Once out-of-step brands suddenly cool
From Fila to Polaroid, young buyers embrace products their parents loved
To everyone who’s ever felt like a misfit, take heart that what’s out can become in, what’s down can go up, and what’s not so hot can become — well — cool.
Don’t believe it? Once out-of-step brands such as Champion, Dr. Martens and Polaroid are having a moment as teens and twenty-somethings embrace trends and products that were last popular when their parents were young.
“They love heritage, they love the ’80s,” says Farla Efros, president of consultancy HRC Retail Advisory. “They feel it’s different, and the brands frankly have done an incredible job at allowing this generation to customize and update and personalize them.”
Many product lines have also succeeded at reinventing themselves by connecting with young fashion icons such as Kylie and Kendall Jenner. “That appeals to this group,” Efros says. If celebrities are seen wearing a certain label or style, “people will flock.”
Check out the brands and products that are back on top:
Champion
For years, the athletic clothing company was more popular with budgetconscious parents than their kids. Social media star and comic Kevin Fredericks, known to many as “KevOnStage,” spoke recently about how uncool the brand once was in an online routine shared more than 7,000 times on Facebook.
But recently, the sportswear maker has become a hit with it girls Kim Kardashian West and younger sis Kylie Jenner. They are among the celebrities spotted wearing its sweat pants and tops, signs that the brand has officially arrived.
Dr. Martens
The combat boots also known simply as “Doc Martens,” for a time, went the way of the VCR and CD — something that you may have had lying around the house, but you weren’t pulling out and using any more. But the rugged boot is revered once again for adding a funky edge to even the most dainty outfits.
Fila
Much like Champion, the cool people weren’t always feeling sneaker maker Fila. But superstar Beyoncé has been photographed sporting the brand’s name on a cropped top. The in-
tensely devoted “Bey” hive alone can make Fila a top seller.
Hyundai
When Hyundai was first introduced to U.S. customers, the buzz on the South Korean brand was that it produced cheap cars. But in the decades since, the automaker has had an image makeover, updating its quality, style and design. Now, with a reputation on par with other major car brands, Hyundai has recently unveiled a well-reviewed, luxury spin-off dubbed “Genesis.”
Fuji and Polaroid cameras
Fujifilm and Polaroid, iconic names in the world of photography, both lost their luster as Americans turned to smartphones and apps to record their memories. But Fujifilm’s old school Instax, as well as Polaroid’s Snap Touch, are all the rage with the teens who make up Generation Z. They are loving the palm-sized cameras with a retro vibe.
Vans
The brand’s iconic “Old Skool” skater shoe with the signature stripe has been sported by fashionistas such as Hailey Baldwin and Olivia Wilde. It has been particularly popular in black, apparently giving even casual outfits a pop of chic.