Stranger Things, the 80’s breeze that shifted fashion into another world
The upside-down world not only unleashed the Demogorgon on Earth, but when it hit our screens, the Stranger Things series blew up the world, bringing back the vintage and style of the 80s.
As famous as Netflix’s dun-dun, the Stranger Things opening credits has become a hypnotizing and recurring music on everyone’s screens. With over 64 million fans per season, the adventures of Will and Eleven have fascinated the world, making the series a generational phenomenon.
One of the keys to the series’ success is its sleek and retro 80s aesthetic, which gives a vintage vibe to the show. This return to the future immediately created enthusiasm, to the point of seeing its universe tipping fashion into another world.
On the occasion of the reveal of the posters for the upcoming season, on our screens on May 27th, let’s take a look back at the costumes of the series and the influence they had!
The Aesthetic of Stranger Things
What made the success of the Stranger Things series, beyond an intriguing and well-crafted storyline, is its entire artistic direction. Creating a series is like embroidering a whole blank canvas. Between locations, sets, props, actors, hairstyles, costumes… All enhanced by a perfect staging and photography. So many areas in which to let your imagination run wild, in order to bring script pages to life and create an imaginary world where viewers can escape from their daily lives.
This challenge was masterfully taken up by the teams of the American series, led by the Duffer Brothers and Shaw Levy, alongside Chris Trujillo in art direction, as well as Tim Ives and Tod Campbell in photography. And the multiple nominations for best drama series only confirm this.
Over the course of its first 3 seasons, the series took viewers into a highly characterized universe of the 80s. All creative departments succeeded in working on this atmosphere down to the smallest details. We find the famous Dungeons & Dragons game, from which the plot originates, old BMX bikes, antenna phones, walkmans, old cars, mini-robots, iconic brands from the time like Coca-Cola… All bringing a nostalgic touch to the series, which adds to its charm.
Visual references are thus made to great classics such as The Goonies, Ghostbusters, Star Wars, Magnum, Back to the Future, or even E.T., with a story that directly refers to the imagination of Stephen King. Creating a “comforting” series that brings back many memories.
Beyond the creation of the town of Hawkins and all the gaming accessories that help build its retro atmosphere, one of the elements that contributes the most to creating the 80s universe is the styling of the actors.
The Wave of Retro through Stranger Things Costumes
Kimberly Adams-Galligan and Malgosia Turzanska are responsible for creating the looks of the characters in the Stranger Things series. The costumes, when combined with the rest of the universe, depict the idea of the American way of life in the 80s.
Their work is based on a clever mix of pieces with typical 80s cuts and patterns, with a touch of modernity to give them character. This is especially evident in the colors and patterns chosen, to bring a real dynamism to the screen and not just blend into the decor.
Denim pieces, plaid or striped shirts, collared t-shirts, bombers, striped sweatshirts, oversized clothing, extra-large scrunchies, calf-length socks, raincoats, vintage glasses, sleeveless vests, skater skirts, pairs of sneakers… So many pieces that had been left at the back of closets until then, and that suddenly found themselves projected back into the spotlight.
These are pieces that were seen as tacky and ugly, but when anchored in the universe of the series, they took on a whole new value and seduced millions of viewers.
The Influence of the Series on Brands
The series, which has become a real phenomenon in pop culture, has inspired brands, which have surfed the 80s wave blowing over the town of Hawkins.
Alongside Levi’s creations, we have seen Vans create shoe models inspired by the series, including one wrapped in a plan of the mall from season 3, to celebrate its release. Nike, also an emblem of 80s fashion, dropped a pair inspired by a model they released in 1985, the year the plot of the 3rd season takes place. It is also wrapped in paper featuring Hawkins.
The DNA of the series has so captivated fans that brands like H&M have released capsule collections inspired by the series. H&M drew inspiration from the 3rd season of Stranger Things, which is iconic with its theme of the pool supervised by Billy, the bad boy lifeguard in his spare time…
This influence has also been illustrated by various brand collaborations with the actors. Actors Sadie Sink and Finn Wolfhard, Max and Mike in the series, have designed collections alongside Pull And Bear.
Many other brands have also created merchandising related to the series. From Havaianas to Primark, many brands have filled their shelves with the colors of the town of Hawkins.
When Ugly Becomes Fashionable, or How Stranger Things Has Revived Retro Pieces
The strength of the Stranger Things universe is that it has breathed new life into the world of fashion. Indeed, its retro vibe immediately seduced, especially thanks to the series’ photography, which showcased the costumes so well. As a result, we have seen more and more people developing an attraction to vintage clothing.
Thrift stores are now being scoured in search of an old Levi’s piece or an oversized shirt like Eleven’s. Brands are releasing collections entirely focused on retro patterns, making this style the one to have to be fashionable. Like recently with Stradivarius. Bucket hats, patterned caps, and big scrunchies are back on the accessory racks, much to everyone’s delight. Even Jacquemus has brought back the bucket hat! A vintage style that can be worn down to the fingertips, with nail art that is increasingly used on the nails of people all over the world.
This vintage, 80s mood is also reflected in the lifestyle, with cassettes gradually overshadowing vinyl records, which have already made a comeback from the back of closets a few years ago. Just like disposable and film cameras, or even Polaroids.
And we see people on the streets trading heels for 4-wheel rollerskates. Especially with Impala Skate, which has just released a new pair of roller skates in disco colors. And with the few roller skating scenes in the trailer for the upcoming season, our little finger tells us that the roller skate brand’s turnover is likely to soar after the series! Get ready to put on yours and show off your moves on the roller disco dance floors!
With the upcoming release of the highly anticipated 4th season, which will be in 2 parts to make the pleasure last even longer… We can’t wait to finally discover the next adventures of Eleven, Mike, and their friends! But above all, to see what new costumes will be worn by the iconic heroes of Stranger Things. And the impact they will have on trends! One of the trailers already promises a wide variety of costumes, thanks in particular to different eras being highlighted.
A phrase from the directors promises a very promising series…
“With nine scripts, over 800 pages, nearly two years of filming, thousands of visual effects, and a running time almost twice as long as any previous season, Stranger Things 4 has been the hardest season to date, but also the most rewarding”.
See you on May 27th!
