Here is a thought: if so many new collections look like something you have seen before, maybe it is because they actually are. Fashion’s current love affair with revivals and nostalgia has reached the point where buying “new” often just means buying a rerun. Which is why, in many cases, you are better off turning to the source.

What is presented as the next big thing is usually a reissue of a 2000s hit, a 90s silhouette, or a “fresh” version of something that did the rounds not so long ago. Brands call it heritage, but others might say it is creative fatigue. Under relentless production schedules and commercial pressure, even major houses are leaning into their own archives rather than venturing into something new, resulting in déjà-vu designs dressed up as innovation.

At the same time, prices continue to rise while quality quietly slips. One luxury label, for instance, once coated its handbag hardware with real gold. Another recently “refined” its famous it-bag by reducing its intricate 75-piece leather construction to just 44. Simplification makes sense from a production point of view, but it also shows how the definition of luxury is quietly changing.

Culturally, this nostalgia loop is hardly surprising. In uncertain times, people reach for what feels familiar. All of those 80s shoulders and 90s minimalism aren’t just trends, they are our comfort zones. Yet the originals from those eras often capture the craftsmanship, materials and spirit that many of today’s reinterpretations can’t quite replicate.

The growing interest in vintage and second-hand pieces reflects a wider shift in how we value fashion. It isn't so much about saving money or chasing trends, but about recognising when quality and creativity once ran deeper. For a generation raised on constant novelty, looking back has become a way to reconnect with something more enduring.

Ultimately, fashion’s nostalgia fixation says a lot about where we are: overwhelmed, uncertain, and clinging to what is known. Between global turbulence, creative burnout and cost-cutting, true originality feels rarer than ever. So perhaps the smart move isn’t to buy into another revival, but to look back with intention — to understand where things came from and how far they have changed.