"It Was Trendy 10 Years Ago"... Fashion With Transaction Value Soaring 402%

The '2016 vibe' craze following Y2K nostalgia
Yellow filters, ripped jeans and more make a comeback
Retro spending grows stronger as economic uncertainty rises

Fashion items that were popular a decade ago are drawing renewed attention, especially among younger generations. As the nostalgia-inducing online meme "2026isthenew2016" spreads, the styles of that time are also being revisited.

Red Velvet's Joy is wearing a bomber jacket. Joy's Instagram

According to the secondhand marketplace Karrot on the 11th, the number of transactions for "bomber jackets" last month surged by 276.7% year-on-year. Transactions for "ankle boots" also increased by 136%. Both items were leading trendsetters that drove a wave of popularity in the mid-2010s.

The bomber jacket originated from the aviation jumper worn by U.S. Air Force pilots during World War I. In the mid-2010s, it became hugely popular both in Korea and overseas under the name "aviation jumper." Ankle boots that wrap around the ankle, as well as destroyed denim with rips at the knees or thighs, are also considered iconic items that symbolized 2016 fashion.

The bomber jacket originated from the aviation jumper worn by U.S. Air Force pilots during World War I. In the mid-2010s, it became hugely popular domestically and internationally under the name "aviation jumper". The secondhand marketplace "Beongae Jangteo"

Influencers and Social Media Driving the Retro Trend

At the center of this trend are social networking services (SNS). The meme "2026isthenew2016" is a movement of sharing posts that reminisce about the atmosphere from ten years ago and recreate the sensibility of that time. Photos using yellow-tinted filters and short-form videos set to 2016 hit songs are enjoying huge popularity. In particular, on TikTok and Instagram, there are numerous cases where related hashtags have garnered several million views. Overseas, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner have shared old photos, while in Korea, Joy of Red Velvet and Ahn Yujin of Ive have joined in, drawing attention. Having started abroad, the trend is rapidly spreading via SNS algorithms and is influencing the domestic consumer market as well.

The retro boom is also evident in actual sales indicators. According to fashion platform 29CM, transaction value for "bomber jackets" around January this year jumped 402% year-on-year. Transaction value for "destroyed denim" also increased by 307%. During the same period at W Concept, sales in the denim category rose 90%, and sales of ankle boots grew 24%. On Ably, search volume for "ripped jeans" increased by 40%, while transaction value for floral dresses was also tallied to have risen by more than 20%.

At the center of this trend are social networking services (SNS). The meme '2026isthenew2016' is a trend of sharing posts that reminisce about the atmosphere from ten years ago and recreate the sensibility of that time. Instagram

An industry insider said, "A defining feature of this trend is that it goes beyond mere content consumption and actually leads to purchases," adding, "We are also seeing more curated special exhibitions that use specific years as their concept."

Retro Fashion That Keeps Coming Back: What Exactly Is 'Reminiscent Consumption'?

This wave resembles the earlier Y2K boom. Y2K fashion, which reinterpreted styles from the early 2000s, drove consumption among Millennials & Gen Z for several years. Now, as the next cycle, the sensibility of the mid-2010s has effectively been brought back. Experts analyze this as "reminiscent consumption." They explain that as uncertainty grows across society, people increasingly seek psychological comfort by recalling past points in time that felt relatively stable.

Accordingly, some analysts say that this phenomenon of past culture becoming trendy can extend beyond the fashion category into a broader "cultural retro" movement. This is because makeup styles, smartphone camera filters, and music playlists that were popular at specific points in the past are being revisited together. Among these, some brands are already known to be preparing campaigns that reinterpret their 2016 logo designs and advertising concepts.

Fashion has always reflected the spirit of the times. There are also forecasts that, amid an uncertain present, the consumer psychology of summoning past sensibilities will take root as a new cultural current.