The history of nostalgia: the origins of vintage style

We usually use the term vintage to refer to objects and styles from past decades to which we assign a special value because of their aesthetics, history or shared reminiscences. Initially, this term was mostly used in connection with wines, but its use expanded during the 20th century to refer to clothing, furniture and other design elements recalling earlier eras. Today, however, we use the term vintage not only as an expression of culture. At times, it can also suggest resistance to consumerism, advocating reuse and sustainability.  

Vintage fashion: how did it all start? 

The vintage concept initially gained popularity in the fields of fashion and decoration during the 1930s in the United States. After a decade of skyrocketing growth and frenzied activity, the Great Depression arrived, a new situation which often had dramatic consequences, forcing many people to sell their belongings or buy used goods at lower prices. Similarly, during the Second World War, many garments and objects were redesigned, making them more usable without leaving style behind. In the following decades, this concept gained traction among young people, often under the DIY (do it yourself) approach, giving clothes and objects a new aesthetic and cultural meaning.  

In the 1990s, the younger generations began to rescue unique garments from thrift shops, valuing their exclusivity, contrasting with widespread mass production. This interest wasn’t just aesthetic, but also ethical and environmental. Thus, vintage fashion became seen as an alternative to the heavy ecological impact of fast fashion. 

Vintage pop hinges on collector's lust

Beyond the fashions of bygone eras and claims of sustainability, the term vintage is often linked with the world of collecting. Objects that, for one reason or another, end up becoming unusually exclusive and valuable often become an irresistible source of attraction for collectors. Pop culture is a means of recalling the past, and this underlies the fact that the acquisition of vinyl records, comics or retro video games is one of the main trends in vintage collecting.  

Vinyl records, specifically, are one of the most important markets among collectors. Rare editions of artists such as The Beatles, David Bowie or Prince can reach astronomical prices. Copy 0000001 of The Beatles' White Album, which belonged to Ringo Starr himself, is a well-known example, selling for $790,000, although it is nowhere near the $4,000,000 that the PleasrDAO collective paid for the only vinyl copy of the Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, considered the most expensive vinyl collector's record in history.  

Although it is not as well known, a similar case to that of vinyl records are VHS tapes. Precisely because it is so rare for a child of the 90s to not have worn out a tape of a Disney classic such as The Lion King, Snow White or Beauty and the Beast, collectors have started to focus on VHS tapes that are in perfect condition. A tape in mint condition can fetch thousands of dollars.  

The retro market

But it's not all about music, because the retro video game market is another field where the demand for vintage items is seeing the fastest growth. Videogame consoles such as the original Game Boy, SEGA or the first Nintendo can fetch thousands of dollars if they are in brand-new condition and in their original packaging. At the same time, the games themselves are also enjoying a strong surge in popularity. This is the case of the original Super Mario Bros for Nintendo's first console, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which went for $1,560,000 in 2021. 

Thus, nostalgia for objects from the 1990s is beginning to make a strong comeback among collectors. The interest generated by classic toys is remarkable. In 2019, a 1998 Furby in perfect condition sold for more than 4,100 dollars, and there is also a growing interest in the toys that came with the McDonald's Happy Meal. Hundreds of dollars are being paid for complete collections. 

The case of antique books is also notorious among collectors. Bibliophilia has driven one of the most important purchases in the world of collections, the sale of Leonardo Da Vinci's Codex Leicester to Bill Gates in 1994 for $30,800,000 dollars. But other instances of this wave of nostalgia include the sale for 25,000 euros of a first English edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, signed by the author and in mint condition, in 2023. 

Whether it is because they remind us of the time when they were created or because they are considered exceptional pieces due to their historical importance, it is surprising to see how those everyday objects, which provided so many hours of fun in our childhood, have ended up being museum-worthy treasures. Vintage, therefore, isn’t just a matter of recalling a past aesthetic. It also embodies memories that acquire a physical form and which, when we hold them in our hands, transport us straight back to a time in our lives which we enjoy revisiting.