Ioana Pana - Final University Project

THE PAST IS WHAT BONDS US, THE FUTURE LEADS US.

Photography: Lucy Hill

Model: Anita Nuciforo

Styling and direction: Ioana Pana

EDI TOR’S LETTER

Dear ARCH8 reader,

The only constant in fashion is change. By delving into the past and embracing it, we will know the power of today. This publication assesses how archive clothing is prevalent in today’s fashion by engaging with people who consume, buy, sell, or work in fashion.

It’s no coincidence that you will discover the first piece in this publication is titled “Why does the past matter?”. By speaking with key fashion and culture archivists who create content on social media we set the tone for 40-page long journey through time.

Nostalgia is the core of archive fashion, so be prepared to encounter it and most importantly, feel it throughout this issue. Without spoiling it too much, we talk about family bonds and how they live through clothing, but also about how a certain brand celebrates its 30th birthday this year. We are speaking with experts to provide you with the ultimate know-how for approaching archive fashion, as well as discussing social media drama, and Met Gala gossip.

We want to give our special thanks to photographer Lucy Hill and illustrator Liv Treweeke, without whom this issue would have for sure been duller.

Enjoy.

Photography: Lucy Hill

@documoda

The study of the past in terms of fashion assumes profound significance since it enables us to comprehend the lives of individuals in preceding epochs, their social standing, profession, and cultural identity by virtue of the clothing and accessories they adorned. This study facilitates an understanding of present-day fashion trends and how they mirror the social, cultural, and economic forces of our own era. It provides valuable insights into men’s and women’s shifting roles in society.

Additionally, examining archives can serve as a wellspring of inspiration for designers in the creation of their collections. The past is a source of inspiration.

As a result, examining the past through the lens of fashion history provides insights into humanity’s identity, social structures and economic systems shaped and reflected through clothing and style.

@margielaseasons

Our past is our future. The more we know the more we can create and invent. It’s so important for new designers to research and study archival fashion especially for understanding the whole picture of the fashion world before them. You need to get references and inspiration from past in order to make a new breakthrough.

@katemosspit

The past matters because style is perpetual, people yearn for nostalgia and there are many ways to re-interpret fashion, especially in case of fashion photography. Just like how every now and then trends from 90s and 70s resurface, which are also inspired by past decades.

@gettyimagesfanclub

I think the past is important because you get a broader context of a label or a designer’s history. I think with the Internet, we have never before had such wide access to images from the past.

I feel like designers had more freedom to take more creative risks before social media. In the past the majority of the public didn’t see or have access to collections until months after the show, when the clothes started to be featured in magazines and became available in stores. Now when a show is presented, it is instantly available for everyone to see and judge and there is a lot of pressure for designers to have their collections instantly understood and instantly liked… literally on social media. The problem with that is the best collections can take time to digest and a real change in direction is not always welcomed at first.

@ideservecouture

The past matters because it gives you the insight into the history of society. We tend to look at fashion as just clothes, but we fail to realize how much fashion itself affected society.

Through fashion history, you can see society develop and how people reacted to the changes in it. Fashion has always been the Testament of times. Also, it gives you a great fundamentals when it comes to for example design. It gives you the basis of everything that we know to be fashion today.

WHY DOES THE PAST MATTER?

WE SPOKE TO THE MOST POPULAR ARCHIVE FASHION AND CULTURE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS TO FIND OUT WHY THE PAST MATTERS.

@whatmiuccia

The past matters in the context of fashion because it’s a way to study history, understand the societal, political context of the past fashion. It’s also a way to put current fashion in the continuum of time, to know where we are coming from and to have a certain humility with one’s own originality.

By looking at the past for inspiration, current fashion recontextualize old elements, creating parallels between past and present; why elements of a certain era were kept while other were not? Why this time period is being revisited while this one isn’t?

In the end, current fashion inspired by the past always talk about the present, no matter how derivative of the past it is.

@schiaparelli.archive

History in any context is all about understanding how society has adapted and devolved over and over again. In terms of fashion, the study of the past helps us to understand how fashion has changed at once with society, how from generation to generation the approach to fashion isn’t different but improved or adapted to the present.

You can understand any period from the past - whether it was a wealthy or conservative one, by the clothes society wore at that time, and just like art, fashion is a form of self-expression and identity. Throughout history, fashion has been a possibility for humans to express themselves, and communicate their social status and needs. Nevertheless, the past has always been a source of inspiration for many designers from Alexander McQueen to Daniel Roseberry, who have adapted old ideas to the present.

IN ARCHIVECHANEL LOOK AT WEDDING AFTER-PARTY

Sofia Richie stuns in archive-Chanel inspired look at her wedding party. The dress was debuted by Claudia Schiffer on the Chanel runway in the nineties. Featuring the signature Chanel camellia on the front, Richie has opted for the structured ivory dress as it allows her to move and dance freely, without compromising the sophisticated Chanel aesthetic.

The American media personality has worn three Chanel looks at her wedding. The first, a high-neck, long-sleeved dress with beaded frays worn on her wedding rehearsal night was also an inspiration from an archive Chanel look. The second look, her fairy-tale wedding dress was a high neck embellished white custom Chanel, only to finish off with the Chanel camellia dress.

Sofia Richie and Elliot Grainge have tied the knot this April at Hotel du CapEden-Roc in South of France. The couple has been engaged for a year before the wedding, after Grainge proposed to Richie on a trip in Hawaii in spring 2022. Before that, the couple was together for a year and have met through mutual friends, despite their families always being close. Sofia’s father is legendary singer Lionel Richie and has collaborated with Elliot’s father Sir Lucian Grainge, CEO and chairman of Universal Music Group.

