“New Vintage”- ever heard of it? Neither had we, at least until we received word of Kim Kardashian’s latest New Vintage Skims drop. Today, Kim K. dropped her first line of “vintage inspired” clothing meant to capitalize on a buzzword that has some people questioning wtf is going on.

And no, despite the name, these tees and tanks aren’t vintage and they aren’t made from repurposed vintage materials. When asked about this perhaps better called “vintage-inspired” line, Skims reps reassured us that the clothing is “crafted in an assortment of garment washed hues to give the ideal vintage, worn in look…” Just so we’re clear the shirts are “new,” because they are new and are “vintage,” because Kim thinks the colors are. 

It’s no secret, we’ve seen big names jump into the vintage scene as of late. And regardless of how we feel about it, at least Nordstrom and J. Crew are selling real vintage! Something about just calling a t-shirt vintage, even with the word ‘new’ in front of it, seems not entirely kosher. 

A company valued at $3.2 billion choosing to make a profit from a word that holds weight, without even making an effort to understand the scene doesn’t sit right with us. And it seems like huge opportunity was missed on Kim’s part, who occasionally wears and seems to have an appreciation for authentic vintage. Why not partner with and support local sellers? Why not use some vintage materials in the garment process? 

So much could’ve been done and wasn’t. But who knows, maybe Skims’ next drop will be “Old Vintage” or maybe “Vintage Vintage.”