This month officially marks the 25th anniversary of New York’s vintage fashion Mecca, What Goes Around Comes Around (WGACA). In celebration of this milestone, WGACA went deep into their archives to curate an exclusive capsule collection featuring 25 of their dopest pieces from decades past. The collection drops today at the brand’s SoHo shop. Check out all the pieces here and then head over to West Broadway between Broome and Grand to shop the capsule IRL.
1. Led Zeppelin Icarus T-Shirt, 1976, $750
“A lot of [Led Zeppelin t-shirts] were made just for one gig, plus there were promotional shirts released by the record companies. They were more exclusive and rare because they would be given out at a launch party or to radio stations to get airtime for their artists,” says WGACA CEO, Seth Weisser. “The rarity of the shirts was much more substantial than, say, a 1981 Rolling Stones shirt, where they had 150 dates on the tour and a massive number of those shirts were made.”
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
2. Levi’s Big E Jeans, pre-1971, $1,250
“I don’t believe anything in the contemporary denim era will become collectible. You cannot replicate the original thing,” says Weisser. “They’re the Rolex of denim.”
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
3. Levi’s Big E Denim Jacket, pre-1971, $350
Apart from the 501 jean, the denim jacket is probably Levi’s most iconic style. Much like the 501, it has undergone many changes and iterations throughout the decades, but remains a classic fashion staple that has proved to stand the test of time.
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
4. Blue and Yellow Cat Dragon Souvenir Bomber Jacket, 1950s, $2,950
“The whole trend for the past three years with the silk bomber, the embroidery, the Gucci and Saint Laurent, that all those people did, those are inspired by 1940s and ’50s souvenir jackets that we’ve been selling for 20 years,” says Weisser.
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
5. Handmade Victorian White Lace Eyelet Dress, $1,750
The nature of intricately weaving thread into such ornate design gave women a job in a booming industry in the 17th century. Before 1768, lace was made by hand and by women and worn by everyone. The eyelet, a type of embroidery that includes a cutout reinforced with thread, was also a handmade feature of the time. The holes helped keep the wearer cool during summer months. Due to industrialization, the business of hand-making dresses with such delicate features fizzled. Consistent with the times, this Victorian dress was constructed by hand and has the bespoke qualities of couture.
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
6. Black Jeweled Sleeveless Slip Dress, ca. 1925, $3,500
In the 1920s, women eschewed ankle length dresses, cinched corseted waists, and modest clothing for a more relaxed “garconne”or boyish appeal. This is also when the bob was born. Women started to flatten their busts, shorten their hemlines, leave their arms bare and wear straight, body-ambiguous dresses. Flappers, the more seductive of the lot, opted for slinky knee-length dresses that were highly embroidered or beaded for night – often paired with a headdress or hat and low-heeled shoes. This allowed for movement as a physical and political statement.
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
7. Widow’s Mourning Dress, 1930s, $2,500
The fabric traditionally used for widow’s mourning clothes during the reign of Queen Victoria trickled into the 1930s. The modest attire of a widow was dictated by the Queen down to the fabric known as crepe. The crepe texture is achieved through chemical treatment or manually manipulating the fabric with heat and pressure to get a rippled effect. The fabric became incorporated in tea-length to maxi dresses. This fitted, black, high-neck, button-sleeved dress was in line with the fashion etiquette of the times.
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
8. WWII Leather Bomber Jacket, 1940s, $2,500
The Type A-2 leather flight jacket is an American military-issued flight jacket produced during World War II. These jackets are distinguished by snap-flap patch pocket, a shirt-style snap-down collar, epaulets, knit cuffs and waistband, a back constructed from a single piece of leather to limit stress on the garment, and a lightweight cotton lining, and a leather hang strap. Authentic jackets have a military-issued label attached just below the back collar.
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
9. Buco Leather Motorcycle Jacket, 1940s, Price Upon Request
Today, Buco jackets are some of the rarest vintage leathers to find and are highly sought after by collectors and aficionados.
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
10. Courrèges Shift Dress, ca. 1965, $1,950
The mini shift dress is the defining shape of the 1960s. Influenced by modernist architect and designer Le Corbusier’s primary color palette and geometric forms, André Courrèges created the modern look for the 1960s woman.
What Goes Around Comes Around 25th Anniversary Capsule Collection