Photo Credits: Instagram @sofiarichiegrainge

MIUCCIA PRADA IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT. SHE IS THE PRADA-NESS. SHE IS THE MIU MIU-NESS. WITHOUT HER, THERE WOULD BE NEITHER. SHE KNOWS WHAT WOMEN WANT. SHE KNOWS HOW WOMEN WANT TO DRESS. SHE KNOWS HOW TO SUBVERT THE MALE GAZE, AND SHE CAN TAKE SOMETHING SO PURE AND SWEET AND MAKE IT PERFECTLY PERVERSE. SHE IS ALSO NEVER AFRAID TO REVISIT CLASSICS, SO SHE’S ALWAYS REINVENTING HERSELF AND HER OWN BODY OF WORK, CONSTANTLY ITERATING ON AND REFINING HER VERY SINGULAR POINT OF VIEW. MACK FITZGERALD

A LEGACY LIKE A LULLABY

PRADA’S LITTLE SISTER IS NOT SO LITTLE ANYMORE. THIS YEAR, PARIS-BASED BRAND MIU MIU TURNS 30.

1993 was a good year for humanity: among Haddaway’s ‘What is love’ and Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, there is one another masterpiece that made 1993 go in pop culture history books. Miuccia’s Miu Miu. Hauling three decades of extraordinary vision and loads of prairie skirts and embellished ballet flats, Miu Miu has made it to collectors’ assemblage of most prized possessions. One of those collectors is Mackenzie Fitzgerald, whose day job is to create and deliver strategies for clients at Edelman in the States, while her out-of-office hours consist of posting fashion content on Instagram and TikTok, hanging out in nature, and most importantly –scavenging for archive fashion pieces.

Fitzgerald has been a collector before she even knew what that meant, “I first began collecting fashion items when I was 14 years old.” She is 31 now, so that would have been 16 years ago. “I certainly couldn’t afford designer goods in high school, but eBay was becoming very popular”. While most of her friends were shopping at Urban Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch, Fitzgerald was getting a lot more for a lot less: “I was spending less on luxury designer goods. Resale was nowhere near as popular then as it is now, so I was finding very high-end designer items for very inexpensive, and collecting became easy”. Getting her fashion knowledge from magazines and style.com - now industry-leader voguerunway.com - it wasn’t long until Fitzgerald discovered Miu Miu: “It was one of my first fashion loves - I loved that it was both playful and sexy”.

Miu Miu’s appeal touched a soft spot for Fitzgerald. It was like Prada, but not quite. “I loved Miuccia’s work for Prada, but I felt it was too sophisticated for me at the age of 20”. Miu Miu, on the other hand, trailblazed simple silhouettes and fun patterns, while maintaining flawless craftsmanship. “It is clear from the name that Miu Miu does not bear the same weight of Prada’s legacy, house codes, and traditions, so Miuccia can be more experimental with it than with Prada,” says fashion historian and archivist Doris Domoszlai-Lantner.

Fitzgerald’s favourite Miu Miu piece? A Spring/Summer 2008 harlequin-print babydoll dress. Her favourite collections from the brand date from the same period. “I do love the Spring/Summer 2008 and Spring/Summer 2010 collections the most because they were some of the best prints and they make me nostalgic for my youth and when I first fell in love with the brand,” Fitzgerald says. “I also think Spring/Summer 2008 is the best and most resolved vision of the Miu Miu girl. It was also a collaboration with the artist Lisolette Watkins, and I am just in love with her creepy witchy girl illustrations. I have a few dresses with them”.

Prada’s creative vision for Miu Miu is bold in approach, often being associated with the uglychic movement in fashion. One of the signature touches of the house is integrating unexpected combinations of textures in its collections. “I have a resort 2019 dress with feathers. That entire collection was based on sleepwear, and that was quirky, and came at the right time before the whole world shut down for the global pandemic. She sort of has a knack for designing for the time,” says Fitzgerald.

Along the three decades, Miuccia Prada has coined a legacy around Miu Miu. Apart from the playful yet impeccable designs, her know-how and attitude assembled a cool crowd around the brand’s identity: the Miu Miu girls. Muses not only to the house, but to the whole world, the Miu Miu girls have built their IT-girl factor on piles of cable knit-sweaters and knee-high socks. Alongside Elle Fanning, Kaia Gerber, Kristen Dunst, and Adwoa Aboah we find the ultimate cool girl Chloë Sevigny who has been a darling of the brand since 1996, when she starred Sevigny in a campaign shot by Juergen Teller. Since then, she kept on collaborating with the house on countless occasions, conveying the fresh and spontaneous femininity trademarked by Miu Miu. “I loved the Autumn/Winter 2012 campaign featuring Chloe Sevigny. She’s one of my favourite actresses and fashion IT-girls. The campaign was shot by Mert & Marcus, who are technically and stylistically phenomenal photographers. Of course, Katie Grand styled the campaign, a frequent Miuccia (and Marc Jacobs!) collaborator. It’s just downright fun,” says Fitzgerald.

Miuccia’s recipe for greatness stands in her concern for today. Her work will always embody immense conceptual genius, but what sets her vision apart from other current womenswear houses is her devotion to ultramodern girlishness. “As the brand’s name is her nickname, it is an immediate extension of Miuccia herself, an educated, accomplished woman at the helm of two major fashion houses,” Domoszlai-Lantner explains. “With such a powerful female lead, Miu Miu focuses on dressing other strong women: they currently only offer womenswear, they have an ongoing project, Women’s Tales, that solely features female directors, and not to mention many of their collections have discernible design motifs that speak to women’s empowerment”.

For 30 years on end, Miu Miu’s power has been the ability to convey the now in a timeless way while placing the woman’s wants and needs at the core of its identity. Happy 30th birthday, Miu Miu. Your age is the number of years the world has been enjoying you. To many more.

