‘Wow, I feel my age,’ fashion fans complain as ‘extinct’ 90s brand resurfaces with new clothing line

Slung over the shoulder in a variety of colors, they’ve created the must-have school backpack for ’90s teens.

Kookai’s strapless cocktail dresses and micro-glossy bags were also a big hit in the 1990s.

4

4

4

But now those who loved the brand at the time are “feeling their age”, discovering that the nostalgic high street store is back in fashion – with its new clothes going viral on social media.

Fashion influencer Jilly Cruzfrom Glasgow, admits she was shocked after finding “chic” Kookai clothes online – doubting it was the same fashion brand she remembered.

She said: “This might be very specific, but look at the same Kookai I’m seeing on TikTok with very chic clothes and very tailored silhouettes, and it’s all these beautiful Australian girls wearing it.

“Is this the same Kookai from the store where I bought my school backpack?

“You know, the nylon briefcase that said Kookai [all over it] and there were hundreds of colors, and if you didn’t have that bag to go to school with, you wouldn’t have any friends.

“I’m just curious if they really did an amazing rebrand.”

Turns out Jilly isn’t alone, as her fellow fashion fans admitted they too thought the brand had gone extinct years ago.

Many flocked to the comments section as the clip reached over 200,000 views.

“Is Kookai a thing again?? Wow, I feel my age”, sighed one.

Another person wrote: “Oh my god, memory unlocked. I had a gray Kookai bag.”

“I loved my Kookai bag,” echoed a third.

A fourth exclaimed: “Omg no I thought I had seen it all BUT KOOKAI????

A fifth said: “I used to shop at Kookai as a teenager and I turn 40 this year so this is a blast from the past.”

Meanwhile, a sixth revealed: “As someone from Glasgow who now lives in Sydney, it’s genuinely the same logo etc, I think it just evolved here.”

Kookai was part of a holy trinity in teen fashion alongside Morgan and Jane Norman in the ’90s.

The European brand’s popularity slowly declined, going into administration in 2006 and eventually closing all of its UK stores in 2013.

But Kookai was quietly axed by his Australian franchise in 2017.

Kookai Australia has since grown to a network of 39 boutiques in its home country and New Zealand, with an additional 160 boutiques across Europe since acquiring the global brand.

The company now has more than 885,000 followers on Instagram.

UK fashionistas including Moniquie Palombo from Glasgow regularly share ‘outfit of the day’ posts wearing Kookai’s new fashion range.

Their tailored vests and chic co-ords, in particular, have proven to be a big hit and are on-trend for spring/summer 2024.

Is Kookai a thing again? Wow, I feel my age.

Stunned buyer

And founders Robert Cromb and his ex-wife Danielle Vagner remain intertwined across all layers of Kookai, not just as owners, but as creative leaders and visionaries of the brand.

Danielle, Creative Director said: “I want my [customers] seeing Kookai through my eyes, with its quirky designs and infinite color palette, by virtue of the way I style and market it.

“I want her to feel excited when she walks through our doors because of the front windows and the stylized modules ebb and flow like pieces of art with crazy colors, prints and textures.”

The former model added: “We are passionate about our family business, it has a heart and soul that can only be achieved through a history full of ups and downs; blood, sweat and tears.

“Life is always throwing you a curveball, so you must duck, weave, and hope that in the end you have learned enough not just about yourself, but about your business to make it a stronger, more powerful place to be. be.”