The vintage paradox: Can nostalgia hinder the future of fashion?
This article was originally written by Demi Karanikolaou in Greek for Harper’s Bazaar Greece. You can find it here.
In the windows of luxury boutiques and across social media feeds, the early 2000s are back - and they're not just visiting. The fashion influences of iconic past decades such as the 60s, 70s, or the 80s have left such a significant mark on the style of the last ten years that our wardrobes might look like a nostalgic secondhand store. Most major fashion houses have been rushing to revive classic accessories from their archives. Seen as classic investments by customers, it bags are getting the most spotlight: the Prada Re-Edition, the Balenciaga City, the Chloé Paddington, and the Fendi Spy have all returned to boutiques and Instagram, styled in updated ways. Indeed, restyling vintage or vintage-inspired pieces has become a defining characteristic of contemporary fashion. However, amidst this deep dive into the past, there's been notably less focus on creating genuinely new, groundbreaking silhouettes.
The return to the past
So, where exactly are we finding fashion in 2025? Celebrity stylist Mary Gonsalves Kinney, who dresses some of the most influential names in the fashion world, shares her thoughts: "Many collections right now don’t have a true fashion identity - it's more about referencing the past. I feel like the 2020s don’t really have a distinct identity, because we are a bit of a lost culture. We went through the devastation of 2020 and tried to reinvent ourselves during a time when we weren’t sure if we were ever going to see the light of day again. Now, we’re just happy to see people out and about, spending money on things like fashion."
On the contrary, Understitch, a prominent fashion history channel on YouTube, argues that the 2020s do have their own style: "Just compare them with the 2010s, and it’s quite evident," he says. Could it be, then, that the essence of today's fashion lies primarily in restyling rather than innovating new shapes? "In my work, it’s always about the mix of new and old. Vintage is part of the styling story, but it’s the combination of the two that keeps everything looking fresh and modern. Fashion is evolving, and we have to be open to that. I’m excited about how we reinterpret those pieces in our own lives, through styling. That’s where the real creativity happens," Kinney suggests.
The nostalgic pull of vintage fashion is nothing new, but its explosive recent rise in popularity can be explained mostly by the internet, as well as by financial and emotional factors. Throughout history, fashion has consistently revisited previous eras for inspiration: Biba’s 1960s art deco references echoed the roaring 20s, Laura Ashley dresses from the 70s mirrored the 30s, and the bold 80s revisited the structured silhouettes of the 40s. "Fashion is very cyclical, and it comes back roughly every 40 years - if not faster," explains Understitch. "The public might have no idea, but designers have always looked back at history books to reference different times. For instance, Karl Lagerfeld in the 1990s heavily referenced Franco Moschino’s work from the 1980s in his collections for Chloé and Chanel."
He continues, "This can be explained by the nostalgic nature of humans, but it’s also because of the repeating points in our five-year economic cycles, where fashion reflects our financial situation - and either our optimism or our pessimism." Mary Gonsalves Kinney agrees: "We’re seeing a lot of nods to earlier eras, and I think that’s because those looks make us feel something. They’re nostalgic - something people really needed, especially after the Trump era and the pandemic.
Vintage in the Age of the Internet
Of course, nothing explains our vintage mania better than the incredibly complex nature of digital technologies and the internet, which have dramatically reshaped our fashion consciousness. Not so long ago, buying secondhand clothing was seen as taboo by ladies of high society. Today, apps on our smartphones have normalized vintage and secondhand shopping through platforms like Vestiaire Collective or eBay, making it easier than ever. Social media trends, particularly on TikTok, have massively sped up the nostalgia cycle with highly visual, easily digestible content. Trends like "quiet luxury" promote minimalist investment pieces reminiscent of more affluent, seemingly idyllic times. Understitch agrees: "I believe we’ve become more aware of fashion’s vintage influences because of the internet. We can also recognize more individual resurgences and trends because of the knowledge that’s now so easily accessible to us, shared online by well-read people."
Furthermore, the corporatization of fashion has led designers to prioritize commercially successful pieces to appease shareholders, significantly reducing the incentive to experiment with risky, innovative silhouettes. That’s exactly why vintage items or references are so compelling, especially when it comes to rare finds. As Kinney notes: "I work with a lot of high-net-worth individuals and celebrities who are really drawn to things that are exclusive and hard to find, so vintage often comes in. People feel like those pieces have a unique quality that sets them apart from what we’re seeing in so many trend-based, ready-to-wear collections."
The need for a new silhouette
That said, creating interesting new silhouettes should matter more. Historically, innovative fashion shapes - like the mini skirt of the 60s - become cultural markers that distinguish one era from another. Understitch notes, "In my opinion, the last truly new silhouette we had was Alexander McQueen's signature Bumster trousers. We are desperately ready for something new, but with the way fashion is now commercialized, I don’t know if we’ll ever get another creator like McQueen. He was able to make the Bumsters because he wasn’t worried about whether they would be a commercial success. The cost of living today just doesn’t allow many young designers that kind of luxury."
Even when designers do attempt bold, innovative ideas, consumer hesitancy can limit their impact. For example, fashion-tech brands that created bodysuits designed to work with digital overlay filters have seen slow adoption, often hindered by global economic uncertainty and conservative buying habits.
Could we create something entirely new again?
So when can we expect the next revolutionary silhouette to appear? Unlike in the past, where rebellious creators pushed boundaries out of sheer passion, 2025 finds young designers in need of wealth, or at least stability, in order to create without filtering their vision through a commercial lens. Understitch agrees: "Perhaps our next innovation needs to come from an affluent kid - someone truly not worried about money. Someone like Harris Reed comes to mind."
Kinney, on the other hand, predicts change might come from within the luxury giants themselves: "I think we’re starting to see a shift. There’s been a major changing of the guard with creative directors across historic houses. Karl is no longer at Chanel, and Donatella has stepped down from Versace. These are huge changes in the fashion world. I think we’re definitely going to see something new."
Ultimately, fashion’s current nostalgic moment can be understood through the lens of our recent economic and emotional reality. Perhaps embracing and restyling vintage will define this decade - and that’s meaningful in its own way. Or maybe we simply need more time to process the rapidly changing world around us. As Understitch notes, "The last hundred years have brought so many revolutionary silhouettes. It might just take time for new ideas to develop. Fashion trends move so fast now that a new silhouette could be adopted and forgotten in a flash if it’s not done carefully."
While that’s true, the industry must still prioritize innovation. Fashion is cultural history - a visual narrative of our time. Supporting young creatives as they explore new silhouettes will ensure our era is remembered not just as a beautiful echo of the past, but as a daring leap into the future.