Spring/Summer 2008 Miu Miu in collaboration with artist Lisolette Watkins

From Fitzgerald’s personal collection)

Resort 2019 dress

From Fitzgerald’s personal collection

Mackenzie Fitzgerald wearing Spring/Summer 2008 harlequin-print babydoll dress & dog

From Fitzgerald’s personal collection

Photo Credits: Twitter

Photo Credits: Mack Fitzgerald

The news of Twitter being acquisited by tech-prankster El*n M*sk led to an online coup with searches for ‘How to delete Twitter’ increasing by 500%, according to the MailOnline. However, in spite of all controversies surrounding blue or white (we can’t even keep up anymore) checkmarks, there is still one community that made it worth logging onto the blue bird app for us. With enough archival knowledge to successfully hold a Masterclass, Twitter’s High Fashion community, or hf twitter - their preffered way of spelling it - is a group of young people who critically engage with all things fashion while maintaining a humorous tone. Now, with the recent buzz around M*sk’s chicanery, a few of the long-standing members of the community have moved their business to a more peaceful setting, that being Zuck’s Instagram.

High Fashion Net is the @ of the newly-launched collective Instagram profile that gathered some of the hf twitter movers and shakers and plans on conquering one other platform. After their Twitter success, gaining recognition by Dazed and Fashionista and catalysing an audience of over 17k followers per user, hf twitter steps into the Insta-socialsphere with news, commentaries, and even memes about the fashion industry.

Although Instagram and the Meta cohort is free from strife, recent news are not in the creators’ favour. The company has announced that creators won’t be getting paid extra for making and posting Reels, as it was the case until very recently. Of course, treating your creators badly will not get you any good press or benefits, but when your foe is El*n M*sk, you have already won. Even if a third mogul enters the equasion, he might be easily

brushed off with a court hearing involving the US Senate against a certain clock app. But that is a story for another time. Thing is, the social media sphere is hanging by a thread and creators are trying to keep afloat.

Nothing in life is coincidental, or so we like to believe, so the expansion must have been connected with M*sk’s reckless behaviour. This shift has easily sparked the curiosity in our minds, raising the question if the hf twitter will soonly become hf instagram. “I get why content creators shift towards Instagram. They want to be where people value opinions, experiences, or personal recommendations,” explains Nicolae Bordeianu, senior client partner at Httpool. “Many brands avoided advertising during El*n M*sk’s Twitter takeover. The unpredictability of his actions, as well as the lack of empathy, the massive layoffs, dismayed brands from associating their image with an unstable, volatile, or an aggressively transforming platform. It’s the same case for content creators”. Even so, hf twitter is not deserting the blue bird app. It’s an expansion, not a relocation, meant only to broaden their horizons, in terms of audience and opportunities, Corinne Bickel (@miucciamuse) explains: “We certainly don’t want to ditch Twitter, that will always be our main platform, but we just wanted to expand and it was also something fun to do with my friends online!” Bickel, who is a 21-year-old student at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, also explains that creators on Twitter are not taken as seriously as those on Instagram, and this has guided their decision of expansion. “We noticed despite many brands noticing our influence on Twitter, they still do not take us seriously as creators, like they do with Instagram creators,” Bickel

continues.

Gabriela Gheorghe, another member of High Fashion Net and subsequently, hf twitter, who goes by the handle @blondiejpg, says that Twitter has been the go-to platform for those who wanted to join a community. “When I was younger, I remember how much I adored to be part of a community who shared many familiar interests and always had your back no matter the circumstances,” explains Gheorghe. Instagram, on the other hand, represents a more carefully curated space, where you could easily be judged: “I second doubt every single thought, story, opinion or picture that I post,” Gheorghe continues. Instagram also accounts for a lot of frustration among users not allowed to post pictures involving female nipples. “I feel like because nudity is so prevalent in fashion, in runways, in photoshoots, we as creators are able to have the full picture on Twitter,” Linda Sumbu (@itgirlenergy), another member of hf twitter and High Fashion Net explains. Happily, the nudity policy is due to change soon, as Meta’s oversight board has recommended that the app should revise the restrictive guidelines, earlier this year in January.

If it wasn’t clear up to this point, the differences between Instagram and Twitter are deeper than just one being an image and video-based platform and the other focusing on text. “If Instagram is a look-at-me platform, where users post about themselves, what they do every day, what they wear or what they have experienced, Twitter is a look-at-this platform. Users share or post things about what is happening in the world, what trends are live, or debate current social or political events,” Bordeianu continues. Content

creators are at the hands of audiences and most importantly, community guidelines when posting their content. “Even though I post the same things and have a similar audience on both platforms sometimes I feel I can’t speak my mind openly on Insta. For example, when it comes to saying something bad about a garment or a situation, I choose Twitter and not Instagram,” Gheorghe points out. At the same time, Bickel raises another issue encountered on Instagram, the lack of engagement: “It all feels very stale on Insta. There is less interaction on that platform compared to Twitter”.

The goal of the high fashion community is to catalyse the masses into consuming a savvy fashion discourse and engaging in meaningful conversations and they want the platform they activate on really convey that. “Our social impact doesn’t only rely on making garments go viral but starting many discourses as well, for example the flaws of runway gimmicks or meaningful criticism when a certain individual is appointed as a creative director,” Gheorghe adds. The high fashion community is comprised of industry watchdogs whose discourse is important because they are not on a brand’s payroll, like influencers. They speak their mind, applauding when applaud is due, and criticizing when it’s not. “HFT has started many discourses and helped to bring awareness towards body positivity and diversity into fashion. We all know and understand the importance of this subject,” Gheorghe continues.

