There is a bit of a furore going around at the moment in some quarters decrying the notion that the 90s can be 'vintage'. The biggest pure vintage scenes are undoubtedly the 40s and rockin' 50s and the early, mod style-led, 60s. And it's hard to argue with the fact that the looks were so strong, fresh and 'game changing' in these decades that they have really stood the test of time.
To me for something to be classed as 'vintage' it needs to be of sufficient quality of design with the creative execution for it to stand the test of time and be relevant and desirable to future discerning generations. The 90s are now officially classified as 'vintage' because we are two decades on and just like when I was coming out of my teens 30 years ago, a new generation is starting to discover and enjoy the creative fruits of musicians, designers, artists and film makers who delivered their ideas 20 years ago.
This year at the Vintage Festival we are starting our trawl through what was cool in the early 90s, so the festival will incorporate Madchester style raves at one of our dance spaces The Warehouse, with DJs from the infamous Hacienda era such as Graeme Park and Danny Rampling, legendary 90s club nights Sub Club and Back to Basics will be mixing it up side by side, Pump Up The Volume will be hosting a special 90s rave and fashion-wise, the Vintage Festival's huge marketplace of 250 traders will be stocked up with a wide range of 90s garments and accessories- from grunge shirts to DMs, crop tops and peace sign jewellery to Alaia and Romeo Gigli and early John Paul Gaultier.
And try telling a 20-year-old who has just discovered the early 90s films Edward Scissorhands and Silence of the Lambs that this wasn't a fertile period for film-making.
We are fast approaching the 20th anniversary of Elastica's brilliant Waking Up single and next year sees the 20th anniversary of Suede's debut album - an album that my kids always wanted to listen to on long journeys in between mum and dad playing 70s Bowie... see the connection?
That's the joy of vintage - opening doors to a wealth of timeless creativity and allowing great moments in time, that stand the test of time, to get a re-airing to those that by the very nature of birth, life and death weren't around to enjoy it first time around.
The Vintage Festival takes place at the Boughton Estate in Northamptonshire on 13-15 July, 2012. Tickets are on-sale now at vintagefestival.com