Gen-z Youth Revives Retro Fashion Via Social Media

By Nurhafizah Tan

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 (Bernama) – Often appearing in retro-inspired fashion on social media, Sharif Kamarul Husin’s looks resemble a fashionista from the 1970’s or 1980’s brought by a time machine.

Comfortable wearing bootcut pants, patterned shirts with vintage cuts and classic framed glasses, the young man’s video and photo displays on various platforms are just like re-watching scenes from films of that era.

What’s interesting is the Bachelor of Marine Technology Engineering student at Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) cleverly incorporates elements of drama and comedy that amuse netizens, catching the attention of several celebrities.

Born in 2001, Sharif, who is known for sharing lifestyle, beauty, and fashion content, said he prefers retro style given his love for music from that era since he was young.

"Whenever I watch music videos of bands like Motley Crue, Queen, and Guns N' Roses, I am drawn to and inspired to wear outfits like theirs, and I started looking for them in thrift stores," said the social media influencer, who is better known as Daeng Syarif.

Retro fashion refers to styles that capture the essence of the 20th century, particularly from the 1940s to the 1980s. These include high-waisted   trousers, cat-eye sunglasses and vibrant tie-dye patterns that were distinctive of their times.

“This interest grew even more after my video wearing retro clothes, edited with a background from that era, garnered 1.8 million views on Instagram within a week of being uploaded," said Daeng Syarif, who began creating this content last year.

Driven by his passion, the youngest of six siblings is willing to spend up to three hours in thrift stores to find vintage clothing, noting that it is not easy to find the desired items.

 “You have to 'dive' into the thrift stores; you won't find new collections. The shirt specifications must include long sleeves with buttons at the cuffs and a collar higher than typical current wear.

“Most of the shirts sold online are more expensive... some even cost over RM100 compared to thrift stores, where they usually range from RM10 to RM15 only," he said, adding that he also uses Pinterest as a reference source.

Daeng Syarif, who now has over 77,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 660,000 on TikTok, said the content uploaded to his accounts often attracts older social media users because it evokes nostalgia.

To broaden his growing fan base and attract younger followers, the Perak-born youth plans to diversify his appearances by blending vintage clothing with contemporary styles.

 “It is also interesting to combine fashion trends from the 1990s and 2000s, such as hip hop clothing as they may resonate more with the younger generation," he said, citing international fashion influencers Wisdom Kaye and Vico Casden as his idols.

Translated by Salbiah Said

 -- BERNAMA