Is Von Dutch really ready to come back on the scene?

Perhaps Charli XCX, the unofficial muse of summer 2024, foresaw it when she dedicated an entire song to the brand in her album Brat, one of her best. Von Dutch, a cult brand of the 2000s, has recently seen a resurgence in its popularity, largely driven by the public's rampant nostalgia and a new corporate structure. The brand, which became famous for its trucker hats worn by celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Paris Hilton, is trying to capitalize on its renewed online relevance to boost sales. Von Dutch was founded in 1999 and exploded practically instantly with its visor hats and logo tank tops. By 2003, it was raking in more than $33 million in annual sales and had become a symbol of the celebrity-kitsch of the era, like Juicy Couture tracksuits and low-rise jeans. But fairy tales don't last forever: in Hulu's 2021 documentary The Curse of Von Dutch: A Brand to Die For, its champion, Paris Hilton, said that “you saw it everywhere. It used to be cool people wearing it, then all of a sudden this cheesy, random crowd started wearing it.” After a series of controversies, the brand was acquired by French footwear company Groupe Royer in 2009, and recently came under the management of White Space Group (WSG), which intends to revive the brand.

In an effort to rejuvenate the brand, White Space Group recently acquired Von Dutch. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Marc Benitez, COO of WSG Brands, highlighted the cultural relevance and recognition the brand enjoys worldwide as key factors in the acquisition. Indeed, in recent months, Von Dutch has seen an increase in cultural relevance thanks to platforms like TikTok. Celebrities like Bella Hadid, Emma Chamberlain, Addison Rae, and Megan Thee Stallion have been seen wearing Von Dutch items, and mentions of the brand on social media have increased by 13,000% in the past year, according to Trendalytics, while searches for "Von Dutch" and "trucker hat" on Depop have increased by 40% and 90%, respectively, as reported by BoF. WSG aims to rebuild the US market, which currently represents only 10% of sales, and enhance marketing efforts with new collaborations and campaigns focused on the American identity of Von Dutch. The company plans to prioritize the US market and unify the brand's look and pricing across different regions. Currently, Von Dutch hats are sold for around $90 in the United States and between €35 and €39 in Europe.

By establishing wholesale relationships and improving direct-to-consumer sales, WSG aims to make Von Dutch more attractive to a wider range of consumers. Upcoming campaigns will emphasize the American aesthetic, staying true to the brand's roots. The idea, at least for the US market, is to increase the brand's presence in retail stores like Pacsun, Forever21, Fashion Nova, Lids, Macy’s, and Nordstrom. Despite the increase in cultural relevance, however, it remains uncertain whether nostalgia can translate into actual sales. Although the Hulu documentary boosted conversations about Von Dutch, searches quickly returned to baseline levels. Over the past three years, Von Dutch’s Instagram followers have grown by only 3%, and 82% of posts about the brand in the past year were related to Charli XCX, according to Trendalytics. But the problem is that those who want to buy a Von Dutch hat, especially if they are young, can draw from the endless supply on Vinted or the secondhand market. The competition from the secondary market is a factor that any entrepreneur intent on relaunching a brand today should consider.