What does the cryptic crossword clue "Retired doorman doffing cap, recreating the past (5)" mean?

The definition is "past". The wordplay uses a reversal. ORTER (reversal="ORTER") = RETRO The answer is RETRO.

Retired doorman doffing cap, recreating the past (5)

Guardian Cryptic #29164 | 21 Down | 2023-09-01 flower