtesy of VF Corp. The parent company of longtime Supreme collaborators like The North Face, Timberland and Vans was a fitting partner to snap up the top dog of the streetwear universe—though we’d be lying if we said we weren’t surprised by the announcement.

It makes us wonder: Streetwear has been seen as “mainstream” for at least the last two years. Does this mean that this fiercely independent streetwear stalwart (at least colloquially speaking) is finally selling out, or is this just the latest in a secret plan for global Box Logo domination? Who can say for certain? What we can comment on is Supreme’s strong slate of 2020 collaborations, including work with British heritage brand Barbour and Japanese avant-garde artist Yohji Yamamoto.

It’s business as usual when it comes to the brand that James Jebbia built, and it’s still a reliable winner on the Grailed marketplace. That cross Box Logo though… well, that might be the biggest Supreme surprise of the year.

Sneaker Wars 2020: Nike

The sneaker wars rage on, and while adidas is far from irrelevant, it’s hard to top the double-whammy of dominance served up by Nike and Jordan Brand. For the SB Dunk, 2020 felt like the time that years of buzz finally hit fever pitch. Kicking off the year with a Travis Scott-collaboration patchwork Nike SB Dunk in late-February (right before COVID-19 truly set in) feels like the last “normal” sneaker release before the year truly got underway. Of course, aside from various notable colorway re-releases, the biggest Nike SB Dunk conversations centered around kicks that maintained the sublabel’s penchant for truly absurd collaborations and reworks. The Ben & Jerry’s “Chunky Dunky” and The Grateful Dead-inspired SB Dunk Lows are sure to go down in SB Dunk history. Love them or hate them, everyone was talking about those sneakers this year.

That’s not to say the classic Nike Dunk didn’t receive it’s fair share of love from the brand, with various classic colorways (like the “Michigan” iteration of the “Be True to Your School” series) making a triumphant return.

Outside of the Nike Dunk, another classic with crossover appeal—the Nike Air Force 1—also made its presence felt. While the sneaker is always a perennial best-seller thanks to its simple, easy-to-assimilate-into-any-wardrobe silhouette, it earned a boost from brands like Supreme, who released its own iteration of the sneaker (albeit with very little tweaking). Clearly Supreme didn’t want to mess up a good thing; it may have only added its Box Logo to the heel of the classic white or black tonal Air Force 1, but it’s a colorway proven to be a consistent best-seller, even on Grailed.

Sneaker Wars 2020: Jordan Brand

Turning to Jordan Brand, there’s a few important things to keep in mind. The Jordan V celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020, with Virgil Abloh adding his magic touch to various different iterations—including versions with cut-out holes in the side panels—that performed as well as you’d expect.

The Jordan V’s predecessor, the Jordan IV, made headlines thanks to the latest Union L.A. collaboration, following in the footsteps of one of the most popular Jordan I collaborations in recent history. Speaking of the Jordan I, there were several successful drops of the Jordan I in various colorways, including pairs in “Court Purple”, “Royal Toe” and the vaguely Travis Scott-inspired “Mocha”.

Whether it was tonal colorways of the Jordan IV or the Jordan I, both models were consistently among the most popular pairs on the Grailed marketplace in the last year—likely explaining Jordan Brand’s jump from number four in 2019 to number three in 2020. On top of that, Jordan Brand was at the center of pop culture, thanks to 10-part docuseries The Last Dance and the 30th anniversary of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Both programs celebrated Jordans in one way or another, on, or off, the court.

Sneaker Wars 2020: adidas

For the Three Stripes, there’s no denying that having Yeezy on the roster (failed presidential campaigns aside) is a proven money maker. With a myriad of different re-releases and new colorways dropping for various Yeezy silhouettes throughout 2020, it was a series that continued to bank on old favorites, while injecting some newer variants into the mix.

Various Yeezy 350 v2 colorways were some of our best-selling sneakers of the mid-fall season, and the “Wave Runner” colorway of the Yeezy 700 (the OG) was one of the most popular sneakers on Grailed in November 2020. The Yeezy 700 v3’s multitude of releases over the past year have cemented the relatively new silhouette as one to watch within the wider Yeezy sneaker canon.

Even without Yeezy, signature products—like the Adilette slide or its world-famous track pants—were primed for a life spent on lockdown. Add in ambassadors like Jonah Hill and partners like Palace, and adidas is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Rick Owens

A nice surprise this past year has been the rise of Rick Owens; it's a name many would consider to be synonymous with Grailed’s marketplace, and a favorite of several users from Grailed’s inception. While Rick Owens’ various projects—from fashion to furniture—have turned Owens Corp into a full-on empire, we have to imagine that it's the designer’s accessories that have helped it jump to the number five slot on the year. If we really had to pinpoint it, it’s likely down to Owens’ wildly popular sneakers—including the Ramones and Geobasket silhouettes.