Both Gheorghe and Bickel know the impact of a strong community, as they have started their Twitter pilgrimage as stan accounts earlier in their lives. Now, each of their posts gains thousands of reactions and very insightful

commentaries from their audiences. One of Gheorghe’s most popular Tweets from the past year quotes: “I can’t believe we are living in a time where Zara works better on their campaigns than some BIG fashion houses,” referring to cinematic Fall/ Winter 2022 Cruise collection directed by Nadia Lee Cohen and featuring Raquel Zimmermann. On the other hand, reactions in the comments were quick to condemn Zara’s practices, “They should spend more on fair and safe labour,” a user cites. Others engaged in discussions speculating on the reasons why the fast fashion giant’s campaign is better than a luxury brand’s one: “fast fashion earns more money unfortunately”, “Well Zara sells much more”, “bc it’s a great artist that took the campaign (Nadia Lee Cohen)” are some of the replies.

Fostering raw and unfiltered dialogue is critical for the hf community. “I learned very quickly that even if people may disagree, it’s important to hold an opinion that isn’t easily swayed,” Sumbu explains. “Twitter has always been more honest as a platform. It’s a platform of words, not just pretty pictures. People are able to make their voices heard more easily. I think that’s why I’ve been able to be more cynical and a bit more honest in my opinions,” she explains. While Twitter is for certain the heartthrob of every hf twitter creator, they are hopeful about their future endeavours with Instagram. “It is a collective place where me and my mutuals are able to share our opinions in one place,” Sumbu clarifies. By benefiting from Instagram’s technical features, the community builds a collaborative environment to engage with their audiences. “We all come from different places and have different approaches and interests I fashion. This is kind of like an

online magazine where we have the creative freedom to post what we want,” she concludes.

Although their goal is not getting paid but gaining a valuable and far-reaching audiences attaining brands’ recognition, recent news from the blue bird app might interest creators on Twitter, including the hf twitter community. Musk has tweeted the new rulebook for creators getting paid, while guaranteeing that Twitter will not take any money from them for the next year. This, of course, looks like a poke at Zuck, however if the deal is sealed it would greatly benefit users.

Social media is ruled by competition and unpredictability at the moment, and since we can’t go back to communicating through homing pigeons, the only path to take is riding the wave. Greedy social media giants will capitalise on anything they can get their hands on without guaranteeing continuity of a positive or even functional environment. Being at the hands of their wishes and commands will not guarantee success and it looks like hf twitter might have found the winning recipe through the multi-platform approach. One of the things hf twitter takes pride on is being able to connect, inform, and even influence audiences across the world, and fighting through the storm of the current state of social media will definitely pay off in the long run.

Follow @highfashionet on Instagram.

Photography: Lucy Hill

Model: Anita Nuciforo

Styling and direction: Ioana Pana

FAMILY ARCHIVE

It was a typical drizzly morning in London. I stopped by Anita’s house in Victoria to pick up some clothes for the shoot she was modelling for and which I was directing. What began as a styling duty, swiftly turned into a story I didn’t know I was about to uncover. Walking up to the top floor of her flat, there was Anita’s jam-packed wardrobe, bursting at the seams with 90s Donna Karan and Calvin Klein deux-pieces, Dolce tops, vintage cowboy boots and dazzling jewellery.

“Where do you get all of these from?”

“From my mom”

An answer that raised the curtain to a new realm. Mothers and daughters sharing clothing. Quite a familiar tale. We’ve seen it in Gilmore Girls, Freaky Friday, and even Keeping Up with the Kardashians in one way or another. But what about this process is so intimate and significant that holds a power over generations on end and even represents a tradition in some cultures? What is so special about wearing something your mother has worn when she was your age?

It all falls back to the interest in archive fashion, which for some is guided by sustainability, desire for scarcity, and for others by nostalgia. Gen Z is particularly nostalgic. The hashtag #fashionnostalgia has 3.7 million views on TikTok and has been catalysing communities on the app: nostalgia for the 90s or early 2000s fashion trends, for times when most

Gen Z-ers weren’t even born. There are even more fashion-nostalgia dedicated accounts on Instagram. Perhaps the most famous one is @velvetcoke, counting over 1.5 million followers. “Nostalgia is defined as a bittersweet feeling associated with missing the past, but also longing for it,” says Soljana Çili, senior lecturer in psychology at University of the Arts London. In fashion, it translates to missing bygone trends and aesthetics, which are reinterpreted as retro looks in current times. This feeling is highly exploited by the industry. As nostalgia drives consumer behaviour, the exponential expansion of the secondhand clothing market expected to grow by 83% by 2026 and reach £180 billion globally is justified.

Right now, 90s minimalism is trending and for that matter, most of Anita’s wardrobe is comprised of clothing

Photography: Lucy Hill

Model: Anita Nuciforo

Styling and direction: Ioana Pana

reminiscent of that time period. She says that one of her ultimate style inspirations is on-screen character Rachel Green from Friends. Although three decades have passed, tube tops and slip dresses are still very current today, as well as other definitive pieces from that era.

Larissa Tsoukker, Anita’s mother and supplier for archive fashion says that seeing her daughter wear her clothes often makes her emotional: “I feel like my pieces have taken on a new life and their meaning has changed as they’ve been passed down to my daughter. What may have been trendy when I wore them now is of a different essence. I love seeing them being appreciated in a new way”.

Even so, consumers’ decision to purchase, possess, and wear items that are over 20 years old is more than just a fashion preference. It reflects a psychological desire for continuity: “They know who they were in the past, who they are now and who they will be in the future. They need to have this connection with their past self and their future self,” says Çili. Clothing represents a means of conveying one’s identity, especially by reflecting upon the past. Anita specifically recalls having a designated day per week when her mother would dress her up when she was a child. “At that time, I didn’t like it because she would dress me too mature for my age. I was fonder of children’s clothing,” she says. “But now, if I look at it, I actually see the sense of style she was trying to imprint on me since I was young”. These types of recollections are more than anecdotes or childhood timestamps. Core personality traits and identity values are formed in one’s early life stages, therefore Anita’s mother figure grew into a style inspiration: “Now when I wear her clothes, I see myself as her almost. I feel like I am inside her body, no matter how weird it sounds”.

