When I was at Pitti Immagine Uomo in Italy, the menswear expo, this past month, I felt as excited as a kid in a candy store with the number of brands showcasing their talents there. Everywhere I turned, art abounded — and some of my favorite designers of the 2020s were available to shake my hand and hear my compliments. Of course, there were patterns throughout the expo, but aesthetics and not just trends.
One of the major aesthetics permeating the expo was “retro”. There was an entire showroom dedicated to vintage pieces, for example. Generation X’s childhood was also fully represented.
Kangol was there with enough pieces to keep LL Cool J dressed until age 120. Kangaroos’ presence lit my face up — who doesn’t remember the pockets? — and I was compelled to make a video, shared to Facebook Generation X groups. They were so taken aback by my enthusiasm they gave me swag. And K-Swiss were there presenting as well, as innovative as ever.
This weekend continues the vibe. Another beloved brand from the 80s is making its American comeback: Esprit. Esprit is set to relaunch in America mid-2023, and has just opened a global headquarters in NYC at 160 Varick Street in New York City’s Soho. The Hong Kong-based brand signed a ten-year lease for the 11th and part of the 12th floors, leading me to think they plan to be there for a while.
This isn’t the end of Esprit’s relaunch plans: they also plan to open flagship stores in both New York and LA.
This isn’t happening in a vacuum – Generation X nostalgia also drove this year’s Super Bowl advertising, Alicia Silverstone and John Travolta took Gen Xers down memory lane while hawking Rakuten and T-Mobile. Many brands this year are looking to us nostalgic 40-somethings to stay in the black financially.
Sit back, turn on That 90s Show, and put on some Esprit jeans with your K-Swiss. Generation X is running the retro scene now. Whatever.