The Ramones’ popularity is easy to explain; while its silhouette closely resembles the classic Chuck Taylor (which makes it an easy target for memes), it’s that simplicity that makes it so easy to pick up and add to any wardrobe—regardless of how committed you are to Owens’ one-of-a-kind POV on fashion.

As for the Geobasket, the sneaker is practically a perennial fashion statement—usually seen as the gateway into the wider Rick Owens universe—and actually has a unique history all its own. Thanks to initial similarities to the Nike Dunk (which is why you’ll often hear Geobaskets called “Rick Dunks”), the Geobasket has had various reworks over the years. While the OG style (which did bear a Swoosh-like side panel) is the most popular and most expensive, the sneaker silhouette as a whole has a robust cult-following. This is to say nothing of Chrome Hearts-customized Geobaskets, which have earned a cult following all their own. (It’s worth noting that Chrome Hearts has also seen a major jump in popularity over the course of 2020, launching up to number 10 on our year-end ranking, but we’ll get to that in our next section).

With the Geobasket serving both as best-selling sneaker on Grailed as recently October and November 2020, and various “Rick Dunks” popping up in our weekly “Most Expensive” series throughout the year, it’s safe to say that Owens may be experiencing a new renaissance on Grailed.

Ones to Watch: Kapital

Taking a look at the top 30, we’d also recommend keeping an eye on Kapital and Cactus Plant Flea Market going into 2021. While the two brands might not share much in common beyond their handicraft aesthetic and heavy usage of a “smiley face” motif, their spikes year over year (Kapital jumped 10 places from number 30 to number 20; Cactus Plant Flea Market jumped 11 places to land at 2020’s number 29) are an indicator of bigger public profiles.

For Kapital, the cult-favorite Japanese brand has been an “if you know, you know” label for years, with names like John Mayer counting themselves among regular shoppers. Thanks to some celebrity support and—frankly—the power of the internet, the Japanese label has seen a massive swell of interest in the last 12 months. Our recommendation is to start with the smiley face pieces, move onto the printed fleeces, but truly invest in the brand’s signature denim (Okabilly or Century denim are both community favorites—with high pricetags to match).

Ones to Watch: Cactus Plant Flea Market

Cactus Plant Flea Market is equally interesting, gaining steam thanks to its own swell of celebrity support. The beginning was clearly with Pharrell (Cactus Plant Flea Market’s founder Cynthia Lu worked with Skateboard P before launching the label), adding Kanye West, Travis Scott and Kid Cudi before appearing on the backs of various NBA players. This is to say nothing of its popular Nike collaborations, which began with a Vapormax in 2019 and have—as of December 2020—progressed to a Swarovski-studded Nike Dunk Low. From concert merch to Nike sneakers, Cactus Plant Flea Market is one to watch.

After such a trying 2020, it seems fitting that we’re seeing two labels tapping into the simplicity of the smiley face stepping into the spotlight as we move forward into 2021.

Charting the brands with the largest increase in sales across 2020, this chart should give some data to explain why you’ve “been seeing” certain brands more than usual over the course of the past year. The brands here are the “fastest growing” in that they are driving the most new dollars being spent on the site (relative to their performance in 2019).

Keep in mind: The brands that make up this chart are not selected by Grailed. Rather, this list shows where the global Grailed community is putting more of its interest (through its spending power) relative to last year.

Some key things to note:

The Wins and Woes of Warren Lotas

It’s been a big (albeit up and down) year for Warren Lotas. The Los Angeles-based designer—originally known for his flips on NBA merch, featuring the Grim Reaper or skeletons—made a major expansion into the sneaker market in the last year, building hype and notoriety around his flips of notable Nike SB Dunks. Starting with a flip on the famously unreleased “Freddy Krueger” SB Dunk, sneaker fans would be able to clearly identify his flips on SB Dunk classics like the Stussy x Nike SB “Cherry” Dunk or the Staple x Nike SB “Pigeon” Dunk—which Jeff Staple himself supported on Instagram.

While Lotas attempted to add his own spin on the sneaker silhouettes by fashioning the trademarked Swoosh into a Jason Vorhees-inspired hockey mask, that wasn’t enough for Nike. Before things could even kick off in earnest, Nike sent Lotas a cease-and-desist, which tangled Lotas up in a public legal battle during the latter half of the year and left the custom sneakers in limbo. Going back and forth with Nike for months, Lotas insisted on Instagram that his reinterpretations were, “PRODUCED FROM SCRATCH BY ME. PLEASE KNOW THAT. NO ALIBABA BULLSHIT. ITALIAN MATERIALS.”

