Y2K fashion is continuing to play a strong game with the likes of fashion houses Dior, Prada, and Gucci re-vamping Y2K style. You can get out that fanny pack, er, we mean belt bag. Fashion is many things; innovative, ever-changing, occasionally confusing and very much cyclical. As much as fashion continues to push the envelope with new fabric innovations or the creation of different silhouettes, we often see images of the past returning to find itself back into the fashion of today. A major example of this would be with the corset, an item that has a history that dates back thousands of years but keeps remerging in the world of fashion.
Right now the fashion industry is taking a relatively small step back into the late 90s/early 2000s, otherwise known as the Y2K generation. This generation is well known for pop-culture references like Clueless or Mean Girls and a love for bright designs and accessories.
It was 1999 when John Galliano gave the Dior Saddle bag its debut during his spring/summer 2000 collection. Image via
A large reason for the return of Y2K fashion is, you guessed it, Tik Tok. Many TikTokers were born in the age during or right after the Y2K era. Many of them grew up with this era in the background of their childhood memory or having watched their elder siblings and friends style many of these trends themselves.
An example of the Y2K effect would come with the return of Lancôme’s Juicy Tubes. These tubed lip glosses were first introduced and popularized in the early 2000s, reminiscing of Lil Mama’s song “Lip Gloss”. Since these lip glosses were reintroduced in 2020 they remain as one of Lancôme’s top five selling products.
Sites like Depop, Poshmark and Etsy have made it insanely easy for the younger generation to tap into the accessories that were popular during the original Y2K generation. For instance, the Mini Bas Relief Choker from Vivienne Westwood, a relatively simple pearl necklace featuring the iconic Westwood orb has been appearing on the necks of many Tik Toker’s and celebrities alike.
It was 1999 when John Galliano made the grand debut of the Dior Saddle bag during his spring/summer 2000 collection (Who remembers SJP carrying this in Sex in the city)? Prada brought back a re-edit of the iconic satin satchel bag embellished with crustless and adorned by the likes of fashionistas and bloggers. Gucci is also bringing back much of it’s Gucci logo GG’s in its classic fashion.
Right now the Y2K fashion effect is still going strong and will continue to remain so for a period of time. Who knows what fashion will bring back next? My only hope is that we leave certain trends like giant shoulders pads where they belong… in the past, and classic styles remain timeless.
The 2021 Re-Edit of the Prada Satin mini-bag with artificial crystals
Written by: Nicole Kirichanskaya
