Stories Behind the Label: Saved by the ’90s

A Love Letter to the 1990s

The ’90s were a mash-up in the best possible way—part grunge, part bubblegum pop, part dial-up internet. I remember the flannel shirts layered over band tees, Doc Martens scuffing across the mall floor, and afternoons spent sprawled on the couch, remote in hand.

Saved by the Bell was appointment TV—Zack Morris’s cell phone the size of a brick, Kelly Kapowski’s hair impossibly perfect. And when the credits rolled, there was always something else to watch: Friends, Beverly Hills, 90210, Fresh Prince, Full House, Boy Meets World.

The Soundtrack of a Decade

Music was everything. Early in the decade, my Walkman lived in my backpack, loaded with cassettes of Nirvana’s Nevermind, TLC’s CrazySexyCool, and Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill.

I’d spend hours making mixtapes—recording No Scrubs off the radio, stopping just in time to avoid the DJ’s voice, slipping in Wonderwall, Waterfalls, or Kiss From a Rose for the perfect mood. Then came CDs—shiny, skip-prone treasures you’d save allowance for—and the Discman became the ultimate accessory. Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Pearl Jam, Mariah Carey, and Green Day were in constant rotation.

And then there was MTV in its golden era—Carson Daly counting down TRL hits, Unplugged sets that made you fall in love with songs all over again, Yo! MTV Raps bringing hip hop into the living room, and music videos so good you’d call a friend just to say, “It’s on!”

The ’90s soundtrack had everything: grunge angst, hip hop swagger, glossy pop choruses, and R&B that could make you slow dance in the kitchen.

Designing Saved by the ’90s

For Saved by the ’90s, I wanted the design to feel like that decade looked through my teenage eyes:

• Black vessel for the edge.

• Bright geometric shapes for the energy.

• Cassette bordered in blue as a nod to the colors splashed across everything from windbreakers to TV graphics.

It’s a little bit mall rat, a little bit dance floor, and a whole lot of “meet me by the food court after school.”

The Scent Story: Cherry Blossom + Summer Breeze

The fragrance of Saved by the ’90s is cherry blossom and summer breeze—soft, sweet, and fresh, like the first spritz of Bath & Body Works body spray before a Friday night football game or a trip to the mall arcade.

In the ’90s, fragrance was flirty and fun; it was less about mystery and more about making you feel like the main character in your own teen movie. This blend does exactly that—it’s lighthearted, carefree, and just a little nostalgic.

More Than a Candle—A Memory

Saved by the ’90s is my love letter to a decade when you had to wait for your favorite song to come on the radio, when your AIM away message doubled as poetry, and when “You’ve got mail” was the sound of the future arriving one dial-up tone at a time.

✨ Relive the mixtapes, the mall nights, and the music video countdowns. Shop Saved by the ’90s candle here.