Our Top 5 Fashion Brand Adverts from the 80’s & 90’s
At Raised in a Circus we absolutely love adverts from the past. They can evoke so many different feelings and emotions from laughter and nostalgia to pure shock and horror. Either way there is always something inspiring about them and their view into the past. See some of our favourite and most thought provoking adverts below. Some of these iconic brands sadly no longer exist:
1. United Colors of Benneton
Benetton in the 80s was a hip, fresh, and unique high-end Italian fashion powerhouse defined by its socially conscious, multicultural advertising as well as its endlessly colorful knit sweaters. In 2015 its flagship New York City store was sadly the last to close its doors. We should always remember the company that not only awakened our fashion sense but also opened people eyes.
1990, “BLANKET” PHOTO: OLIVIERO TOSCAN
At a time when advertising was almost devoid depictions of a interracial, homosexual family, this was a brave and ground-breaking advert.
1991, “CONDOMS” PHOTO: OLIVIERO TOSCANI
In 1997 Benetton began selling "a complete range of coloured, reliable and up-to-the-minute condoms" in the UK with a campaign giving reference to the AIDS crisis of the 80’s & 90’s. Benetton photographer Toscani told the New York Times “I have found out that advertising is the richest and most powerful medium existing today so I feel responsible to do more than to say, 'Our sweater is pretty.' " How very very true!!
Archive - Just Seventeen Magazine: August 1987.
Not much more to say here other than truly beautiful, truly 80’s.
2. Versus Versace
In 1989, Gianni Versace gave his little sister, Donatella the gift of the Versace brand's first spin-off company: Versus Versace. It made a huge impact on how the in-crowd dressed and the accessories that they coveted, using now iconic models for their avant-garde adverts. Sadly, in the 2005 it closed down after the brand's star power faded with a series of defections and takeovers having battered the Versus image. Donatella resurrected the brand in 2009 focusing on watches, leather goods, fragrances, and limited ready-to-wear garments instead.
Cindy Crawford, Nadja Auermann, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer and Stephanie Seymour for Versace Versace 1994
Kate Moss and Aya Thorgren for Versus Versace in 1994
Carla Bruni for Versus Versace SS92
Niki Taylor for Versus Versace in 1990
3. Swatch
The "it" watch of the 1980s, Swatch was launched by legendary Swiss watchmakers whose market share was being swallowed up by cheap imports from Asia. Artistic collaboration with a who's-who list of the era's biggest stars made Swatch the decade's hippest watch and these colorful, charismatic time pieces became a fad of every trendy girl/guy’s wardrobe in the 1980s and 1990s. You can still buy one if you want today but without a doubt Swatch really is a relic from a bygone era.
4. Guess
Launched in 1981, Guess rapidly became a household name in trendy denim apparel and sexy advertising and launching the careers of some of the most globally-recognised models and actors in the business. From Drew Barrymore to Anna Nicole Smith, Guess had a knack in the 90s for picking ambassadors that would boost the brand’s image of youth and adventure while massively benefiting from the gig themselves.
5. Moschino
Moschino rebelled against the sheer luxury and commercialism of the 80s and early 90s, with wit, imitation and a good sense of humour. Shop windows were filled with opinions on racism, animal welfare and AIDS and designs were sent down the runway such as a belt reading “this is a waist of money” and a shirt with the slogan “for fashion victims only”. Moschino’s campaigns didn’t just sell products but thought-provoking ideas. A true fashion revolutionary to the core Moschino was dedicated to highlighting social issues, with ads including words such as “No to racism” and “Enough! The sea is not your toilet”. Kudos to that!!