Unfortunately, that didn’t sway the legal team at Nike, who even filed a preliminary injunction in November 2020 against Lotas’ follow up sneaker design—the “Reaper”—created as a way to both appease Nike and provide an alternative to deliver for the thousands of people who ordered Lotas’ original bootleg sneaker.

While Lotas and Nike did come to a settlement in mid-December 2020, the result is a little mixed for Lotas. Finally producing a Nike-permitted sneaker for the public (at least, it appears so—if Lotas’ Instagram account is anything to go by), there’s clearly a lack of interest in Lotas’ latest design (at least when compared to his original “Dunk” bootlegs that were buzzing around the internet in early 2020).

While it’s hard to say where his brand goes from here, there’s no denying that Lotas’ legal headaches helped propel him into the public eye, hopefully building his public presence and putting the spotlight on his other fashion endeavors; it explains why his name has risen in popularity so much here on Grailed. Given that the designer has fans in Post Malone and Travis Scott—he might not be producing a coveted sneaker, but chances are we haven’t heard the last from Warren Lotas.

Aimé Leon Dore

It would be unfair to say that Aimé Leon Dore is new to the scene; the brand has long-been a cult favorite in “grown-up streetwear” circles thanks to a strong stream of seasonal collections and collabs with brands like Drake’s (to be clear, not the OVO rapper). In 2020 however, Aimé Leon Dore felt almost inescapable (this is a good thing), thanks in no small part to its suite of stellar New Balance collaborations.

This past year saw Aimé Leon Dore tap into both the New Balance 827 and revive the New Balance 550 (a legacy basketball silhouette). Both shoe releases dropped alongside a corresponding apparel collection which added to the narrative surrounding the sneaker. While New Balance as a whole had a banner year in 2020 (more on that later), it was certainly boosted by Aimé Leon Dore’s inherent, distinctly “NYC” cool factor, which blended authenticity and hype in a way few brands are able to pull off.

Case in point? Aimé Leon Dore blended both native New Yorkers, artists, celebrities and local kids into a concise (and, frankly, endearingly memorable) Fall/Winter 2020 campaign. The effect feels simultaneously intimate and local, but globally appealing. It’s hard not to find yourself in a piece or two from a label that cites New York City’s blend of cultures and perspectives as a key influence.

Consider yourself warned: After this year, sleeping on Aimé Leon Dore simply means you’re out of the loop.

New Balance

Speaking of New Balance, the sneaker company emerged as a clear stalking horse in the wider sneaker conversation. Are we saying that New Balance is about to overtake titans like Nike or adidas? While that would certainly make the “sneaker wars” more interesting, it’s unlikely that we’ve reached that point. However, a brand better known for its “dad shoes” was able to insert itself into the conversation—thanks in part to its chunky, techy (some might say orthopedic) sneakers like the New Balance 990.

(Of course, followers of Ronnie Fieg’s work over at Kith have been shopping New Balance pairs for years—but we think few would argue that that was outside of the broader appeal the brand has built over the last year or two).

What began as a half-ironic “if you know, you know” Normcore following has expanded into a full-on fandom.

If we had to guess, this New Balance buzz is propelled by two points that largely go hand in hand. One is the reappearance of New Balance styles (like the 992, 550 or 827), the other is key brand partnerships. As mentioned earlier, Aimé Leon Dore is just one of the many collaborators that built up the Bostonian brand in the past 12 months. Japanese brand WTAPS lent its hand to the New Balance 992—a once dormant silhouette—and created one of our favorite sneakers of the year. The master of moodboards (and beacon of pure, good taste) JJJJound dropped a small selection of New Balance 992s in a few (tasteful) colorways, adding to an already stacked series of sneaker collaborations. Stray Rats—a cult-favorite streetwear brand from Miami (for those who don’t already know)—launched yet another New Balance collaboration, creating the “Sewer Stompers”: an earthy reskin of the resurgent New Balance 827. Salehe Bembury, notable for his work helming footwear at Italian luxury fashion house Versace, helped bring the New Balance 2002 silhouette into the spotlight with a fuzzy sneaker inspired by the natural landscape in the American southwest and west coast. Emerging brand Casablanca has been tinkering with New Balance 327 in a style that combines contemporary tastes with the aesthetics of the retro-inspired runner.

This is to say nothing of collaborations with bonafide celebrities like Jaden Smith, who received a completely new silhouette—the Vision Racer—or Kawhi Leonard’s series of basketball performance footwear. The bottom line is simple: Don’t expect New Balance to sit on the sidelines when it comes to playing the game of global sneaker domination. You can see that its well-laid plans have helped it gain a massive foothold in the wider sneaker industry—including on the Grailed marketplace.

It’s hard not to love a sneaker brand that manages to blend understated form with functional comfort—make it a core part of its ethos—and then make it fashionable.

