Edited, a retail decision intelligence company, reports a 112 per cent year-on-year increase of Blumarine products stocked across online luxury stores since the start of 2022, affirming that retailers are deepening their investment in the brand, says market analyst Kayla Marci. "Products representing the strongest buy-in reflect the Y2K aesthetic that has become synonymous with Blumarine's recent direction.” Blumarine’s current bestsellers are the butterfly top, low waist jeans, cargo pants and mini handbags — pieces that are “iconic” but also “really natural and easy” for consumers to wear, says Brognano. Knitwear has also emerged as a top selling category.
Stylist Rutigliano compliments Brognano’s turnaround efforts for Blumarine so far. “In the 2000s everyone in Italy was wearing Blumarine,” he says. “[Brognano] has been able to breathe new life [into the brand] by blending what Blumarine was back in its time with a new era of details.”
“It’s young and vibrant and it’s sexier and more urban than what it was before. It has a bit more tongue-in-cheek playfulness,” says Tiffany Hsu, vice president of buying at Mytheresa, which first stocked Blumarine for pre-fall 2022. “We have seen a very strong start: the cargo pants have been flying off our shelves and the iconic crop cardigan, with its many variations, has also been popular.”
Beyond Y2K
The Y2K trend shows no immediate signs of waning. “Demand continues to swell throughout 2022, translating into sell out activity,” says Edited’s Marci. “Over the past three months alone, several Y2K-inspired items [such as waistcoats, cargo pants and halter tops] showed double-digit increases in the majority SKUs selling out compared to the prior three-month period. These statistics indicate consumers remain invested in the aesthetic.”
“These days we tend to see more popular trends hang around for around three seasons or so, with brands tapping into continued demand from customers as trends trickle down from early adopters after an initial season,” observes Celenie Seidel, senior womenswear editor at Farfetch. “The Y2K aesthetic seems to be destined to morph and change into a slightly less maximalist interpretation of early 2000s dressing, perhaps even late 1990s.”
Brognano is evolving Blumarine’s look to last beyond the trend: the resort 2023 collection was less blingy and came in neutral tones instead of bubblegum pink. And while still sexy, the pieces had stronger streetwear influences, with ribbed tank tops, cropped sweats and long slouchy dresses. “Season after season, the Blumarine 'Barbie’ girl has become a more adult and provocative woman,” says Brognano.
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