In fashion, newstalgia is on display everywhere. Today"s designers are constantly dipping into old collections to invoke the spirit of an era. But the new pieces created are never identical to the old ones. They have been adapted to the current era, with updated cuts and in different materials, for instance, more sustainable ones. Just look at how Gen Z has appropriated a decades-old staple of women"s wardrobes — the skirt suit. Seen on the catwalks, this basic has also been adopted by several Gen Z icons (Dua Lipa, Camila Mendes, Emma Chamberlain, and Hailey Bieber Baldwin) who have given it a fresh vibe by reinterpreting it in their own way.
In decor, newstalgia will be a major trend of 2022. According to Modsy"s fourth annual "State of the Home" report, in order for our interiors to be on-trend this year, they will have to combine contemporary items with objects found at flea markets. An inexpensive, yet sustainable way to decorate our homes and apartments.
There are numerous examples of this phenomenon. For instance the success of the mobile game "Pokemon Go," which invoked many memories for some Millennials who collected Pokemon cards during their childhood and played the first video games on old consoles, but also appealed to Generation Z because of its playful approach and the tech aspect provided by augmented reality.
Another example is the success of hit Netflix series "Stranger Things," which reminds some people of the 1980s, a time when all kids had to do to go experience a billion adventures with school friends was jump on their bikes, a time when phones were connected to the wall through a wire, and when photos came out of a Polaroid camera (an object that recently made its comeback, by the way), when young people didn"t talk into smartphones but into walkie-talkies... The show is rich in memories for those who knew this decade, synonymous with youth and freedom for Generation X and "senior millennials." But Generation Z isn"t missing out on the Netflix phenomenon, despite not having lived through the era. Because, at the end of the day, it doesn"t matter when the action takes place, as long as the themes addressed are timeless and universal. Nor should we minimize the role of the actors, who are members of Generation Z and with whom young audience members identify.
Another example is the massive comeback of vinyl, an object that Millennials barely knew in their early childhood and that Gen Zers are now discovering. For the older generations — Xers and Baby Boomers — this return to the past is comforting. They are in familiar territory. And at the same time, this revival of the black disk once classified essentially as a "vintage" object is perfectly in tune with the times, because we are rediscovering vinyl and its audio quality after the eras of the CD and MP3s.
First Published: Feb 26, 2022, 09:00
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