Chrome Hearts

What can we say that hasn’t already been said at this point about Chrome Hearts? Love it or hate it, the Los Angeles-based brand has exploded in popularity over the last 12 months. What’s so interesting about Chrome Hearts is—outside of its own outposts or very curated roster of partners—it’s virtually impossible to acquire. More to the point: Outside of marketplaces like Grailed, it’s virtually impossible to buy Chrome Hearts online.

Is that mystique the reason why its popularity has shot up on Grailed? Possibly. We think there’s more to the story of its 2020 successes though; it’s a combination of genuine craft, one-of-a-kind rarity and—yes—a straight up desire to show-off expensive brand names.

A regular sight in our weekly “Most Expensive Sales of the Week” roundups, there’s certainly a contingent (including several of hip-hop’s major players) that rock Chrome Hearts simply as a new-luxury flex. (We’re sure we’re not the only ones who spotted Drake playing 1-on-1 with Kevin Durant in a Chrome Hearts outfit during the “Laugh Now, Cry Later” video). However, Chrome Hearts isn’t just expensive for the sake of being expensive. Sure, its aesthetic language might lead to comparisons to the early-2000s heyday of brands like Ed Hardy, but the craftsmanship goes much deeper than the surface level.

A family-run business through-and-through, the unique thing is that virtually everything Chrome Hearts makes is produced out of its Los Angeles studio. Since the brand began in the late-1980s and kicked off in earnest in 1991, Chrome Hearts has been creating products that tap into founder Richard Stark’s history as a leather dealer and craftsman. That includes its world-famous jewelry, but also furniture, homegoods, interiors and (relevant for us here at Grailed) clothing customization. While the demand for its jewelry is certainly high, one could argue its clothing is what has helped keep it center stage this year. Those who have been on Grailed (or following the fashion industry) for a few years should be familiar with Chrome Hearts' work with Virgil Abloh and Bella Hadid (who is a personal friend of founder Richard Stark’s daughter, Jesse Jo).

Be it modified Rick Owens Geobaskets, upgraded Schott Perfecto jackets or customized Levi’s denim—giving a garment a Chrome Hearts rework means replacing the hardware with Chrome Hearts leather finishes and metalwork (and increasing its value significantly). Of course these pieces aren’t just expensive, they’re practically one-of-a-kind. While there might be several different pairs of “Chrome Hearts Levi’s” on Grailed, each pair has been remixed and customized by hand, by someone affiliated with the brand. The same goes for any official Chrome Hearts customization or product release (like jewelry or furniture) that bears the mark of Chrome Hearts. Effectively, whatever you buy, if the brand can make it in its Hollywood factory, odds are good that it will be constructed in the Hollywood factory.

Again—once you take a look past the surface, it’s hard not to respect what the brand represents. While we’re not necessarily calling Chrome Hearts an “American fashion empire” (or even assuming that Chrome Hearts would want that distinction), if there’s a brand that deserves plaudits for its commitment to its own POV (while doing it in a factory that’s based in the States), it’s Chrome Hearts.

Ones to Watch: Stussy

Some notable additions to this year’s rising brands include Carhartt and Stussy. Stussy is an easy one to explain, given that the brand celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2020. With a massive slate of collaborations and celebrations landing throughout 2020 (and, of course, in the years prior) it’s almost impossible to not find something to love from Stussy. Whether it’s a collaboration T-shirt with Rick Owens or a recent resurgence of interest in Nike SB Dunks (which, of course, includes the Stussy x Nike SB “Cherry” Dunk Low), Stussy continues to sit at the forefront of the streetwear—and, to an extent, fashion—conversation. Let’s not forget, one of the year’s biggest sneakers—the Dior x Jordan I “Air Dior”—dropped during a Dior Men’s runway show crafted in collaboration with and featuring artwork from Stussy founder Shawn Stussy.

Ones to Watch: Carhartt

A more interesting inclusion on the “Fastest Growing Brands” is Carhartt. Now, if you’re based in the United States, there’s little chance you’re unfamiliar with the Michigan-based brand; a bonafide symbol of American workwear (and work ethic), Carhartt may not be a “fashion brand” by any definition, but that doesn’t make its garments any less beloved and iconic. The brand’s double knee work pants—a style we’ve seen a major spike in on the Grailed marketplace—have become a crossover staple. Sure it might amount to what some would call “blue collar cosplay,” but we’re not going to blame people for recognizing Carhartt’s reasonable pricetag and high durability and deciding to add it to their closets. Sure, Carhartt (and its sister brand, the fashion-oriented Carhartt Work in Progress) have had a crack at plenty of fashion collaborations, but if we had to guess, it’s the everyday, run-of-the-mill workwear that’s driving this demand.