The Best-Selling Designer Buys From Net-a-Porter Of The Last 20 Years – And The Celebrities Who Wore Them

YSL's Arty ring? Chloé's Paddington bag? Alexander McQueen's skull scarf?

net-a-porter best-sellers

by Natalie Hammond |
Updated on

Net-A-Porter launched in 2000 and, as the ultimate destination for luxury online shopping, the website quickly became a hit-maker, a vital link in the chain to a dress/a belt/a bag/a coat earning cult status. So what have been its best-sellers over the past 20 years?

chloe spring summer 2003
Chloé's banana top, from its SS03 collection, was number one in 2004 ©Getty

2004’s is sure to ring a few bells. It was Chloé’s banana-print top, an item of clothing that was actually inspired by a vintage design, truffled out by stylist and queen of second-hand Bay Garnett, that appeared on Kate Moss in a 2003 edition of Vogue.

beyonce ysl arty ring
Beyoncé wearing YSL's Arty ring, Net-A-Porter's best-seller from 2011 ©Getty

Jump one year ahead and it won’t surprise many red carpet watchers to know that Roland Mouret’s Galaxy dress, the sveltest of svelte dresses worn by Naomi Watts, Halle Berry and Keira Knightley, topped the best-sellers chart and ushered in a new era of ‘power’ wardrobing.

ashley olsen alexander mcqueen skull scarf
Ashley Olsen wearing Alexander McQueen's skull-print scarf that topped the list in 2008 ©Getty

If, like me, you were obsessed with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in your adolescence, then you’ll probably recall their collection of Alexander McQueen scarves. The brand’s skull-patterned style was 2008’s best-seller and, 12 years later, is still going strong.

kirsten dunst mansur gavriel bucket bag
Kirsten Dunst carrying 2014's biggest hit, Mansur Gavriel's bucket bag ©Getty

And what about It bags? 2006 belonged to Chloé’s Paddington - the rectangular leather bag with a chunky lock - that was a favourite of Kate Bosworth’s, Halle Berry’s and Mischa Barton’s. 2009’s was Proenza Schouler’s PS1 Satchel, 2010's was Alexander Wang’s Rocco Tote and 2014's was (the ubiquitous) Mansur Gavriel Bucket.

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Kendall Jenner wearing the Gucci's GG belt that was the chart-topper in 2018 ©Getty

Last year’s biggest hit was a pair of barely-there and still available sandals from The Row, where skinny straps of leather wrap gracefully around the foot, and this year’s? Bottega Veneta’s Pouch, the pillow-like clutch bag that every influencer seems to own in, oh, at least three colours.

Take a trip down memory with the below gallery, where we pick what to buy now if you bought these best-sellers from the last 20 years. Happy shopping!

Gallery

SHOP: What To Buy Now If You Bought These Hits Over The Years

2000: Luella's u2018Daddy's I Want A Pony’ T-shirt1 of 26
CREDIT: Willa Gebbie

2000: Luella's ‘Daddy's I Want A Pony’ T-shirt

In its inaugural year, Net-A-Porter's best-seller was Luella Bartley's tongue-in-cheek 'Daddy, I Want A Pony' T-shirt. Today's slogan tees, in the vein of Dior's 'We Should All Be Feminists' style, come with in-built empowerment.

Ninety Percent, International Women's Day Printed Organic Cotton-Jersey T-shirt, £502 of 26

Ninety Percent, International Women's Day Printed Organic Cotton-Jersey T-shirt, £50

2004's Chlou00e9's Cropped Banana-Print T-shirt3 of 26
CREDIT: Getty

2004's Chloé's Cropped Banana-Print T-shirt

Styled on oh-so-willowy Daria Werbowy for Chloé's's SS03 catwalk and campaign, the banana-print tee was one of Phoebe Philo's fruitiest designs for the French house.

Gucci, Fringed Printed Cotton-Jersey Top, £6204 of 26

Gucci, Fringed Printed Cotton-Jersey Top, £620

2005: Roland Mouret's Galaxy Wool-Felt Dress5 of 26
CREDIT: Getty

2005: Roland Mouret's Galaxy Wool-Felt Dress

Worn by Hollywood's great and good, including Halle Berry, Keira Knightley, Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz and Cameron Diaz, the Galaxy dress made serious sculpting a power dress essential in 2004.

Roland Mouret, Vernon Draped Wool-Crepe Dress, £1,3956 of 26

Roland Mouret, Vernon Draped Wool-Crepe Dress, £1,395

2008: Alexander McQueen's Chiffon Skull Scarf7 of 26
CREDIT: Getty

2008: Alexander McQueen's Chiffon Skull Scarf

Alexander McQueen's skull-print scarf, pictured here on Ashley Olsen, was the leather jacket's ultimate accompaniment in 2008.

