Celebrating its 40th year, British lifestyle brand White Stuff is delving into its archive to launch a 17-piece collection called ‘Rewind ’85′. 

In a tribute to the brand’s original designs, the range “brings a modern twist to nostalgic customer favourites”. These include graphic tees, first sold to skiers in 1985, to ‘90s surfer-style’ half-zips.

And to mark the occasion, the brand also re-launched a hotline (“with the help of a few 80s icons”, including Martin Kemp, Toyah Willcox and Sinitta, taking calls at the brand’s call centre in Leicester) where customers were able to call in to order from the range before its 4 March launch online.

The launch also marks a nostalgic journey from when founders George Treves and Sean Thomas had the idea of designing and selling T-shirts in the Alps to fund their winter skiing trips, first sold from the back of an old Citroen 2CV. We’re told these original designs have since become “iconic”, with the tees and half zips “becoming firm favourites among those lucky enough to own them”.
 
To mark the anniversary, White Stuff also polled its customers via social channels to discover which past pieces they wanted to bring back from the archive. So the Rewind ’85 collection features curated garments across ski- and surf-inspired half zips and rebooted heritage tees, paying homage to the original references to the ‘Boys and Girls from White Stuff’ prints.

The collection is also “a love letter to both the original designs – which embody the relaxed, unique style at the heart of the brand’s roots – and customers who have cherished the designs for decades”.

So the art direction features nostalgic 80s and 90s office-style imagery and video, shared across the brand’s social channels (IG, Facebook, X and TikTok).

To complement the launch, 13 White Stuff stores – including in Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh — have also had their windows overhauled to feature the retro campaign.

In addition, the brand will use outdoor advertising across 13 locations and 139 sites in the UK from next week to showcase Rewind ’85 product on Cornish surfers and Scottish ski tourers.  

White Stuff CEO Jo Jenkins said: “We’ve built such a loyal customer base since White Stuff started… and while we’re proud to be the modern brand we are today, we never want to forget our heritage.”
 
Prices for the collection range from £30 to £65.