I Want Deja New, Not Deja Vu
Paris Fashion Week got too nostalgic.
Dear Reader,
It was a big week for my fellow RealGirls out there…
In Paris, so many classics could be spotted on the runways again: The Chloé Paddington bag, the McQueen skull scarf, and the “J’Adore Dior” logo shirt all made a comeback. Following the recent re-release of the Louis Vuitton x Murakami collab, it seems deja vu is the trend du jour. As Alyssa Vingan put it on her Substack: “The Runways Look a Lot Like Resale Sites This Season.”
Clearly, there’s still demand for the originals. My sources tell me searches for ‘J'adore Dior Shirt’ increased over 180 percent week-over-week on The RealReal, 'Skull Scarf' searches 127 percent, and ‘Chloe Paddington’ searches 48 percent. (You guys have been busy, it seems like the Paddingtons are now sold out…)
I can understand the allure. But is this “purr to the past,” as Liana Satenstein wrote on her Substack (I told you, the RealGirlies are talking), a good thing for fashion?
Personally, I find it a bit uninspiring. Sure, I felt like I would die if I didn’t have a McQueen scarf as a teenager. But I’m not a teenager anymore (to put it generously) and don’t feel the need to relive that part of my life. Meanwhile, I never wanted a Paddington bag in the first place and, after a quick search on TRR… Nope. Still don’t want one. (This $25,000 Vuitton x Vivienne Westwood ‘Bum Bag,’ however, has my FULL attention.) The irony of wearing “J’Adore” across your chest has also worn off, I’m sorry. It’s 2025. Shouldn’t fashion be looking forward, not backward?
In a moment like this, when history is repeating itself so horrifyingly, I’m desperate for discovery. Surprise me, Fashion Week! I don’t want the same old, same old. Looking through my screenshots, I was inspired less by the runway this season and more by writer Rachel Tashjian’s packing list that she shared on Instagram, which got me searching for vintage Romeo Gigli and Zoran.
That said, I do believe it’s possible to reinterpret the past in new and creative ways. Designers just have to avoid hitting ‘copy’ and ‘paste.’ Below are some searches I saved after going through allllllll the Paris Fashion Week collections for you, which, mon dieu… There are a lot of them. Scrolling The RealReal all day is way more fun!
“Silk Chloé”
The new Chloé generally feels fresh, and I’m inspired to find a flowy silk dress or top on TRR for spring.
“Saint Laurent 1990”
Anthony Vaccarello was inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s couture collections from the ‘90s, which were seen as demode then but potentially exciting now in a new light. Specifically, he brought back Saint Lairent’s palette of sexy, saturated colors and took power shoulders to new heights.
“1980s Jacket”
Saint Laurent wasn’t the only brand that embraced broad shoulders. I also spotted them at Givenchy, Marine Serre, Alaïa, and others. To get the power look for less, search names of the decade like Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler. It’s kind of amazing that anyone ever actually dressed like this… And that we might do it all over again!
“Fur Scarf”
Miu Miu took us back to the '40s and '50s, with cone bras, granny-chic socks, and fur stoles. As Natasha Stagg pointed out in her newsletter, fur is generally unbranded, so no one will know the difference if you get a fur scarf from The RealReal instead of a designer one. Plus, it’s all about how you carry it (and yourself), which, if you’re a Miu Miu girl, means scrunched up under your arm like a library book.
“Balenciaga”
Meanwhile, at Balenciaga, Demna just looked back at… himself. The choice makes a lot more sense now that we know this was his last show for the brand, since he’s moving to Gucci. (!!!) I’ve always thought his pieces went underappreciated on TRR. (To be honest, most of the brand’s ready-to-wear is, including Nicolas Ghesquière’s era.) As his most recent collection emphasized, in addition to wild viral fashions, he’s also great for a simple black blazer or a little black dress.
Next time, maybe we can talk about the Row. But for now, I am le tired. Instead, I will leave you with this Phoebe Philo-era Celine sweater that has quite literally been worn to shreds and appears deeply stained… AND YET! 52 people still saved it to their ‘Obsessions’ page. Nostalgia is a powerful drug.
XOXO
The RealGirl
The silk Chloe!