Y2K Style is Back—Here are 7 Brands To Look Out For
VMAN Southeast Asia’s fashion associate lists the seven brands that should be on your Y2K radar
It’s okay to go Y2K
Is Y2K style here to stay? When the trend came back in 2022 through cutouts and cybertribal motifs, people wondered if it would just pass by, like 2020’s cottagecore and 2021’s avant-basic, quirky, and maximalist styles. But 2023 saw people baby tees with baggy jeans and oversized headphones, then 2024 went full Y2K blast by bringing back layered shirts, low rise jeans and trucker hats.
And it seems like 2025 will be Y2K style’s strongest year yet, with Von Dutch planning a comeback. But the iconic brand, brought back to life by pop royalty Charli XCX’s hit song “Von Dutch” and Gen Z’s love for resurrecting old trends, is not alone, it seems. Here’s our list of Y2K brands and styles to look out for in 2025.
Von Dutch
Von Dutch was famous for their trucker caps, jeans, and handbags: the most coveted items in the early Y2K, thanks to Christian Audigier’s design style and marketing tactics. Some would also attribute Von Dutch’s success to Paris Hilton’s influence in fashion at the time.
Today, Von Dutch is getting the spotlight back, with celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid rocking their iconic trucker hats, while Ed Hardy shirts are starting to resurface on TikTok and Instagram. The brand has also been recently acquired by brand management firm WSG who promises to stay true to Von Dutch’s legacy.
Ed Hardy
When Christian Audigier left Von Dutch, he started a new brand using the designs of the famous tattoo artist Ed Hardy, who developed a unique style by studying under the classical Japanese tattoo master Horihide. The namesake brand featured T-shirts of Ed’s designs with his marriage of Eastern (dragons, tigers, koi fish) and Western motifs (roses and skulls).
Christian used the same marketing tactics he used in Von Dutch to bring the brand to the mainstream. This paid off, boosting their sales and rising to fame with celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Zac Efron, and even Sylvester Stallone wearing their designs. Today, Ed Hardy shirts are already starting to resurface on social media.
DIESEL
Formerly known as Moltex, DIESEL started the trend of stonewash jeans. It rose to fame during the late ‘90s and early Y2K for their innovative marketing. Because of Glenn Martens’ knowledge of the strengths of DIESEL—denim and great marketing—he managed to bring back the brand into mainstream media through his designs and campaigns, targeting the younger generation. They are also one of the first brands to bring the Y2K aesthetic back, starting with their AW ‘22 collection.
True Religion
Back in the early 2000s, designer jeans defined one’s outfit—True Religion stood out, with their horseshoe shaped stitching on the back pocket heralded as a status symbol. Since 2023, after entering collaborations with other brands, True Religion has started gaining traction again and with the continuous rise of the Y2K aesthetic; they might just reclaim their status as a covetable luxury denim brand.
Dsquared2
Started by identical twins Dean and Dan Caten who were designers for Versace and Diesel, Dsquared2 is an Italian luxury fashion house that first debuted in 1994 for their menswear line and 2003 for womenswear. The brand has been known for their racy designs that resonated with audiences during Y2K. They haven’t really abandoned their roots, continuing to make Y2K designs that are now more appealing to the younger generation.
Puma
Puma was a sneaker staple during the 2000s because of one of their most iconic designs: the Speedcat. It has returned as the latest ‘it’ sneaker and it’s going to gain more traction as Y2K continues to rise.
Onitsuka Tiger
Known for its appearance on Kill Bill Vol.1 in 2003, the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 was a hit back in the early 2000s. The brand is poised to become bigger, with a shift toward slimmer silhouettes for sneakers happening right now.