Alexander McQueen, Printed Silk-Chiffon Scarf, £1658 of 26

Alexander McQueen, Printed Silk-Chiffon Scarf, £165

2009: Proenza Schouler's PS1 Satchel9 of 26

2009: Proenza Schouler's PS1 Satchel

Anyone who's anyone has carried Proenza Schouler's PS1 Satchel, including Hollywood royalty (Sally Fields) and poster-girls of the early Noughties (Leighton Meester). The satchel is still a strong-seller, 11 years after it topped the charts in 2009.

Proenza Schouler + Harmony Korine, PS1 Micro Printed Leather Shoulder Bag, £1,02010 of 26

Proenza Schouler + Harmony Korine, PS1 Micro Printed Leather Shoulder Bag, £1,020

2011: YSL's Arty Ring11 of 26
CREDIT: Willa Gebbie

2011: YSL's Arty Ring

YSL's chunky gold ring, with a brilliantly-coloured stone that swelled just by the knuckle, was the ultimate piece of eye candy circa 2011.

Alighieri, The Infernal Stone Gold-Plated Ring, £21012 of 26

Alighieri, The Infernal Stone Gold-Plated Ring, £210

2012: Acne Studios's Pistol Leather Ankle Boots13 of 26

2012: Acne Studios's Pistol Leather Ankle Boots

The Cuban-heeled cowboy boot might have been de rigueur a few years back, proving that Acne Studios's cult Pistol Boot was way ahead of the curve in 2012.

Isabel Marant, Dicker Suede Ankle Boots, £38014 of 26

Isabel Marant, Dicker Suede Ankle Boots, £380

2013: Givenchy's Black Bambi Neoprene Sweatshirt15 of 26

2013: Givenchy's Black Bambi Neoprene Sweatshirt

Givenchy's Bambi-print sweatshirt was a hit in 2013. The cool-girl way to wear it? According to Lily Collins and Anna Della Russo, with no bottoms.

Givenchy, Printed Cotton-Jersey Hoodie, £43416 of 26

Givenchy, Printed Cotton-Jersey Hoodie, £434

2014: Mansur Gavriel's Leather Bucket Bag17 of 26
CREDIT: Getty

2014: Mansur Gavriel's Leather Bucket Bag

Mansur Gavriel's sleek leather bucket might have topped the charts in 2014, but it's still a hit today, and counts Issa Rae's character on Insecure as a mega fan.

S.JOON, Milk Pail Croc-Effect Bag, £49518 of 26

S.JOON, Milk Pail Croc-Effect Bag, £495

2017: Castau00f1er's Carina 80 Canvas Wedge Espadrilles19 of 26

2017: Castañer's Carina 80 Canvas Wedge Espadrilles

Sisters-in-law Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton both have Castañer's wedge-heeled espadrilles in their smart-casual shoe wardrobes. At £90, they're one of Net-A-Porter's most affordable chart-toppers.

Castau00f1er, Chiara 80 Canvas Wedge Espadrilles, £9020 of 26

Castañer, Chiara 80 Canvas Wedge Espadrilles, £90

2018: Gucci's Skinny Leather GG Belt21 of 26
CREDIT: Willa Gebbie

2018: Gucci's Skinny Leather GG Belt

Gucci's belt, with its interlocking double Gs, became an Instagram favourite in 2018. Kendall Jenner, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Chrissy Teigen rarely took theirs off.

Gucci, Leather Belt, £32022 of 26

Gucci, Leather Belt, £320

2019: The Row's Bare Leather Sandals23 of 26

2019: The Row's Bare Leather Sandals

The barely-there sandal spread its wings in 2019 - and the ultimate version has to be The Row's micro-heeled, spaghetti-strapped style that perfectly frames the foot.

The Row, Bare Leather Sandals, £65024 of 26

The Row, Bare Leather Sandals, £650

2020: Bottega Veneta's Pouch Large Gathered Leather Clutch25 of 26

2020: Bottega Veneta's Pouch Large Gathered Leather Clutch

Bottega Veneta has become the cultest cult brand since the creative directorship passed to Daniel Lee - and its puffed leather Pouch is Instagram's number one piece of catnip.

Bottega Veneta, The Chain Pouch Gathered Leather Clutch, £2,64526 of 26

Bottega Veneta, The Chain Pouch Gathered Leather Clutch, £2,645

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