These ‘90s-Era Designers Are Gen Z’s Favorite Vintage Finds

As thrifting culture and vintage shopping continue to rise over the past few years, it seems that the future of resale is trending towards a specific set of ‘90s-era designers when it comes to Gen Z, and it’s only expected to go up from here.

On Thursday, Jan. 13, The RealReal released its official 2022 Luxury Consignment Report, with data following a year of growing resale adoption by every generation. For many Gen-Z shoppers, ranging in age from 10 to 25 years old and the resale platform’s most rapidly growing demographic, replacing fast fashion items with secondhand staples has become a regular shopping practice.

According to The RealReal, Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler take the crown as the most sought-after designer names for ‘90s vintage. Both brands had a 70-plus percent jump in average selling prices year-over-year, along with decade-specific Prada (+38%), Vivienne Westwood (+26%), and Missoni (+20%) also in high demand and growing.

While ‘90s fashion has always been a coveted trend among vintage-loving shoppers, what’s interesting to note is a switch from the decade’s signature minimal aesthetic to more maximalist-leaning designs. From Vivienne Westwood’s statement corset tops to Jean Paul Gaultier’s all-over printed dresses — both of which have earning values of $2,100 on The Real Real — Gen Z is on the hunt for bold and unique looks that will likely stand out on social media.

“It’s been interesting to follow along as Gen Z discovers styles from the past. First, they gravitated towards relaxed ‘90s silhouettes, then it was skin-baring Y2K styles and now we're seeing increased interest in ;90s avant-garde brands that are emblematic of that era, like Thierry Mugler, Vivienne Westwood, and Jean Paul Gaultier,” said TRR’s Women's Editorial Lead, Noelle Sciacca, exclusively to NYLON. “This generation is experiencing the sensibility and craftsmanship of the earlier decades for the first time, which is a big reason why we saw purchases for ‘90s ready-to-wear increase 61 percent year-over-year among this demo. This, in turn, is yielding significant returns for our consignors who are ready to part ways with the past.”

You can now see the full breakdown of current trends in luxury resale on The RealReal’s 2022 Luxury Consignment Report.