Electric Revival
HIGHLIGHTER HUES AND KINETIC ENERGY — THE GLOW OF THE ’80S AND ’90S IS BACK
WORDS BY SARAH NOONAN
ERDEM
LOEWE
SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO
ERDEM
Neon Seppia watch, $260. All fashion spring/summer 2026.
Neon Signal Flag watch, $215
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Neon Hielo watch, $190
Swatch Neon Flumotions watch, $200
GETTY IMAGES; COURTESY OF SWATCH
Neon was never subtle, but then again, neither were the ’80s and ’90s. It glowed from arcade lights and boombox screens, spilled across windbreakers and leg warmers, and pulsed through music videos like an electric heartbeat. Born from a world of Walkmans, roller discos and mall culture, these decades shouted in hot pink, acid green and highlighter yellow. Today, as nostalgia dressing takes another victory lap, neon has slipped back into the conversation, blissfully unaware it was ever out of style.