
Teenagers were not only going to Merry-Go-Round to shop, but to also hangout and see what other people were buying. With 1,500 nationwide stores at the time, the brand had slowly transitioned from a mom and pop-like denim store, to something more akin to Hot Topic. The Revah's connection to Merry-Go-Round proved to be invaluable. And yet, JNCO was actually no different than the period-specific pieces that rightfully stirred the pot when they first entered the public consciousness.

At first glance, this "reinvention of the wheel" seemed as drastic as slapping concrete blocks on a car and seeing if it rolled. Wide-leg JNCO jeans came out of nowhere, announcing itself as the unorthodox and distinctive step cousin to a Levi's silhouette rooted in timeless cool, with 20”-36” leg openings. And then the '90s rolled around - ushering in a denim fad which is still among the most unlikely fashion successes in recent memory. In the '80s, it was Zubaz for men, and neon spandex for women. In the '70s, it was the stiletto-sharp collars. When people think of the '60s, they're reminded of bell bottoms and vests adorned with tassels. In this chapter of The Brands You Used to Love, Alec Banks takes a comprehensive look back at JNCO, the denim company that dominated the '90s with its unmistakable wide leg openings and in-your-face ads.Ĭertain styles will always be ubiquitous with certain eras. HARDCOVER is a digital content series exploring the people, places and things that define and continue to shape the Highsnobiety universe.
