Archival designs have been a recent source of inspiration for several Guess collections. The Los Angeles-based brand’s archive Guess U.S.A. Sportswear embroidery led to a collegiate capsule collection in August, while its ’90s graphics inspired the Fall 2020 collection.
Offering these modern interpretations of throwback styles is a way for Guess to share a piece of its 39-year-old history with nostalgia-obsessed young consumers that were mere twinkles in their parents’ eyes when they were initially launched.
Now Guess is going a step further to quench consumers’ thirst for archive designs by establishing Guess Vintage, an online program of exclusive hand-picked certified vintage Guess goods. The brand launched the collection Thursday with an initial offering of 68 authenticated pieces spanning men’s and women’s vintage denim, crewnecks, jackets and tees designed in L.A. between 1981 and 1999.
“The new program will allow customers to purchase items from various years and collections that have been sourced from all over the world,” Guess stated.
The brand’s foray into resale is a sharp read on market trends. Last year, fellow American heritage brand Tommy Hilfiger partnered with New York City-based vintage retailer, Procell, to collect and curate a limited selection of vintage pieces from the its archives. Italian denim brand Diesel, meanwhile, has taken to upcycling deadstock and archival pieces.
And in terms of scale, Levi’s SecondHand, a buy-back program allowing customers to purchase secondhand jeans, is one of the largest vintage resale efforts to date by a denim brand.
Guess is celebrating the launch by inviting influencers and editors to an outdoor Guess Vintage Seeding Suite at its L.A. headquarters. The Western-themed installation was inspired by Guess’ original Rodeo Drive store concept.
Highlights in the first collection include jeans with Guess’ iconic triangle back pocket—a signature of the brand’s denim in the ’80s and ’90s—as well as other hallmarks of the decades like stonewash and acid washes and finishing techniques Guess introduced in its early years.
Jackets boasts a variety of different patches and labels from previous decades. Tees and crewnecks are available in a multitude of colors and styles that incorporate iconic embroideries and patch logos.
The collection is available on GuessUSA.com with retail prices spanning $79-$168.