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By André-Naquian Wheeler
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Everything old is new again, the saying goes. Celebs have surely taken the aphorism to heart this summer. Wearing rare and covetable vintage designer pieces for, say, a trip to the grocery store or chilling by the pool has become a key trend. That’s right, a ’90s-era Jean Paul Gaultier slip dress or a Tom Ford-era Gucci bag is no longer reserved for major moments like the red carpet or music videos. The summer of 2022 has been all about casual vintage glamor.
This is both a surprising and natural development. Celebrities have developed a penchant for wearing vintage on the red carpet recently, providing fresh, modern spins on hard-to-come-by pieces of yesteryear and showcasing the sheer timelessness of good design. Zendaya wore a 1998 Bob Mackie gown; Cardi B dived headfirst into the Mugler archives; Lady Gaga donned the revered yellow Tiffany diamond. And who can forget the intense reaction Kim Kardashian elicited when she wore Marilyn Monroe’s iconic 1962 dress to this year’s Met Gala?
Now celebrities are taking their vintage out into the streets. They’re wearing some of the most celebrated and sought after pieces for personal moments, like donning John Galliano-era Dior at a friend’s birthday party (Dua Lipa) or rocking a Tom Ford-era Gucci handbag for a quick dinner with the beau (Rihanna). The whole trend highlights how even the ordinary is deserving of curated glamour. A stroll in the park can be a fashion moment too.
“Everyone is requesting vintage,” says Alexis Novak, founder of Tab Vintage, of the sharp increase in demand for vintage pieces—from celebs and us plebeians—this summer. As vintage mania has ticked up, Tab Vintage, which is based in LA, has become a reliable go-to for celebs hunting down the most celebrated runway pieces from the past. Stalwart designers for Tab include: Jean Paul Gaultier, Tom Ford’s Gucci, Azzedine Alaïa, and ’90s Versace. “We’re excited to let some of the pieces that have sat dormant in our archive, just waiting for the right person to select it, [now have] a second run in the sun,” Novak says.
But does Novak think the vintage trend has become oversaturated? “I don’t think so,” she answers. “All the clothing we could ever need already exists. We— humanity—could not make a new garment for the rest of time, and we wouldn’t run out of clothing.” And while celebrities are turning to the past, these looks definitely don’t look or feel passé. Perhaps it is a testament to how much current fashion trends are directly inspired by bygone eras, or the enduring appeal of certain designers. Oliva Rodrigo in a sheer Betsey Johnson number on the streets of New York feels remarkably of the moment. Ditto Kylie Jenner donning a Comme Des Garçons pink top and black skirt covered in 3D hands.
Fellas are starting to get in on the trend too. Drake caused a stir earlier this year when he rocked an uber-rare fall 1991 Yohji Yamamoto jacket, which one reseller is flogging for $15,000, while hitting a club in West Hollywood. And Lil Nas X strutted around town in a very vintage-feeling band tee that has been cut and spliced up.
And make no mistake, a love for the old is not limited to the upper elite. Thrift stores have been crushed with demand currently. When we look back ten years from now, perhaps the defining fashion trend of this era will not be anything new—but everything old.
Below, check out some of the best vintage street style moments from this summer.
