At the end of August, the unthinkable happened. The members of Oasis, one of the biggest bands of the 1990s which led the Britpop revolution and altered pop music forever, announced their reunion. A potential Oasis reunion was long speculated by fans but seemed unlikely thanks to the band’s architects, brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, and their infamously stormy relationship that led to Noel quitting the band more than 15 years ago.
The press release seemed aware of the momentousness of the reunion, reading dramatically, “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over.” Within days, the hard-to-secure tickets prompted U.K. lawmakers to initiate a potential investigation into Ticketmaster’s pricing structure. An estimated 14 million people tried to buy tickets in the first five days they were on sale. And memes about the return not just of Oasis but also of the ‘90s fashion and lifestyle the band represents abounded, heralding the end of “Brat Summer” and the dawn of “Wonderwall Fall.”
The fashion industry hasn’t been blind to the cultural power of both Oasis and the larger ‘90s cultural throwback moment. Within a week of the reunion’s announcement, Liam Gallagher was announced as the new face of the outerwear brand Stone Island, playing on his famous love of wearing a parka zipped all the way up under his chin.
Similarly, on August 27, the day of the reunion announcement, Levi’s announced its own Oasis collaboration in the form of a collection of Oasis-themed T-shirts featuring the band’s logo and imagery from its albums and famous concerts, like the 1996 performance at Maine Road Stadium in its hometown of Manchester. The streetwear brand Represent Clothing also teased an Oasis collaboration a few days after the reunion announcement.
Nguyen Tran, founder and CEO of the fashion brand Le Reussi, which has drawn inspiration from the ‘90s era, called Oasis’s status as an embodiment of the 1990s the key reason the news of the reunion has captured the attention of both fans and fashion brands.
“It has struck a chord globally because it taps into a deep sense of nostalgia, particularly for the ‘90s, a decade that many view as a golden era of music, culture and fashion,” Tran said. “Oasis were cultural icons who defined the Britpop movement and influenced a generation. The band’s anthems evoke a shared memory of youthful rebellion, carefree attitudes and a time when music was raw and unfiltered. This cultural resurgence is why brands are keen to align themselves with Oasis, knowing that image can reignite that nostalgic passion.”
Oasis is far from the only entity from the ‘90s making a return. Based on the popularity of peak ‘90s fashion brands like Abercrombie & Fitch and Roberto Cavalli, ‘90s fashion icons like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, and even ‘90s technology like CDs and disposable film cameras, the ‘90s are firmly back. And it’s no flash in the pan — the New York Times Style magazine wrote about the return of the ‘90s all the way back in 2016.
“Some of the ‘90s trends, such as chunky sneakers, frayed hemlines, slip dresses and oversized jackets, are staples in modern wardrobes now,” said designer and stylist Peter Martinez. “The popularity of ‘90s trends has lasted so long that it won’t be wrong to say that the ‘90s aesthetic will continue influencing fashion. Designers and consumers are consistently drawing inspiration from this iconic decade.”
