The late 90s and early 2000s era (also known as Y2k) is an iconic timeline for fashion, music, art and culture. It was an era for young people to express fashion in their own ways, and the time where self-expression became “popular.” Some of us might have been too young during those times to remember the details, but the culture has carried on until today.
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Y2k Trendsetters
Influencers such as Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell, Lindsay Lohan, Janet Jackson and many more have been a staple for freedom of self-expression and confidence that has led to today’s culture. Looking at music videos or watching movies from the early 2000s brings a nostalgic feeling for most of us.
More than anything, the fashion world in the late ’90s, early 2000s is one for the books. Influencers and designers have paved the way for the next generation to add more to the fashion world.
The 20-Year Rule in Fashion
What do we call the recycling of fashion throughout the years? It’s called the 20-year rule: a fashion trend will go from popular to despised to popular again. Throughout fashion history we can see that the ’70s took inspiration from the ’50s, the ’90s from the ’70s and the 2010s from the ’90s. Notice any patterns? The mid 2010s took inspirations from the grunge style of the ’90s. For the past two years, brands like Juicy Couture and Von Dutch have elevated those trends and made them their own.
The early 2000s unique aesthetic isn’t by chance. It was a time when young designers like Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford and John Galliano, were rebelling against traditional ideals of fashion.
Photo: Allef Vinicius on Unsplash
Logo Mania
A fashion trend that’s making a comeback is the logo mania era. In the 1980s an American fashion designer, Dapper Dan began creating “knockups” which were articles of clothing that featured bootleg prints of luxurious brands like Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Gucci. The custom designs created a modern image for these older brands, and also made them more attainable for non-White clientele. Dapper Dan’s ideas ultimately paved the way for other designers to feature their brand logos more ostentatiously. Thus, inspiring brands like Fendi, Moschino and Dior to show off their logos and continue to do so until this day.
Considering how fashion works; the question isn’t whether or not it [Y2k] will come back, but when it will return.
