A question inevitably crossed our minds when we saw Paula Acebedo (@paauulzz) posing on her Insta wearing a pink El Niño t-shirt and her characteristic white maxi logo. And it is that, I remember unlocked… The firm was one of the most popular among teenagers in the early 2000s, the years from which the Y2K aesthetic now drinks. Surprisingly though, this brand doesn’t seem to have come back from the past with the revival Or is it that the thing starts now?
From the beaches of Tarifa to the Disney Club
Although it may seem like the beginning of a joke, an Austrian; a swiss and a spanish surfing enthusiasts were the ones founded The boy Tarifa in 1999. From opening with a single store, they soon went on to sell in 37 points in Spain through seven franchises and crossing borders in Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands.
The boom it came about when the then store clerk had the idea that they could get the brand on television. said and done because began to appear in series and even in the Disney Club. So they didn’t even need to invest in advertising for their popularity to skyrocket.
The child was born destined, mainly surfers and beach people. A sample is its name and it is that, in Tarifa, the east wind and the one that blows in the mountain is called “the child”. However, at the height of his popularity he began to have a large presence in other urban tribes. especially among the canis, bakalas, chonis or whatever you call them in your city.
Forgotten but not broke
However, although with the passage of time and the arrival of new trends, we stopped seeing their t-shirts with acid and bright colors and simple but modern lines, the firm has not gone bankrupt and is still active. With a much lower profile than in its years of expansion, yes, they still currently sell through their online store, El Corte Inglés and Amazon.
In addition to t-shirts (although they no longer have stock its iconic vintage model) there new designs available every season of sweatshirts, swimsuits and shorts for young people and children. But this story does not end here because it remains to be seen if it ends up rising from its ashes thanks to the Y2K trend, the influencers and the second-hand market.
Photos | The boy Tarifa