The act of dressing-up grew into a more intimate bonding moment, in which the now adult would feel safe. When associated with childhood memories or family figures, vintage clothing can become a refuge for those who engage with it. There are also a lot of cultures which take pride in passing down clothing and jewellery from one generation to another, such as Eastern Europe and South Asia. “It’s a way for family members to remember each other and to remember their heritage, where they came from. To remember their roots,” says Çili. They act as affection souvenirs, conveying one of the primary human needs – the sense of belonging. Çili explains that recent research shows that many of such inherited objects can be perceived as talismans for luck and protection. This spiritual dimension only enriches the garment with new lifeblood for the wearer to explore and be feel a strong connection to. The aura of one piece of clothing expands with the experiences that are attached to it. A dress worn on a first date will forever be the dress worn on that first date and will invariably bring up the feelings felt in that moment. Çili says that usually, people will call a garment their favourite only if they experienced happy moments wearing it, such as getting engaged, graduating University, or meeting one’s parents in law for the first time.

And the likelihood is that as many lives a piece of clothing has, as many good memories it will live to tell those who wear it. Archive fashion has grown to be an affluent niche of the industry, however there is a difference between getting a Spring/Summer 1993 Versace skirt from eBay or from your own mom. Both are great options, of course, but the intimacy and feelings shared with the latter value more than the garment itself.

Photography: Lucy Hill

Photography: Lucy Hill

Model: Anita Nuciforo

Styling and direction: Ioana Pana

Photography: Lucy Hill

Model: Anita Nuciforo

Styling and direction: Ioana Pana

Photography: Lucy Hill

Model: Anita Nuciforo

Styling and direction: Ioana Pana

Photography: Lucy Hill

A GUIDE TO BUILDING YOUR OWN ARCHIVE

Illustration by: Liv Treweeke

Illustration by: Liv Treweeke

THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE SEEN A GROWTH IN INTEREST RATES REGARDING ARCHIVE FASHION. IN THE STATES, 1 IN 3 APPAREL PIECES BOUGHT IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS IS SECONDHAND, ACCORDING TO A REPORT BY THREDUP, WHILE 75% OF THEIR CONSUMER COHORT IS OPEN TO THE IDEA OF THRIFTING. THIS PHENOMENON HAS GAINED POWER EVER SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT IN 2020. CONSUMERS HAVE STARTED GIVING MORE THOUGHT TO THE WAY THEY CONSUME FASHION, AND THEREFORE REORIENTATED THEIR PREOCCUPATIONS TO VINTAGE OR ARCHIVE CLOTHING. THE FIRST ONE, EASIER TO GRASP AND OBTAIN, IS AVAILABLE ON ANY SECONDHAND WEBSITE OR IN ANY CHARITY SHOP OUT THERE. THE SECOND ONE ON THE OTHER HAND, REQUIRES MORE TIME AND ENERGY TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, ACQUIRED. WE’VE SEEN A TIMID EFFORT PUT TOWARDS EDUCATING THOSE INTERESTED IN THIS SUBJECT, SUCH AS FARFETCH’S ARTICLE ‘AN INTRODUCTION TO ARCHIVE FASHION’ TOUCHING ON SOME OF THE MOST ICONIC EXAMPLES OUT THERE, SUCH AS THE RAF SIMONS AUTUMN/WINTER 2003 ‘CLOSER’ COLLECTION OR PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING MADE BY HELMUT LANG. COINCIDENTALLY OR NOT, FARFETCH ALSO HAS A DEDICATED SECTION ON ITS WEBSITE DUBBED ‘PRE-OWNED’ WHICH SELLS ARCHIVE CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES FOR A SMALL FORTUNE EACH.

TRUTH IS FASHION LOVES ARCHIVE BUT DOESN’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT. WHILE THE INDUSTRY FOCUSES ON PROFIT, ARCHIVE FASHION LITERACY IS NOT A PRIORITY. THERE IS A CERTAIN MYSTERY SURROUNDING IT, AND THE GATEKEEPERS WOULD RATHER HAVE IT STAY THAT WAY – LESS COMPETITION FOR EBAY FINDS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE STAND BY THE SAYING THAT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. FIND BELOW A HOW-TO GUIDE ON HOW TO SHOP AND ASSEMBLE A COLLECTION OF ARCHIVE FASHION.

HOW TO BUY ARCHIVE FASHION WITH KATIE TORRES

Katie Torres is the owner of a USA-based archive fashion shop. With an Instagram feed ranging between a mood board and a shop, Torres has quite a vast experience in the industry both as a seller and as a buyer: “I look for specific brands when shopping for archive pieces, such as Miu Miu, Prada, Issey Miyake, Blumarine, Vivienne Westwood, and Chloé,” says the curator behind Reborn, Katie Torres. Scavenging for the desired pieces mainly online, Torres says that any secondhand platforms such as Poshmark or Ebay can hide gems: “The trick is that you have to know what to look for because a lot of listings will have blurry photos or not much information on the pieces”.

Curated online shops are on the rise, designed for those who want to find more in less time. Torres’s suggestions are her shop @reborn_archive, and others such as @copmeifyoucan, @velvetknife.archive, and @ninagabbanavintage.

