Why Fashion Remains Infatuated with the ’90s—and How We Can Move Forward

Fashion’s fascination with the 1990s has transcended mere trendiness to become its default mode. What began as nostalgic homage around 2015—driven by designers revisiting the era they grew up in—has since solidified into a cultural baseline supported by platforms like Pinterest and Tumblr, as well as heritage-focused houses such as Gucci, Versace, and Maison Margiela. Key editorial and runway moments—from Donatella Versace’s archive lets-outs in spring 2018 to Marc Jacobs’ Grunge Redux collection—have deeply embedded ’90s references into modern fashion narratives.

The article reflects on broader societal patterns: culture increasingly recycles itself through reboots, sequels, and nostalgic documentaries. While there is comfort and continuity in revisiting the past, such repetition may also limit creative innovation—especially as the industry stands at the precipice of transformations driven by AI and other futuristic technologies. The Vogue team ultimately encourages fashion to brake the retro loop and embrace fresh creativity. A recent discussion on the Vogue podcast The Run-Through echoed this sentiment, signaling a longing for novelty amid nostalgia.

Source

Vogue.