Experts reveal the biggest vintage trends of 2022

Vintage is having a moment. As 2022 rolls on, what has become clear, even with the return to physical fashion shows and the seasonal spectacle of new collections, is that the lust for unique vintage and second-hand pieces has grown. While sustainability has become the major challenge of the fashion industry today, people are opting for more responsible wardrobe choices, putting pre-loved on top of their shopping list.

“When it comes to spotting vintage trends, it’s important to highlight the overall predominant trend: that, at the moment, there is no greater trend than buying second hand in general,” says Pia Anna Kierulff and Mai-Britt Gamdrup, founders of Jerome Vintage and Rosy Vintage, two of the most beloved vintage destinations in Copenhagen. Adding: “Vintage has never been more inclusive. Regardless of age, gender, income or origin, there is a consensus that it is more fun, better for the environment, and definitely cooler than buying poorly produced clothes from any cheap high street brand.”

Still, the phenomenon goes beyond just a greener ethos. With the enduring 90s trend, celebrities and street style stars alike are taking cues from the icons of the period. Whilst bringing back the pieces that defined a decade, vintage has transformed into a beloved frequenter on and off the red carpet, reliably hitting the headlines.

After a year or two of Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Zendaya, and Dua Lipa browsing the archives of Chanel, Tom Ford for Gucci, and John Galliano for Dior to source red carpet looks, the Hollywood style set is now foraging for rare and unexpected wardrobe additions. This is where vintage shops in Scandinavia appear on the radar. The yields of Hailey Bieber’s treasure hunt were on full display when she was spotted in a vintage leather jacket from the Swedish pre-loved online store Worn last Sunday.

Fueled by major international fashion retrospectives and big screen events such as House of Gucci, Halston and even Matrix Resurrections, specific eras are now having a comeback with a cult following of vintage enthusiasts.

Below, Scandinavia’s top vintage sellers share the most important vintage trends we will be wearing in 2022.

Maybe it is due to Jean Paul Gaultier’s unparalleled talent to intertwine fun with skin-baring barely-there design. Whatever the reason, Bella Hadid and Kim Kardashian cannot get enough of the 1996 Cyber Baba mesh top and Body Morphing dress, reissued in the fashion house's SS21 collection. Spurred on by a recent resurgence on screen (in the form of a 1994’s red and black jacquard vest worn by Zendaya in Euphoria and a fantastic three-piece suit pulled off by Sarah Jessica Parker in And Just Like That), Jean Paul Gaultier continues to gain traction. His genius has taken the hearts of vintage lovers in Scandinavia as well: “We actually never had much Jean Paul Gaultier in the shop, but recently, we seem to have developed a thing for his designs – so, at the moment, you will find a lot of that in the store,” Kierulff and Gamdrup of Jerome Vintage points out.

Related: The 6 best vintage stores in Copenhagen to visit now

Y2K trends are continuing to reign supreme, so why not pull out the originals? Miley Cirus, Lizzo, and Iris Law are currently fascinated by Roberto Cavalli, echoed by the increased demand at vintage dealers worldwide. “We’re working hard to keep up with demand for the major commercial successes of the 1990s and 2000s, like Roberto Cavalli’s dresses in chinoiserie and amour tattoo motifs,” says Jesper Richardy, founder and owner of Time’s Up. The Copenhagen one-stop shop for vintage designer and archival pieces is widely known as the darling of international stylists and stars like Naomi Campbell, Jane Birkin, and Lady Gaga.

The good news is that certified vintage obsessives can still get their hands on coveted Cavalli at the store. As Roberto Cavalli’s current creative director Fausto Puglisi brought back the iconic autumn/winter 2000 tiger pattern for spring/summer 2022, he is nourishing the rising interest in the originals, making them a clever investment for any Cavalli fan.

“With social media apps like Instagram and Tik Tok, fashion influencers become a bigger part of people’s shopping decisions as we get the latest collections delivered to our phones every day. Trends are coming straight from the runway, just as we experience an increasing interest in miniskirts thanks to Miu Miu’s praised spring/summer 2022 collection,” says Stella Björt, manager and buyer at Reykjavík’s Spúútnik. Miuccia Prada’s fresh interpretation of modern workwear and her daring cut-off hems led to the skin-baring Miu Miu set and ultra-short minis that have already been seemingly everywhere.

Boxy silhouettes play a central role in Miu Miu's school-kid-inspired collection, spurring a collective hunt for the perfect leather jacket. Sophia Johansson and Ivar Djurhuus, founders of Prisløs in Oslo, look at it like this: “Currently people are searching for the perfect oversized leather jacket: the jacket that has the shape, texture, and colour that you just love. It’s supposed to look oversized but not too big.” Both founders see a demand for tailor-made vintage blazers as well. The Italian fashion house just created another exceptional collection for autumn/winter 2022 with a contemporary take on the tennis look – featuring more leather jackets and miniskirts – so it is safe to say that the hype around vintage Miu Miu will accelerate as well.

Related: The 5 best vintage stores in Oslo

Nicholas Ghesquière delivered one of fashion month’s most acclaimed autumn/winter 2022 collections at Louis Vuitton. The collection, which included David Sims' photographs of adolescents, was a celebration of youth. And what did the youth of yesteryear wear? “Athleisure attire has been even more trending since the pandemic started, and we see no end in people going for vintage Patagonia, Ralph Lauren, Nike and Carhartt. Pieces like that are fairly easy to find at local secondhand and charity shops for affordable prices,” recommends Iines Alavuo from Relove in Helsinki. So whether you want to embellish your look with just a subtle sporty note or decide to go all-in on teenage experimentation, vintage activewear is nostalgia at its best.

Nothing beats those timeless pieces that never go out of style. “While fashion is becoming increasingly homogeneous globally, vintage fashion offers an opportunity to find truly unique pieces that will last,” explains Jesper Richardy of Time’s Up. “As scarcity will be more important when investing in designer vintage in the future, we will see a shift from the noughties dominating vintage shopping headlines in 2021 towards pieces that will transcend trends.”

According to Richardy, the Burberry trench coat as well as silk scarves from Hermès and Yves Saint Laurent are seeing increased interest. “1970s Yves Saint Laurent silk scarves are super bright and graphic but instantly recognisable to a vintage connoisseur because the colour combinations are just so YSL. Vintage Hermès scarves play in a league of their own, both in quality and design, and they’re extremely collectable. Especially scarves from the 40s to the 60s can be a seriously good investment as they continue to increase in price.”

Related: The best vintage stores in Stockholm

At Boutique Finest in Stockholm, founder and owner Diana Hammargreen see the same desire for quality and sophistication: “The three most coveted designers in 2022 will probably still be the big classics: Chanel, Hermès and Dior. However, today, especially the younger clientele is looking for vintage pieces that complement ready-to-wear high street fashion as a unique way to manifest their individuality.”