A big issue of shopping for archive pieces is the skepticism towards authenticity. Some online platforms have already tackled this issue by offering paid authentication services, such as Vestiaire Collective. However, this option is not available when shopping from small businesses. Torres recommends doing a lot of research before buying anything. “For many niche, vintage pieces, it is unlikely that there would have been fakes made at the time. Whereas big-house labels like Chanel and Gucci are riskier since they are more likely to have fakes made after them,” she explains. “Nonetheless, if you do your research, you’ll eventually be able to discern authenticity from factors like labels, stitching, quality, hardware, comparison to runway photos, and more”.

Speaking of research, one of Torres’ best hacks for finding archive pieces online is having solid knowledge of runway looks: “Do your research to know what you’re looking for, as well as studying runway photos so you can easily recognize and date items”. For that matter, Vogue Runway holds a good selection of archive runways.

Follow Katie Torres at @reborn_archive.

HOW TO BUILD AN ARCHIVE FASHION COLLECTION WITH VALERIA DEDOVA

Valeria Dedova is a fashion influencer based in Ukraine who just like Torres buys and sells archive fashion. She owns @vandeadvintage, Instagram and Depop-based boutique.

Her preference when it comes to vintage and archive fashion is shopping IRL, although she admits she can scroll onto Depop for hours on end. Her years of experience with thrifting have given her a good eye for spotting strong pieces: “I’m pretty good at thrifting and can usually spot a really good thing from a distance. On online platforms, I look for luxury brands that have heritage. Almost all vintage items I find are better quality than new. Archive items attract me with their rarity.” Dedova wears a lot of Balenciaga, Mugler, and Margiela, so we can only imagine her finds when scavenging for archive pieces.

Dedova suggests that authentication when looking at an archive piece gets easier with time. Experience makes telling what is real and what is not quite straightforward: “I have improved my authentication skills and understand how to find truly original archival items,” she says.

On the other hand, she is very serious and invested in finding a piece that will suit her style. In fact, buying unnecessary items when shopping for secondhand pieces is a common occurrence. Even worse, hoarding when thrifting is a serious issue, therefore sticking to what you know you will absolutely love and need is a good rule of thumb and will get you far when building a collection of archive pieces: “Keep only those things that you really like and you know will fit your personal style. Leave the rest for other people who could appreciate them more and take better care of them,” Dedova adds.

Follow Valeria Dedova at @deadovka.

LAURA MCLAWS HELMS TALKS ABOUT HER CAREER AS A FASHION HISTORIAN AND ARCHIVIST.

Arch8: How did you decide to undertake a career in fashion history and archive? Is there a certain moment or experience you’ve had that determined you to pursue this career?

Laura McLaws Helms: My first memories all centre around old clothes—looking through my grandmother’s closet, paging through her old photo albums, playing with paper dolls of historic women. As soon as I could read, all I wanted to learn about was fashion history. I didn’t consider it for a career at first (possibly because I’d seen how difficult my mother’s career as an art historian was); instead, I got an undergraduate degree in photography and Russian studies, while spending all my time outside of university reading about fashion and collecting vintage clothes and magazines. After a few years working for a photographer, I realised I was on the wrong path and applied for the master’s program in Fashion and Textile Studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

A: What were the first resources you came in touch with when first starting out?

LMH: As fashion and cultural history has been my passion since I was a child, I was steeped in it. I started buying vintage magazines from car boot sales when I was young and I would read them cover to cover—I didn’t realise it at the time but I was providing myself with a very intensive education in twentieth-century dress and society that was far wider and deeper than what is covered in most fashion history books.

A: What was a difficult time in your career? Have you ever struggled or had second thoughts?

LMH: I chose early on in my career to not pursue a career working in a museum or university, but instead focus on freelance work, which comes with its own set of challenges. The flexibility and variety of my work is wonderful, but as there is no consistency finances can be stressful at times. Some months I will be working on several interesting projects at once but have nothing lined up for after.

When I was first starting out, everyone expected me to work for free—it still happens sometimes. No matter how big the brand, there seems to be an expectation that because I love what I do that I don’t need to be paid. It’s been a hard battle to fight, but I’ve never had second thoughts about becoming a historian.

A: What is your favourite thing about your job?

LMH: I love immersing myself completely into the past through research.

A: What is your favourite thing about archive fashion?

LMH: I am drawn to historical clothing primarily due to their beauty—I have always found past fashion styles more beautiful and captivating than those of the moment.

A: Is there any fashion history topic that you’re so into that you could just go on and on about it for hours?

LMH: So many! I am particularly passionate about 60s and 70s fashion, countercultural dress, department stores and retail history, revivalism, rediscovering forgotten designers, and the interplay between interior design, architecture, and fashion.

A: What would you recommend to someone starting out who wants to pursue a career in this field?

LMH: If you decide to go to school for fashion history, I advise going to a school that teaches all aspects of the process: conservation of garments and textiles, collections

management, archiving, curation, history and theory. It’s beneficial to have an understanding of everything that goes into organizing an archive or curating a museum exhibition; this also exposes one to different jobs within the field. Also, read everything, look at everything—be constantly curious.

A: What does a day in your life look like?

LMH: Every day is different. As a freelance historian, I get hired to do everything from writing to researching (textual, video and photo) to curating to archiving to factchecking. Most days I work from home unless I need to visit a library or archive. I wake up early and immediately start working as that’s when my brain is freshest— this might mean writing for a client for a few hours followed by several hours editing a podcast interview, or it could be a day spent researching. I like to finish by the early afternoon so that I can take a long walk and workout; if I need to do any reading for a project, I will do it in the late afternoon. Meetings and interviews (for projects or my podcast) I fit in whenever works best for everyone.

A: What projects are you working on at the moment? What exciting stuff do you have coming up?

LMH: My freelance projects always come up somewhat last minute, but I just finished up a large video research project for a major luxury brand. Personally, I have several larger research projects in process—a chapter of my research on the countercultural fashion magazine Rags will be published in a Bloomsbury book next year, while I will be presenting other research at conferences this fall.

