Brands Archive-Mining for New Product Launches

For some markets, revisiting old products is standard practice. It’s big business in watches, with timepiece brands regularly combing the archives for hidden and forgotten gems, or seeking out exciting fashion labels, buzzy influencers and even relevant media properties to reimagine their classic pieces.

Most recently, Japanese electronics giant Casio celebrated the 50th anniversary of its watches by rereleasing the Casiotron – the first wristwatch it released – in limited quantities, and continues to rework its popular G-Shock pieces via influencer team-ups, movie tie-ins, and collaborations with fashion brands.

It’s equally – if not more – important in the handbag market, as huge demand for vintage Y2K pieces (especially among younger demographics) has spurred a myriad of brands to rework and rerelease their most recognisable silhouettes from that period. To name just a few, Gucci’s Jackie, Dior’s saddle bag and Fendi’s baguette have all been reworked and relaunched in recent years, following huge demand for vintage versions on luxury resale sites.

Additionally, US label Guess capitalised on Gen Z’s obsession with the 2000s for A/W 23 by releasing an entire accessories range made up of reimagined brand staples (read Gen Z Fashion Download: 2023 Part One for more). Meanwhile, Balenciaga riffed on the motorcycle spirit of its beloved City bags when launching the smaller (and instantly viral) Le Cagole before bringing back the original earlier this year.

Elsewhere, and perhaps most notably, Prada has made sustainability a factor in revisiting its archive, aiming to remake some of its cult classic bag silhouettes in a more eco-friendly way – its Re-Edition range revives popular Y2K silhouettes in recycled nylon.

Fashion has been slower to see the opportunity in these archival deep dives for apparel relaunches, but smart brands have already begun to explore it. One of the most notable examples is British legacy brand Laura Ashley’s ongoing series of collaborations with New York-based cool-girl label Batsheva. Despite hailing from different decades, both share signature design codes (think wallpaper florals and cottagecore-style silhouettes), and thus have an overlapping consumer base (Batsheva customers are also very likely to be scouring eBay for vintage Laura Ashley prairie dresses). Similarly, Chemena Kamali’s debut show at Chloe paid direct homage to the brand’s 70s collections, reinterpreting house codes without replicating specific pieces.

There are potentially big sustainability benefits for brands in this space too, as revisiting older, established designs reduces the need for new samples and moulds to be made during the early stages of production and product development. Additionally, marketing messages around the revisiting of previously archived pieces – especially those from the 90s and 00s – are a sure-fire way to tap into fashion’s continued nostalgia frenzy and obsession with all things vintage. This is especially relevant as young consumers are increasingly striving to build their own fashion archives.

Focus on relaunching beloved pieces that are already in demand on resale sites (or those that mimic those popular silhouettes and styles), but consider introducing new elements to reignite interest today – whether that’s collaborating with a contemporary label to revive archived favourites, or harnessing new material innovations for an eco twist on an old classic.