THOSE WONDERFUL YEARS. THE LEGACY OF THE ’90S IN CONTEMPORARY COOLTURE

The legacy of the 1990s and its cultural representations have reached us today through a variety of forms—at times transformed by the passage of time, and at others preserving their original essence and purity. The evolution of what is fashionable, what is cool, and new forms of cultural expression has been profoundly shaped by the emergence of the Internet and its applications during this era. This shift has brought about significant changes that have directly affected users, spectators, and anyone engaging with cultural manifestations.

This essay seeks to shed some light on these times in which everything is in constant flux and rapid evolution. The icons of that coolture have now become points of reference for new forms of expression or, perhaps, new symbols for different domains and emerging social groups.

In this sea of uncertainties, this little sailboat or catamaran—this text—tries to ride the crest of the cultural wave, to surf it or to cut through it in search of some truth (if it still exists) and of a few answers that might help us understand what is happening in contemporary culture and its representations (if, indeed, anything is happening at all).