I have a newsletter I send out twice a week about fashion and cultural history, and I have a podcast where I interview older creatives—across all fields from fashion to film to illustration and on—about all aspects of their careers, lives, and creative process.

A: I’ve seen your Instagram profile and I am impressed with the way you post and explain every single image in detail. How does the research process look like?

LMH: Research is my favourite aspect of my work. I am constantly researching, constantly collecting. In my archive I have over 10,000 vintage books and magazines spanning the twentieth century. I also have over 10,000 movies in my digital archive. I use these as the basic for my research, which I supplement with research in online digital, in-person library archives or through interviews.

Follow Laura McLaws Helms on Instagram @laurakitty. There you will find links to her podcast, newsletter, books, and to her wedding feature in Vogue.

Photo Credits: @laurakitty Instagram feed

It’s The First Monday in May. The world is murmuring. The world is anticipating.

In fashion’s true character, speculations started weeks ago. But with the pressing less than 24 hours til the Met Ball, fans and friends of the industry are on the edge of their seats. The world wide web has grown its own Met Gala gossip ecosystems brought together by definite buzzwords: attendees, nonattendees, archive gowns, and a certain French cat.

We will present and evaluate a collection of speculations launched by the one and only social media fashion congregation. Editor’s note: You will not find facts here. Assumptions not based on click rates or Google search quotas. They are based on vibes, fun, and tedious days-long Twitter and Instagram scrolling. As one of my favourite archive fashion accounts @reborn_archive quotes: “Happy Met Gala Eve to those who observe”.

Claudia Schiffer is the number one most wanted attendee. Supermodel pal of the late designer has been on everyone’s lips following the announcement of the theme. Backstage pics of the German duo have been taking over Instagram feeds highlighting their longstanding friendship. “If Claudia Schiffer doesn’t have her attendance moment, I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT,” cites fashion writer and researcher Nina Maria in a post on Instagram.

In an interview with Elle from 2020, Schiffer recalls Lagerfeld’s habit of showering her with Chanel clothing and accessories for every job they had together. This generous habit was once mentioned by Kim Kardashian as well, who was excited to be gifted a bag after her first shoot with the late designer, until momager Kris Jenner showed-up in head-to-toe Chanel. Back to Schiffer, she has also acknowledged that she has a temperature controlled archive full of designer pieces from throughout her career, so her showing up in an archive look is not that far-fetched. Twitter users expect her to show up in a bridal look

MET EXPECTATIONS

in tribute to Karl or in a gown she has debuted on the runway.

The Met Gala roulette highlighted other possible attendees. Chanel babes Kristen Stewart, Vanessa Paradis and daughter Lily Rose Depp, Margaret Qualley, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie and finally, Lagerfeld’s bestie and long-time muse Cara Delevingne. Delevingne teased her red-carpet appearance with a precious Karl cameo on Instagram earlier this weekend. Moreover, Devon Aoki confirms she will be attending this year’s Met on her Instagram Stories. Not attending is Blake Lively, mother of all Met Gala appearances. She is known for the close relationship she had with the designer; therefore, the news came as a shock to fans.

Perfect Magazine has posted a possible guest list starring Lana del Rey, JLo, Ryan Gosling, Naomi Campbell, Ben Affleck, Dakota Johnson, Roger Federer, Katy Perry, Lil Nas X, and many others. Other social media speculations feature the wide horizons of possibilities for plus-ones on the carpet: Kim Kardashian and North West? (although we can’t tell who would be whose plus one at this point) Kim Kardashian and Choupette? (nor in this case) Kendall Jenner and new beau Bad Bunny? And finally, throuple Rihanna, Rocky, and their baby? In fact, the singer turned make-up mogul has hinted at her attendance in a Chanel head-to-toe appearance in New York captioned ‘not even Monday’ on Instagram, whilst previously posting her son in a Fendi bedazzled jacket.

Social media has not limited its Met Gala guesswork only to attendees. Looks became another topic of suppositions, with Florence Pugh being rumored to show up in Chanel Spring/Summer 1990 Couture gown by Twitter users. The same users urge one of the celebrities walking the red carpet to dress up as Choupette. The two options are Katy Perry or Doja Cat. On a more serious note, archive fashion and pop-culture bible @velvetcoke highlighted other daring hypotheses collaging celebrities in archive Lagerfeld gowns: Lily Rose Depp in Chanel Fall 1990 couture, Margot Robbie in Chanel Spring 1988 couture, Kim Kardashian in Chloe Fall 1992 Ready to Wear.

The choices are bold and we’re hopeful, while we wait and endure a sleepless night and probably a lagging-livestream to assess where the Internet’s been right and where it’s been wrong, you just have to continue reading.

It’s The First Tuesday in May. The world is opinionated. The world is believing very strongly and expressing it.

Fashion’s favourite night out just happened. The place? A Colgate-coloured carpet on the stairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York city. The time? Last night, between 11pm and 4am GMT.

The result? An Internet-wide conversation assessing inspirations, executions, performances has commenced. The bad part? The time of gossip and juicy speculations is over. The good part? We can be the judges of which guesswork has been successful and which has not. Editor’s note: while the first part of this saga has purely been for fun, this time we have brought the facts. Journalism is alive again and we are not spreading gossip anymore. We are examining the immediate aftermath of the Gala, alongside fashion cultures and histories lecturer Jay McCauley Bowstead and Lagerfeld-archive Instagram account @klarchive.

Claudia Schiffer did not attend. She announced her absence on Instagram stories right when the gala started. There was, however, another Chanel bride – co-chair Dua Lipa in Vintage Chanel, a gown worn on runway by none other than Schiffer on the Fall/Winter 1992 couture runway, the creative vision having come full circle. Another bride of the late designer and creative director was Penelope Cruz in Spring/Summer 1988 Chanel couture.

