[Pictured: A staff member hangs up a Festival tee at the 1986 Sundance Film Festival]
By Stephanie Ornelas
Over the last 40 years, just like the fashion world itself, Sundance Film Festival merch has evolved. In the early days of the Fest, merch primarily comprised of mementos for Festgoers, but as time went on, we saw more diverse, sophisticated, and environmentally friendly products enter the collections: recycled tote bags, apparel made with recycled polyester, and collaborations with brands like Stanley and Clare V.
Sundance Film Festival merch has become a statement of both artistic appreciation and personal style.
As we get nostalgic thinking about our history, let’s dig through the crates of the past and reexamine some of our old collections through archival materials and photos to see how our merch line has changed over the years.
— The United States Film Festival, 1985
An ad promoting our Festival posters ran in the 1985 catalog. At the time, the Festival was known as the United States Film Festival. Posters sold for $10, and limited-edition ones went for $30.
— 1991 Sundance Film Festival
Flashback to the 1991 Fest when Paris is Burning won the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary, and attendees could purchase a tote bag for $10 or a Festival poster for $12. Short-sleeved tees went for $15, long-sleeved tees for $20, sweatshirts for $25, and cozy baggy pants for $28.
— 1995 Sundance Film Festival
The images above show Festgoers shopping the 1995 merch collection, which included classic white tees, sweatshirts, jackets, gloves, and Chums eyewear retainers.
— 2003 Sundance Film Festival
The 2003 Fest saw more color with an artful blue and green design that really stood out at merch pop-ups. Audience members flooded theaters to catch the premiere of Thirteen, The Station Agent, and others, while sporting the 2003 Festival branding on sweatshirts, tees, hats, and mugs.
— 2009 Sundance Film Festival
As we get ready to celebrate our 40th edition, let’s look back to when we celebrated another milestone — our 25th Festival. And you better believe we had a special merch collection for the occasion. Attendees could shop anniversary note cubes for $10, baseball caps for $20, and beanies for $15. Recycled banner totes were $40, tees were $30, and hoodies went for $70.
The official anniversary branding featured the years “85” and “09” adjacent to each other with the words “Storytime” on the left and “Sundance Film Festival” on the right.
— 2012 Sundance Film Festival
“Look Again” was the theme for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, and the Institute partnered with Pentagram to develop a bold design.
The New York-based design firm states on its website, “Each year, Sundance invites filmmakers to alter perceptions with their films, and Redford and the marketing team at Sundance [Institute] developed the tagline after being inspired by a quote by Henry Miller: ‘One’s destination is never a place, but rather a new way of seeing things.’”
— 2015 Sundance Film Festival
As you can see in the video above, 2015 Festgoers were treated to a kaleidoscope of eye-catching designs and items that transcended the conventional boundaries of promotional gear, from intricately crafted limited-edition posters to boldly designed tees and recycled dog collars.
— 2022 Sundance Film Festival
The 2022 merch collection left an indelible mark with its array of colors. Bold hues, gradients, and patterns adorned everything from sweatshirts and tees to blankets, mugs, and socks. The Festival may not have been in person that year, but the merch line definitely helped bring the experience to our home screens.
— 2023 Sundance Film Festival
The striking cinema tunnel design was the center of the 2023 merch line. Festgoers were clearly hooked because most items were sold out by week two of the Fest. Chelsea Christensen, Sundance Institute’s merchandise manager, and Sundance Institute graphic designer Sonja Anderson both worked with a Utah printer to capture an effective ink rendering of the unique design by PORTO ROCHA.
“It draws you in, it totally does, because it’s very subtle,” Anderson says over Zoom, referring to the tunnel design. “I like things when they’re a little bit intriguing versus in your face.”
— 2024 Sundance Film Festival
We’ve come a long way with our new offerings, like one-of-a-kind fanny packs, a mini collection with Clare V., and a special 40th Edition capsule collection. And while some products like Chums eyewear have stayed in the vault, we still have those staple items we all need and love — classic tees, hoodies, and joggers. We’ve just added a little more artistic flair. Take a look for yourself!
