Back-to-School, 90’s Style: Crayola x Joe Fresh Collab

I wasn’t planning on reminiscing about my first day of school during my Sunday grocery run, but that’s exactly what happened as I left the SuperStore last week.

Walking past the clothing section, my eyes went straight to the Crayola collection, front and centre of it all. 

Bright tees, cozy sweats, backpacks, lunch bags…all in retro crayon colours straight out of the ‘90s.I haven’t bought school supplies in years, but for a moment I was eight again, staring at a fresh 64-pack and convinced I needed every single colour.

Joe Fresh and Life at Home™ teamed up with Crayola to revive eight retired colours across more than 65 pieces. Blizzard Blue, Magic Mint, Dandelion…all back in action (that TikTok collector is probably on Cloud 9, IYKYK).

And it’s not just for kids. The collection includes toddler and adult sizes, plus lifestyle pieces like backpacks, lunch bags, and water bottles. It’s playful, bright, and somehow manages to feel both nostalgic and modern at the same time.

Why it works:

• Nostalgia that feels natural. Crayola is a childhood staple. Seeing those colours again brings back memories, whether you’re buying for yourself or your kids.

• Perfect timing. Back-to-school shopping is in full swing, and this collab taps right into that fresh-start mindset.

• Cross-category appeal. From clothing to school supplies, it touches multiple parts of a family’s shopping trip.

• Everyone’s Included. Kids, parents, adults - there’s something here for every generation

What makes this collab stand out is how effortlessly it combines nostalgia, colour, and relevance. It’s playful, it makes sense seasonally, and it adds a little excitement to something as ordinary as running errands. 

It’s a great example that sometimes, the best campaigns are about reminding people of a feeling they didn’t even realize they missed.