How often do you experience brand nostalgia? Marketing strategies will typically tap into the sentimental feelings consumers have in connection with their products through retro packaging, re-releases of classic products, and campaigns that reference past advertisements or cultural moments.
Brand nostalgia draws upon consumers’ emotions by reminding them of positive experiences and memories associated with the brand. Those with a long history can use their heritage to their advantage, emphasizing their authenticity and longevity. These strategies can attract older consumers who remember the original products and younger consumers who find the retro style appealing.
In some cases, it might just be a name that’s used to leverage nostalgia and brand loyalty. How many previously upscale fashion brands/labels can you name that were bought by a conglomerate and then transformed for lower-priced retailers? Labels like Liz Claiborne, Nine West, Anne Klein, and Betsey Johnson are still around but not at the level of quality they once were.
It’s not just the brands and retailers that fueled my style passions in days long ago that I wax nostalgic about. As the retail landscape continues to change, I find the decline in the level of quality most unsettling. It can hardly escape your notice that brands are using cheaper, synthetic materials instead of higher-quality natural fibers and cutting corners in the stitching, finishing, and overall garment construction. With no universal standards for fashion quality, brands/retailers are free to define quality on their terms, which can vary widely.
Back to the topic of brand nostalgia, I’m ever so thrilled when I come across a vintage-ish garment made by a once-favorite brand/retailer. As an aficionado of secondhand shopping, those finds are especially rewarding even if the item isn’t in my size or quite to my current tastes. It’ll bring back memories of buying or wearing something similar, or just simply that general time in my life.
Let’s pull this back from being a “the good ol’ days” post and get to my specific point. One label among all the brands used to fill my closet that holds a special place in my heart. That label was Rena Rowan, a line within the Jones Apparel Group that began in the early 90s. And there was an actual Rena Rowan behind that label.
In all of my life, I’ve only met a handful of other Renas. Never could I find a souvenir license plate or mug with my name on it so buying this brand was a thrill for me. The line was devoted mostly to “career” separates and over time, I acquired several of its 2-piece ensembles.
Many of those ensembles are long gone, donated after purges. I do still have a few pieces even though I will likely never be able to fit into them again. Call it brand nostalgia, I cannot bear to part with these timeless pieces. While I didn’t think to photograph them for this post, maybe I’ll do so in the future.
Perhaps you’re wondering what all that has to do with what I’m wearing in these photos. For those with a more common moniker, finding your name in print is not so unusual. For me, it rarely happens. Besides the Rena Rowans, once or twice over the years, I’ve come across an item with Rena as the style name. Of course in doing so, I felt eager, nay compelled to purchase.
And that’s exactly the case with the jeans I’m wearing. I did a double take, doubting that I really saw what I thought I saw. Even luckier for me, there was a pair in my size. Even though I’ve mostly given up wearing cropped or ankle-length pants, I couldn’t pass on these. They’re available at Nordstrom Rack if you want to get your own pair of jeans with my name them as well. 🤣
Another piece of nostalgia in my ensemble are my booties. Not so much for the brand but for the store where I bought them. It was at the Broadway department store in downtown Los Angeles. Broadway was a West Coast chain that was acquired by Federated in 1995. Within a year, all of the Broadway stores were either rebranded as Macy’s or closed. This means I’ve had these boots for about 30 years. Nowadays I never wear them but I cannot bring myself to get rid of them either.
What are your thoughts on brand nostalgia? Are there defunct clothing lines and/or retailers that you fondly remember? Do any of their designs serve as inspiration for a modern style, one that blends nostalgia with contemporary trends?
Stay well and let’s keep in touch! Subscribe, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Photo credit: MMPerez
Note: This is an unsponsored post; however, some or all of the links to clothing items are associated with an affiliate program where I earned a few cents for each click.
Now, onto the Fine-Whatever link-up. Contributed by Gail over at Is This Mutton?, and featured from last week’s link-up is her BODEN SKIRTS OVER THE YEARS post. It’s a delight to read about her appreciation for style.
14 Comments
How lovely to be featured! Thank you! I am a bit of a brand geek because I worked in brand marketing until I retired. Like you I seek out long gone brands. It made my day to find a pair of Pepe jeans, and to see Wrangler and Biba relaunch, albeit with different owners.
I love a good pair of jean. These look great. Thanks so much for hosting.
What a great find!
I love Kut from the Kloth and how cool that the style is your name! You booties look perfect with the jeans and loving the floral top.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Several times I’ve ordered a repeat of a favorite in different size or color; the quality is always a disappointment second time around. Sadly, every company is looking to save a few pennies!
Pamela
http://www.style-yourself-confident.com
I don’t know that i have brand nostalgia, but do agree that clothes are not made as well as they once were, and I often might look for an older garment that I used to love or is no longer made, on EBay or Poshmark. Great booties!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Yes, yes, yes!! It is rare for me to find things with Marsha (spelled the correct way and not Marcia), and I definitely have brand nostalgia. I remember Rena Rowan and had a few things. And, we had a beautiful, family-owned chain of department stores in Indiana called LS Ayres. They, too, were bought out and ended up being Macy’s. When they were Ayres, I loved Valerie Stevens. The quality was amazing. I still have several sweaters that look brand new (and fit on a good day). Another favorite brand was Susan Bristol for her quirky sweaters. That brand was available in many “good” department stores. I gladly pay more money for natural fibers and do. I also have a few things I keep just for nostalgia’s sake. Thanks for the link up!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
That would be neat to find, even with my more-common name! What a great find!
Interesting topic to think about… I think sometimes I do that with French brands or items. Even though we didn’t shop for clothes in France much when we lived there (I think most of our clothes were thrifted or bought in the US and then we would bring them home to France), when I come across a beret or a tee with a French saying, I am tempted to buy it. I bought a pair of Bensimon sneakers mainly because they were French and I love all of my French totes.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Oh yes, for sure!
I’ve linked up an older post about my Todd Oldham jean jacket. I love his work and was sad when he did a pivot to interiors. Lately, he’s reissuing designs from the archives, alas, not in my size.
https://www.instagram.com/toddoldham
Great outfit, Rena! Your jeans are a classic cut and great fit-so much fun to find your name inside. Also, those booties are perfect. I have seen the very same style still made today, so many years later. Talk about an enduring classic. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this interesting topic of branding, and for the link up!
Ha! How cool to finding clothing with your name. I don’t have brand nostalgia so much as style nostalgia. But I agree with you about the difficulty in finding quality clothing. My new process before buying any clothing is: Do I love it? (Not just like it.) And is it of good quality? And as I keep pruning my closet, I’m getting to the point where I will enact a new policy: if something comes in, something goes out.
Those are so very cool. I remember everyone having a T1 sweatsuit at my school or a Members Only jacket. Haven’t seen any of those in years. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
Fab outfit! So many great brands have been bought out or disappeared altogether. I’m always excited to find a vintage Marks and Spencer item under the old St. Michael label – the quality was so good for a high street retailer back in the day!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com