Outdated millennial fashion staple making unexpected comeback

One of 2015’s biggest fashion trends is having a second wind as the staple accessory loved by millennials makes its way back into the mainstream.

Revived by Alessandro Michele as part of his debut collection at the helm of the luxury fashion house in 2015, Gucci’s interlocked double-G logo belts gave the functional accessory a fashionable twist, with the design instantly recognizable. Now, the cult-classic accessory is being sported by fashion trendsetters and celebs, indicating that the item’s popularity is once again on the rise.

Whilst not an original design, Michele’s creative direction gave the accessory a new lease of life and cemented the product as an iconic item from Gucci’s arsenal. Under Michele’s direction, the product grew in popularity and, in turn, in styles, with a number of options when it came to belt width, leather textures, and even the logo itself.

The logo belt, arguably a status symbol in the mid-2010s, was the must-have accessory for it-girls and boys alike, and a staple on any red carpet—but soon fell off fashion lovers radars as they ditched the style in favor of other fashionable alternatives.

However, the product may be taking center stage again soon, with supermodel Bella Hadid spotted wearing the accessory in New York last month, and Miley Cyrus sporting the skinny version during the teaser trailer for her upcoming appearance on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.

In fact, mentions of the accessory on X [formerly known as Twitter] have grown a significant 18 percent over the last week, according to social media fashion data source @databutmakeitfashion.

To find out more about how the trend is making its mark for the second time, Newsweek spoke to U.K.-based designer resale store Consigned Sealed Delivered’s resident fashion expert, Giorgio Ammirabile, who shared how “fashion is cyclical due to several factors involved,” sharing insight into six factors that affect an item’s fashion life cycle:

1. Design plays a major role in deciding the longevity of its presence in the market. Fashion is majorly dependent on design.
2. Viral trends often become part of the fashion cycle when worn by a famous celebrity. This increases the consumer’s demand for the same fashion they see their idols wearing.
3. Inspiration and theme for that fashion also has a significant impact on fashion being repetitive. Sometimes, a particular collection gets high demand all of a sudden, this is due to its distinct attractive design, which increases the demand, and thus repeats in the coming season as well.
4. Brands’ popularity and identity are another common factors for the repetition of fashion. People buy branded clothes for the symbolism which urges brands to repeat fashion.
5. The classics (those pieces that always remain in the cycle of fashion) have a lot to do with the influence of movies or iconic pop stars. This is one of the major causes of the cyclical nature of fashion.
6. Tradition or cultural values are also one surprising factor that encourages fashion to repeat. In order to preserve these values, a segment of trend is always a repetitive fashion. By creating pieces that are timeless and versatile, consumers may be more likely to keep them in their wardrobe for longer, reducing the need to constantly buy new clothing.

Ammirabile also touched on how many of our key trends aren’t being seen for the first time, as he shared: “Whatever we see today is already been discovered and some ‘new’ discoveries are just the innovation of the old ones.

“Any designer or creator makes designs based on keeping past fashion in mind. This happens due to commercial aspects.

“The cyclic nature of fashion means that trends are constantly evolving and changing, and was popular last season may not be popular this season. This keeps the industry dynamic and constantly pushes designers to come up with new ideas, with this cyclical nature of fashion not just a phenomenon, but also a necessity.”

So, if you’re one of many millennials who hopped on the trend almost a decade ago, it may be time to dig the belt out from your drawers and dust it off for round two.