A new approach to Classic & Retro
YIZU MAGAZINE
We heard and read many times those 2 words, and to be clear they are not the same. However, both can be applied to different fields, like architecture, interior design, product design, cinema, fashion, and so on.
Thinking of it, what jumped to my mind is an old article by Suzy Menkes, former Fashion Editor for the International Herald Tribune.
She stated: “Whatʼs new in fashion? You should be asking, ʻWhatʼs old?”
She was referring in particular to the F/W 2000 collection by Designer Marc Jacobs, who presented old styles with old patterns.
The tendency of presenting Retro styles and products is always being present, in the last few years particularly. And could we say that retro isn't a type of revival after all? In my humble opinion is true.
Retro is something that looks older than what really is because has features and qualities of a previous time but that doesn’t mean it comes from there, and most of all, a retro item is not automatically Classic!
Revival in fashion is having great success and do you know why? One of the reasons is the new type of customers who invaded the scene, such as the famous Millenials and especially generation Z, both are obsessively attracted by those styles. There is no motive to be surprised, generation Z did not experience anything of the 20th century, they were just born or not born yet.
Therefore, classic and retro are intensively enjoyed for the very first time by these newcomer fashion lovers, unlike the previous generation defined as Baby boomers.
To intensify and support the new approach, social media are upfront, like never before. Fashion bloggers and influencers from all over the world are the new rock stars that are driving the digital scenes.
However I want to step back for a moment before continuing, and I would like to mention shortly what we are referring to when saying classic. A classic product/style is often continuously present in the market because it is TIMELESS or EVERGREEN, you choose the word you prefer. They are must-have pieces in your wardrobe or house because they are an investment, not just economically speaking but also because they usually are easy to mix and match with a wider amount of other products/accessories/colors.
Now you are wondering why I told you this, many of us probably already knew it, and you are right!
But have you ever considered it from another point of you? Everything we talked till now is a western creation.
Classic products, designs, etc... get life from ancient Greece and Rome (Europe), it developed more during the Renaissance (Florence, Italy, still Europe), consequentially moved to the new lands of America from 1492 (Still western).
Asia was never really influenced by those canons because they had their own.
It took us centuries to develop solid foundations, it took 100 years (20th century) to make it become our lifestyle, and nowadays it takes 1 second to make all of our past a worldwide trend thanks also to generation Z.
My point is, the higher percentage of people are not from Europe, and the younger generations never really experienced what we did, but they do now for the very first time, MOSTLY
TROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, without unfortunately deeply understanding their origins probably because they don't have direct contact with the environment and people who did experience.
Consequently, the acquirement of information is not complete.
So I am wondering how classic and retro styles, products, etc...will be reviewed and experienced from the next coming generations.