The Best Designer Fashion Buys of 2024

The Luxury List is a monthly column on all things luxury, tapping the foremost experts in the fashion space to explore everything from craftsmanship deep dives to the little-known details to consider when buying fine jewelry.

The year in luxury fashion has pointed to a new direction for the designer space. Elegance became a defining aesthetic that shaped style 2024, with the return of pillbox hats and an uptick in top-handle bags. We have also seen a rising interest in pieces that go beyond trends—including timeless investment items and renewed interest in classic heritage brands. Little luxuries including silk scarves and charms became big as everyone accessorized and personalized their bags. Shake-ups at the top of major fashion houses dominated conversations among style insiders and made an impact on where people are shopping.

These overarching themes in fashion translated to the top-selling products and the in-demand pieces that have reached cult status among style insiders. Many of the year’s hottest buys include accessories ranging from a century-old watch and a classic silk scarf to the bags and hats every fashion person added to their closet. Ahead, take a closer look at the best designer shopping buys that dominated in 2024 and remain smart pieces to invest in now.

Cartier Tank Watch

In the past several years, more women are entering the watch space than ever—both as experts and shoppers. As this market reaches new heights of growth, watches are a key shopping category in the luxury space. While there are plenty of in-demand timepieces, one specific style won out in 2024: the Cartier tank watch. Specifically, we’ve seen an uptick in popularity for the Louis and Must styles set along a leather band.

Chanel 22 Mini Bag

The Chanel 22 bag became an It item immediately when it was released among luxury shoppers and the fashion set, as well as a modern classic for Chanel. This was cemented when it again appeared on the runway for the brand’s S/S 23 collection in a mini version. The shrunken bag has proven to be so popular that it is now a core collector’s bag from Chanel, and there are just-dropped iterations arriving on the market in new colorways and textiles.