The 90s, so the fashion dictators tell us, are having a revival. To some this might ignite the urge to scour Ebay for vintage Fido Dido, or dig out discontinued outré make up such as Nars ‘Times Square’ blackcurrant stain lipstick or Hard Candy pastel nail polish.
For others – notably girl group All Saints – it offers up the opportunity for a highly strategic comeback; leveraging nostalgia but using it as a springboard to raise one’s game to a thoroughly modern level.
Seemingly sharing a similar vision is Guess, the fashion label which was founded in 1981 by Paul and Maurice Marciano in Beverly Hills, whose 90s heyday saw the brand’s billboard campaigns fronted by the likes of Anna Nicole Smith, Laetitia Casta and Claudia Schiffer. The brand has seen its ups and downs, but recently the success of the GC watch brand might arguably have superseded the apparel line in terms of desirability.
Guess’ take on a 90s comeback: get one super-right-now rapper and give them free reign to reinterpret one’s iconic pieces. Simple.
And A$AP Rocky’s interpretation is unashamedly retro. Think logo tees, acid wash, crop tops and dungarees – all given a ‘GUE$$’ graphic twist. The collection is more or less unisex, harking back to an era when girls dressed like boys and prevalent is a mixture of light and dark oversized denim, crew striped roll neck tees in navy, red or ecru, tie dyed cotton vests plus canvas trimmed bomber jackets.
The A$AP Rocky x Guess Originals capsule collection has already launched in selected stores across the US, Canada and Japan with critical acclaim. Clearly it encapsulates and therefore entices the Slacker era; obsessed with the part-preppie, part-grunge aesthetic with which the Guess name was eponymous but the collaboration is now winning the label fans from a new cultural generation.
“I chose to do a limited, exclusive capsule collection. I think this is dope because hip hop hasn’t seen these patterns and colourways since the early 90s,” said (A$AP Rocky).
The evening of March 11th saw the collection launch into Selfridges, London, with a VIP event held in the befitting setting of the store’s car park, where AGWE in partnership with Guess and A$AP Rocky had created a 90s House Party, complete with film posters from the decade and customised neon. There were live performances from Section Boyz, Denim Tears, The Cozy Boyz and A$AP Rocky himself and the guestlist of urban hipsters included Skepta, Rosie Fortescue and Krept & Konan.
As well as being treated to a preview of the collection, guests dined on American inspired canapés and drank Patrón Tequila Margaritas and Patrón & Ginger cocktails.
The collection is available now in Selfridges with jeans starting at £130.
