The Oasis reunion tour is definitely the fashion event to watch next year just like it was mentioned in this article by Vogue Business this week, but what's even more exciting is seeing how the younger generation will take those iconic Britpop trends and make them their own.
When Y2K fashion made its comeback, it was the younger crowd—late teens and twenty-somethings—who revived and modernized the look. With Oasis, the original fan base will mostly be in their mid-30s and older, but just like Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, a whole new generation of Gen Z and Alpha fans will most likely join in. Many of these younger fans grew up hearing Oasis tracks from their parents or discovered them online, so it’ll be fascinating to see how these new fans take on to evolve and give a fresh twist to these trends.
What really warmed my heart during the Taylor Eras tour was seeing so many parent-child pairs at the concerts. Growing up, Jpop was a big part of how I bonded with my parents, and it helped us through many tough times. Seeing today’s youth share that same connection with their parents through fashion and music is truly touching, and it’s a testament to the power of movements like Taylor Nation. This is something Artists like Oasis can easily utilise in their marketing campaigns.
With major artists like Ed Sheeran and Adele announcing breaks from touring, the post-COVID young generation, who have finally gotten a taste of the live music experience, will be hungry for more 'new' music. This makes the timing of the Oasis revival perfect for filling that gap.
Meanwhile, artists like Lady Gaga are putting out music that throws us back to the golden era of the late 2000s and early 2010s. It seems natural that fashion will start drawing from that period next. We’re already seeing hints of this in social media trends—nostalgic songs are making a comeback, like the quirky “Dolphin Symphony” trend that blew up this week.
This trend features the 2017 track "Symphony" by Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson, paired with bizarre, AI-generated-looking dolphin images and off-the-wall captions. (I know, it’s hard to describe—just look up “dolphin trend explained” on TikTok for the details). Zara herself jumped on the trend quickly, even incorporating dolphin animations into her live performances this week.
On the other hand, newer artists like Chapell Roan, Charli XCX, and Sabrina Carpenter are making big waves and achieving massive success, but what seems like a huge advantage on the surface can actually be a disadvantage. With the nature of fame and social media today, trends move at lightning speed. This is a stark contrast to the late 2000s and early 2010s when we would listen to the latest hits non-stop for weeks on the radio, in clubs, and at live events. The quick turnover can make it challenging for these new stars to maintain the same lasting impact. However, these artists have found success by playing against the game, creating new waves or micro-trends. For example, Sabrina leans into a modern take on 1950s cute girl attire with a signature heart cutout at the chest, Chapell embraces and brings awareness to drag fashion, and Charli literally made an album cover art not only fashionable but also the theme and culture of this years summer, to the point that BRAT became part of Kamala Harris's social media strategy. These unique approaches make these artists memorable and they also fit right into the culture of today’s social media. Music is no longer just about making it to number one on the charts or having a big social media following; you also need to be at the forefront of fashion, inspiring today’s youth.
There’s no limit to where fashion and music trends might go next. The Oasis revival tour has the potential to be a big part of it if done right, making it interesting to watch unfold through the eyes of a marketer/fashion expert and I can’t wait to see how the younger generation helps reshape it.