Manchester-based fashion label 33MM is revisiting the aesthetics of late-'90s New York with the release of FW98, a collection that explores the relationship between fashion, nostalgia and the creative process behind an imagined archival collection.
Founded in 2021, the brand has developed an identity around timeless design and cinematic references. For its latest offering, Creative Director Michael Zheng takes that approach further, imagining what 33MM might have looked like had it existed in 1998.
At the centre of the project is a fictional archive, conceived as a rediscovered box of materials documenting the collection's original development. Complete with annotated contact sheets, casting Polaroids, location photography and handwritten lighting plans, the concept offers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes processes of a late-'90s fashion campaign.
The accompanying collection translates that nostalgia into a selection of contemporary wardrobe staples, with outerwear and accessories taking centre stage. Among the standout pieces is the Sergio Wool Coat, an oversized, fully lined wrap silhouette, alongside the Vito Leather Jacket, which reworks the brand's existing Zayn design in 100% sheep leather.
The release also introduces the Etienne Leather Tote Bag, marking 33MM's first move into premium leather bags and an expansion of its growing accessories offering.
Throughout FW98, the brand explores how fashion can preserve and reinterpret cultural memories, drawing on the visual language of archival photography to create a collection that feels connected to another era.
The concept also reflects 33MM's wider identity, with the brand's name referencing the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with memory. By presenting a fictional past through physical garments and campaign imagery, Zheng continues to explore nostalgia as a central part of the label's creative direction.
The 33MM FW98 collection is available now via the brand's official website, with prices ranging from £45 to £350.
