Nostalgia Economy: Brands and Styles from the Pre-Social Era are Most Wanted by Gen Z

And in New York, the first physical stores of TikTokers specializing in '90s and 2000s vintage are opening

How shopping habits and consumption patterns in the fashion sector are changing for the new generations in America 

During this period of pandemic and restrictions that have forced remote work and virtual social activities, most of Gen Z in the United States claims that life was better before social media, as reported by the recent survey by John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. As a direct consequence of this forced digitization climate, thrift stores are experiencing an unprecedented surge in younger consumers, seeking '90s and Y2K vintage clothing, namely the fashion showcased by Paris Hilton and Britney Spears in the early 2000s.

While thrifting can become a true obsession in some cases, in others it becomes a new business model capable of stepping out of the digital world of TikTok and into the real world, as happened in the Lower East Side, New York. This is the case of Rogue, a vintage store opened last summer by the very young TikTok influencer Emma Rogue. The store is decorated like a '90s teenager's bedroom, with walls covered in posters of the Spice Girls and Eminem, and shelves filled with collectible vintage Furby and Tweety plush toys. Meanwhile, Britney Spears is the loud soundtrack accompanying customers in their frenzied search for Tommy Hilfiger t-shirts from the '00s (preferably) in their size and Prada nylon accessories.

Rogue started selling on the second-hand trading social platform Depop in 2018, launching vintage Skechers and Guess t-shirts. But she gained many followers by venturing onto TikTok. Her thrift shopping videos and her choice to reinterpret '90s outfits of parents in a contemporary way earned her millions of views on TikTok. The new followers acquired were then redirected to Depop to purchase the coveted vintage “treasures.” In June 2021, she decided to sign a lease for a store in New York, taking advantage of the drop in rent prices during the pandemic. - We bring together New York youth interested in exploring their style and who want to shop in the right place - said Emma, in what could be summarized as the mission statement of a new business model capable of turning young TikTok influencers into small entrepreneurs.

Alongside Rogue is Bowery Showroom, the concept store opened by Matt Choon, a 25-year-old who started selling sneakers on eBay at the age of 13 and later managed to build his community on TikTok with his vintage 'finds' videos. From a couch at the back of his store, wearing vintage sneakers from the capsule Gallery Dept. X Lanvin and flashy silver jewelry, Choon explained how he opened the Bowery Showroom in April 2021, conceived as a community space for Gen Z where you can buy both CBD products and selected vintage items. The vintage section, in particular, specializes in Japanese denim, '80s band tees, and unique pieces from Chrome Hearts from the '90s. A 10-minute walk from here, along East Houston Street, there is also Funny Pretty Nice, the vintage boutique of Natalia Spotts, a peer of Choon with an equally large following online in search of trendy early 2000s fashion items, including Bebe, Baby Phat, and Diesel; but also more sought-after '90s vintage labels like Hysteric Glamour and Custo Barcelona. Next month, Natalia will open a second location in New York.

How much does late '90s/early 2000s nostalgia sell in New York

These new thrift stores compete with many other existing vintage destinations in New York or other major US cities, but they stand out for their careful selection of late '90s, early '00s vintage. - Emma is very creative, so hers is not the classic vintage store you can find anywhere, - said Ashley Yun, a 21-year-old fashion influencer and student at the Fashion Institute Technology in New York, who recently purchased a pair of Vivienne Westwood gloves from Rogue for $85. - This store has a very specific style. 

While the store owners see their boutiques as a more concrete way to connect with their online customers. - Gen Z... is not just looking for a unique product, but also to meet other guys with common interests to form friend groups - stated Choon.
 
All this comes at a price. - Just the rent in New York can cost more than $5,000 a month, - said Spotts. - But vintage can be very lucrative; old '90s t-shirts range from $4 to $65, for example, - concluded Spotts, who records a steady flow of customers at Funny Pretty Nice, also thanks to the help of influencers promoting her items from their virtual closet. Meanwhile, Choon often hosts parties in his space to shine a spotlight on the store and create some 'buzz.' Both
are on track to reach $1 million in sales within their first year of business, as they state themselves. Additionally, these young entrepreneurs are now pushing beyond nostalgic fashion. Spotts and Rogue, for example, have debuted their own private labels sold in-store, while Choon sells a few selected independent designers, from whom he takes a 30% commission on sales.

The nostalgia economy sells well only in the most advanced major US cities

And while vintage stores can be found in every city in the world, these '90s subcultures reimagined in TikTokers' stores may not have the same appeal outside of New York, Los Angeles, and a few other trendsetting metropolises in the United States. - I love Houston, but it has never been a good city for this kind of business - said Olivia Haroutounian, 23, who hosted a vintage pop-up in Texas, also in Austin. - Owning a store requires a lot of work, you have to watch out for theft, pay employees, and handle all the other responsibilities that come with it. - Olivia is exploring new locations to open pop-ups in New York or California for this spring, and will also collaborate with other digital vintage sellers to share costs. Success in the real world also requires a different approach than creating an online presence, said Herman Wakefield, a vintage seller based in Portland who creates memes online about how crowded the second-hand fashion resale space has become - Something you really love on Instagram and Depop might not be so amazing when you see it in person, - he concluded.

In conclusion, late '90s and early '00s brands and trends are making a comeback thanks to TikTok and Gen Z consumers, who are seeking a less hectic and chaotic life, and with them, the fashion of hyper-specialized vintage stores in New York and Los Angeles is exploding. As the slogan on TikTok's business page stated in early 2021, 'Don’t make ads. Make TikToks . No need to spend big on ads anymore, just make TikToks to sell in America.