Mira Al-Momani, fashion creator
I think we’re certainly seeing a shift towards 2016 aesthetics. Whether or not they’ll rewrite the Y2K trend that’s been plastered across Pinterest and our TikTok For You page for the past while, I’m not so sure. The 2010s were quite different in silhouette to the Paris Hilton-esque trend we know and love. Y2K is Juicy Couture, baggy denim and mini, mini skirts. I find it hard to imagine the term being coined for bomber jackets, loafers and the impending resurgence of the skinny jean. But maybe I’m wrong or maybe I’m just hoping I won’t be wearing a tattoo choker again, at least anytime soon?
Alex Kessler, junior fashion editor, British Vogue
The Y2K aesthetic is irreplaceable, yet parallels exist between Y2K and 2016, particularly concerning the notion of embracing “good bad taste”. With the dominance of clean-cut, “quiet luxury” fashion, perhaps a reflection of our economic state, the desire to go against the grain is an innate human instinct. And 2016 has all the style tropes that negate what the wider public are buying into right now, which makes it appear cool again. To be frank, I kind of hate all of it — particularly the frayed denim cut-offs, sheer-panelled leggings and off-the-shoulder crop tops. Feels way too soon. Y2K will never die in my opinion. It will always have a place in the hearts and wardrobes of hotties.
Grant Goulden, co-founder of Jaded London
I think we’ve seen Y2K explode in recent years to the point of it becoming the new “commercial” again, with high street giants reclaiming and pushing it to the masses. It’s a natural reaction for people to stray away from it at that point and seek out a new way to explore a unique level of irony within style and fashion. There’s a large common agreement on social media (particularly among millennial and Gen Z generations) of 2016 being the “best year yet”, so I think that has a large part to play. From a menswear perspective, it’s when we really began to see streetwear boom such as Off-White etc. It felt like a real sub-culture to an extent, which is hard to pinpoint in more recent years. It’s very nostalgic.
2016 was a great year for brands like Saint Laurent, they were still relying heavily on their 2000s Indie Sleaze that remains the most relevant trend right now in 2024. I think we’ll see a lot of people referring back to those collections. I think longline T-shirts should absolutely stay in 2016, however. I don’t think the Y2K trend will ever die, fashion is a cycle, and it will always come back eventually. But I think the 2010s has a lot to explore, and there’s a lot more room for creativity and irony, which is only growing in popularity.
