Call it chic or call it cringe: Clothing that bears the name of a city near or far has become a closet staple for many consumers in recent years.
Once mostly reserved for impulse purchases from kitschy tourist shops while traveling, now clothing with the name of far-off places is just as likely to be purchased at home.
Consider the iconic “I love New York” tee, a favored souvenir for nearly 50 years. Gone are the days when you would need to brave the Times Square crowds to get one. You can buy a similar-looking version from Walmart for less than $10 or an embroidered crewneck version for $380 from Lingua Franca.
Clothing makers and consumers alike are seemingly indiscriminate about what passes for cool.
H&M and Zara have hawked generic-looking T-shirts with any number of city names splashed across the chest, while Balenciaga and Alexander Wang have upgraded city skyline Ts with a designer spin and their logos to justify heftier price tags.
Oh, the places you’ll go—or not
Of course, the most logical place to pick up this kind of clothing is while traveling. The global souvenir market, already expanding since 2021, is projected to surge more than 40% from 2024 levels to nearly $20 billion by 2033, according to Straits Research.
Among the various generations, millennial and Gen Z travelers are, by far, the most likely to shop for one-of-a-kind souvenirs to remind them of their trip, according to a 2025 global travel trends report from American Express.
