Tehya is Tired... of Hollister's 2000s Vault
Tehya is Tired… of Hollister’s 2000s Vault
Written by Tehya Tenasco
I remember the first time I found one of those adorable 2000s Hollister babydoll tops in the wild. It was a deep chocolate brown shade, with soft sleeves and a flattering square neck design, finished with cable-knit accents around the bust area. Hanging on the new arrivals rack of my local Savers, I was shocked that a gang of “Depop Demons” hadn’t already snatched the top to resell for twice the price. The top was a little monochrome, not exactly my color, and one size two small, but I bought it for the sake of the iconic, older Hollister pieces.
In response to the influx of early 2000s themed parties, makeup, and fashion in the past two or three years, Hollister finally cleaned the lint out of its ears and launched the 2000s vault releases in July of 2025, promising to reimagine the low-rise, slim fit, and babydoll style pieces dominating the Pinterest boards of 2000s fashion freaks everywhere.
The first wave of 2000s inspired pieces were tube tops with fabric ribbons tied below the bust, beachy collared shirts with pinstripes, and low-rise blue denim shorts embroidered with flowers, all adorning the iconic Hollister seagull. Like everyone, I am a victim of the nostalgia bug, so I was intrigued by the brand’s decision to relaunch. I never shopped at Hollister as a tween, so the Great Return of the 2000s gave me an opportunity to experience a whisper of the store’s shopping experience.
I picked up a gray and white long sleeve babydoll top (similar to the brown one I found at Savers) as part of their autumn drop at the end of August last year (I was chatting with the associate at the register about the new releases, and she forgot to scan the $50 top by accident). I thought the colors worked nicely as stripes, but the fabric was cut in a way that made my abdomen boxy and shapeless. I expected the quality to shift slightly due to rising fabric costs, but I was confused as to why the cut had to suffer as well. For a brief moment, I wondered if I had missed the age demographic window. Was I too old for these clothes? Was I the foolish adult shopping in the teen section? Hey, at least the top was free.
Hollister has continued to release 2000s vault collections, and despite my dissatisfaction with the gray babydoll top, I purchased a gray, faux fur lined hoodie during the winter sale last December. I’m a sucker for fur texture, and I appreciated how the fur piece was detachable for washing purposes, but once again, the fit on the abdomen was too rectangular and the V-cut neckline sat awkwardly high on my body. The sleeve seams snapped the moment I pulled it on. Payback for the babydoll top, literally.
What’s the deal with today’s ill-fitting tops? Why aren’t they fitted at the waist anymore? If I’m spending over $30 on a single product, I’m expecting some cinch to the waist. Something tells me Hollister won’t change the fit patterns of their clothing anytime soon, no matter how many complaints longtime fans are spewing online.
To this, I propose Hollister consider the power of vivid colors. Rather than producing different tops in the one-dimensional navy, white, maroon, pink, and black, Hollister needs to lean into the energetic color palette of the early 2000s. Spring greens layered with cool pinks, aqua blues, and deep plums have been long discarded as "tacky"or “childish,” when in reality, these shades suggest optimism, vibrance, and poised flair. Marketing nostalgia while considering modern styles doesn't have to result in poor quality or lackluster designs, but inspires customers to consider that 2000s fashion is more than silhouettes of low-rise jeans and Henley tops. The era embodied color; it’s integral that retailers do the same.
2000s Brands with Fabulous Fit:
Refuge
Charlotte Russe (older pieces)
Venus