We are entering the second week of RE/style – the fresh fashion contest series available on Prime Video, where eight skilled designers from various parts of Europe are transforming pre-owned items, competing for an opportunity to present their collection at the Oxfam show during London fashion week.
Recapped: trends ebb and flow, yet nostalgia remains
Emma Willis, the host, is spotted in a vintage Madonna T-shirt, which serves as a hint regarding this week’s design brief: nostalgia. This theme is incredibly fitting, as fashion revolves around reinterpreting styles from the past to render them contemporary and invigorating. The participants have a mere six hours (yikes!) to craft a look that encapsulates their personal take on nostalgia, utilizing five pre-owned items.
This week, Saabira has a point to prove. In week one, the designer from London found herself at the bottom tier, yet it appears she’s regained her stride. Following Emma’s inspiration, Saabira pays tribute to the pop icon: Madonna. Her runway-ready creation, which features 90s camo fabric, includes a recreation of the famed “cone bra.” Most people relate the pointed bra design to Jean Paul Gaultier, who famously crafted Madonna’s look for the 1990 Blond Ambition Tour. However, Saabira enlightens the judges that a Black designer, Angela Dean, has asserted that it was indeed inspired by one of her designs, worn by Madonna previously.
Emily, hailing from Yorkshire, is also channeling nostalgic references from pop culture. She is crafting a jumpsuit inspired by the 80s blockbuster Top Gun by assembling an array of shirts. Meanwhile, 36-year-old Charlotte – the only self-taught designer among the contestants – is combining vintage band T-shirts with vibrant neon green fabric, completing the rave-inspired outfit with an adjustable tartan skirt.
For many of these designers, nostalgia revolves around family. David and Chiara, from Spain and Italy respectively, both pay tribute to their grandparents. David’s unisex trouser and wrap-skirt ensemble incorporates motifs from the tiles at his grandparent’s house, where he and his cousins spent countless hours playing with their cats. Chiara’s 60s-inspired look celebrates her grandmother – a stylish woman who always donned red lipstick at the beach. Shanie, from Paris, shares the narrative of her parents owning a nightclub during her childhood, where poorly dressed patrons were at times denied entry. (How typically Parisian?) Her sophisticated 80s-inspired shirt dress, made from shirts and a blazer, represents an outfit that would undoubtedly permit a queue-jump.
For others, nostalgia represents a personal #journey. Alejandro, who was awarded last week’s title of “head designer,” is originally from Spain but currently resides in London. This week, his design reflects Vivienne Westwood with a Spanish flair – a sculptural slip embellished with ruffles and voluminous tulle details, merging the old with the new.
While the designers gear up for the runway, the judges are accompanied by special guest Clara Amfo, whose vintage treasures include an extensive assortment of vintage band T-shirts. She shares that her background gives her a unique insight into sustainability. “I believe in preserving clothes for as long as possible, particularly since my heritage is Ghanaian, where many people’s unused, discarded clothes end up being thrown away,” she shares. “Thus, witnessing clothing being utilized in a circular manner is quite uplifting.”
No fashion competition would be complete without a bit of drama, right? Just ahead of the runway show, that’s exactly what we got: Saabira severely cut her finger with scissors, necessitating a trip to the hospital for stitches before she could finalize her look, which was shaping up to be a judge favorite.
On the runway, as always, there were triumphs and failures. The judges felt that several looks were too conservative, while others appeared overly disorganized and chaotic. Once again, some of the early designs proved overly ambitious and ended up falling apart due to execution issues. Nonetheless, others successfully captured the brief, making nostalgic fashion feel contemporary while perfecting their styling. This week’s “head designer” produced a look that felt like it could have come directly from a runway. To discover whose breathtaking look took home the top honor, you’ll need to tune in to this week’s episode …
Restyled: Louis’s insights for mastering nostalgia
Integrating nostalgic elements into your wardrobe is the most personalized form of fashion, as our cultural references differ based on our backgrounds and ages. As demonstrated by the designers this week, the clothing and aesthetics that form lasting memories are distinct to each individual. For some, nostalgia might evoke an entire era – like the denim of the 80s, leather jackets of the 90s, or Y2K metallics. (I became quite enamored with vintage 80s athletic wear during university, which I sported while engaging in no athletic endeavors.) Alternatively, it can also evoke specific garments. As a child, my mother often wore vibrant, colorful 90s knitwear. There was a standout sweater (bright orange, adorned with a black fish design – believe me, it worked!) that I constantly seek to find a similar version of when shopping for pre-loved apparel.
What makes nostalgic dressing particularly intriguing is that it’s not only about reflecting on the past, but also envisioning it through a contemporary perspective. Recreating an iconic pop-culture reference from your youth is one thing, but there’s a clear distinction between costume and fashion. The latter focuses on reinterpreting the reference to resonate with today’s context. That’s why Charlotte’s tartan skirt worked so effectively with her custom rave T-shirt, enhancing both pieces by placing them in a new context – a nostalgic blast that felt quite current.
If you aim to replicate this, pop culture serves as an excellent starting point. Select a specific character or celebrity and reflect on one of their most recognizable ensembles. (Consider Madonna’s cone bra … if you dare.) Once you begin assembling an outfit around this signature piece, you can also blend in pre-loved items from various eras or the present day to forge something that exudes both nostalgia and novelty.
Resold: how Vinted can assist whether you’re arriving or departing
Though times (and trends) shift, nostalgia remains fashion’s unwavering inspiration. Vinted is a platform where you can uncover (or rediscover!) vintage band T-shirts or 90s spaghetti strap dresses, and it serves as a one-stop-shop for sourcing looks for specific events. Vinted excels at offering items from diverse eras, or pairing them with newer pieces.
Vinted nurtures nostalgia by providing the satisfaction of unearthing pre-loved treasures and intertwining them into your style, particularly when you are reinterpreting them to feel contemporary. It’s also a cost-effective way to explore fashion, as you can profit by selling items from your wardrobe you no longer wear. Personally, I’ve always found comfort in knowing that while fashion evolves, style is everlasting – and Vinted is there to guide you in discovering the fashion that aligns best with your personal style.
Explore every era. Buy and sell pre-loved on Vinted
