With the resurgence of its fashion trends in today’s world, it’s clear that the 1990s were responsible for some of the most influential and timeless looks the fashion world has ever seen. Everything from bike shorts to chokers to bucket hats has snuck its way back into people’s daily lives, and for good reason. Even some of today’s most influential designers got their start back in the ’90s, like Marc Jacobs and Vivienne Westwood.
Most recently, Vogue Magazine has launched a new podcast on fashion that rocked the world around 30 years ago, titled In Vogue: The 1990s. The podcast is presented by former editor-in-chief of Vogue and artistic director of Condé Nast, Anna Wintour, and is hosted by British fashion journalist and editor, Hamish Bowles. Every episode covers a new and specific facet of 1990s fashion, including the emergence of the “supermodel” (like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell), grunge and punk rock culture’s influence on fashion, and the novelty of Americana designers like Calvin Klein and Donna Karan.
Most recently, the podcast released an episode on the visibility queer culture gained throughout the decade, especially after the destruction of the AIDS crisis from the 1980s, from which the fashion community rallied around the queer community as a result of the losses they faced. As a proponent of new fashion and style ideas of the time, the queer community of the ’90s was responsible for prominent figures like RuPaul, who have reached notable status since then.
Personally, I’ve loved learning more about timeless influencers like Gianni Versace and how music was a significant means of cultivating ’90s fashion. For instance, the podcast recounts the way grunge fashion was influenced by bands like Nirvana, and even how music videos like Madonna’s “Vogue” shaped queer visibility and vibrancy in the iconic fashion of the time. I’ve found that each episode is extremely detailed in its delivery, and Bowles does a fantastic job of making you feel like a true fashion insider from the time. You get to go behind the scenes of some of the most distinct and timeless fashion shows of the time, learn what went behind the cultivation of certain brands and designer names of the ’90s, and understand how Vogue Magazine itself played a role in developing the fashion world at the time.
With the podcast, you can truly learn about almost anything that sparks your curiosity about the most influential fashion decade ever. To keep up with the podcast, a new episode is released every Thursday. Find it on whatever platform you use to listen to your favorite podcasts!