In 1991, A Tribe Called Quest came out with an entire song dedicated to pagers, rapping "Do you know the importance of a Skypager?" Before there were any push notifications, there were only beeps — signals that were sent out when someone had something important to tell you. Not like today’s news of a simple like, tag or random snap of what your friend had for breakfast. Skypager was a reflection of a time when smart data wasn't deciding for you what you should see more of and what you should find funny; who's feed you should be creeping and who you need to be more like.
In a socially dissociated time, it’s easier to tap the "follow" button than to develop a personal relationship, just as it’s easier to let an algorithm decide for you who you're going to be than to decide it yourself.
Our 2017 Fall/Winter "Skypager" Editorial is a retrospective exploring style sensibilities of the late '90s - early '00s. We turn our heads to some brands that restore particular sentiments from the past. A white hoodie with retro graphics from Loopy Hotel, or a long-sleeve with checkered racing patterns from CLBUN are among the items that enter our curated take.
Times were much simpler when wearing visors were a thing — when baggy pants swept floors and wearing graphic prints conveyed a feeling. Pant pockets were deep enough to fit Game Boys, and curiosities were entertained by what you saw on the street rather than what you saw on your feed. If we've been wading against predictive data and smart algorithms, then it's here that we come to realize that the only way forward is to look back.
Scroll through the photos above for a look at our retrospective 2017 Fall/Winter "Skypager" Editorial.