Other attendees who showed up in archive Chanel are Margaret Qualley in Fall/Winter 1996 couture, Margot Robbie in Spring/Summer 1993 couture, and Sofia Coppola in Spring/ Summer 2001 couture. “One of my favourites was Sofia Coppola because she really delved into the archives and pulled an understated but important dress from Chanel’s Haute Couture Spring 2001 collection,” explains Christopher from @klarchive.

GALA REALITYVS

“2000-2001 was a very pivotal time for Karl, as he rededicated his life to fashion, started losing weight, and would enter into the last, most famous phase of his career. His aesthetic was starting to change as well, going from looser forms to a silhouette that could be very strict, shapes that referenced the Dark Ages and 1920s Paris”.

There were other A-listers expected to attend which have not: nepo-babies and Lagerfeld-sweethearts Kaia Gerber and Lily Rose Depp, supermodel Bella Hadid, Lana del Rey, Dakota Johnson, nor Ben Affleck. In fact, the gathering was a bit more intimate than in previous years. In contrast, the looks have been arguably better than what we’ve seen before.

Kim Kardashian showed up in Schiaparelli, a bold decision shared by other attendees as well considering Chanel’s longtime beef with the Italian house. She did not bring North as a plus one to the Met, nor have other prospective duos: Kendall Jenner walked up the stairs alone in Marc Jacobs, completely separated from Bad Bunny who showed up in Jacquemus. Rihanna walked the cream carpet with A$AP Rocky, her in Valentino Haute couture and him in Gucci, reminiscing of a look Karl wore on a 2004 runway involving a kilt. Moreover, there were three Choupettes: Doja Cat, as Tweeter correctly foresaw, Lil Nas X, who apart from a Eyes Wide Shut-uesque cat mask and a G-string wore pretty much nothing, and Jared Leto who showed up in a furry costume. “I’ve seen things on the red carpet which almost look like they’re out of a pantomime or a West End Show, that don’t look like fashion to me. And I know it’s spectacular. And the idea is that it’s going to be photographed,” says Jay McCauley Bowstead, fashion cultures and histories lecturer at University of the Arts London. Doja would only meow in interviews, Lil Nas X kept on photobombing other attendees’ red carpet pics, and Jared Leto scared Lizzo.

Florence Pugh did not wear the rumored archive Chanel dress, but Valentino Haute Couture while championing a buzzcut. Gisele Bundchen and Nicole Kidman both showed up in iconic archive pieces from Chanel, Bundchen in a bridal Spring/Summer 2007 couture feather dress and Kidman in the dress she wore for the iconic 2004 Chanel movie directed by Baz Luhrmann. Cara Delevingne wore Karl Lagerfeld’s namesake brand.

Quite an eventful evening.

CULTURAL CHRONICLES: CROWN TO COUTURE

Archive fashion has found its new temporary home in London regal landmark Kensington Palace. Crown to Couture is the title of the exhibition assembling over 200 archive pieces from the British Monarchy collection and iconic red carpet looks worn by contemporary celebrities. Running from April 5 to October 29, the exposition headlines Lizzo’s dazzling Thom Browne Met Gala 2022 look (yes, including the cape), Blake Lively’s New York Skyline Versace Gown from the same Met Ball, and Katy Perry’s Moschino chandelier dress from Camp: Notes on Fashion, as well as many archival regal gowns.

Apart from the extraordinary fashion of the rich and influential, the exhibition explores the process of getting ready - similar to a real-life 1800s Vogue ‘Get Ready with Me’ videoshowcasing a range of items including lingerie, make-up, jewellery, and accessories from both past and present eras. “The objects on display are vehicles for storytelling, and more so, they are relatable. Most everyone engages with fashion on a daily basis through the act of getting dressed (and undressed), therefore, most viewers can find at least one fashion object that they can personally relate to in such an exhibition,” says fashion historian and archivist Doris Domoszlai-Lantner. “Feeling a connection to an object gives visitors the opportunity and the space to better understand its significance, and by virtue of its significance, the need to safeguard it,” Domoszlai-Lantner continues.

As the name expressively suggests, the exhibition juxtaposes current time iconic pieces and examples of 18th century garments from the British Georgian court, looking to explore “the similarities between the customs and rituals of dressing to attend both a Georgian court event and preparing for a red carpet appearance,” the Palace says. Visitors will encounter Kendall Jenner’s Hepburn-inspired Met Gala 2021 dress by Matthew Williams for Givenchy next to a bejeweled corset designed by Mr. Pearl for Dita von Teese. Every pairing in Crown to Couture has its own meaning and purpose and one should expect nothing but exuberance when entering the Palace’s gates. “By exhibiting pop-culture pieces next to items from the monarchy’s collection, they ensure that they reach a broad audience, while creating an association between the monarchy and pop culture, demonstrating that the monarchy is as influential, yet relatable, as pop culture stars,” says Domoszlai-Latner. Visitors will see a reenactment of Billy Porter’s 2019 Met Gala entrance, with the original costume designed by The Blonds. The only difference lays in the lack of topless live male carriers. Alongside, Queen Charlotte’s Sedan gold chair is displayed, leaving onlookers hooked on a ‘who was first’ dilemma. The chicken or the egg, Billy Porter’s ‘Sun God’ or the Sedan gold chair?

Further into the exhibition visitors will discover Beyonce’s silhouette in her 2017 Grammy Awards look designed by Peter Dundas. Featured in the King’s Present Chamber, she is being watched over by two life-size dummy royal guards. The mannequin resembling a then pregnant Queen-Bey stands tall in front of the visitors who, in true royal manner, are jokingly - or not - encouraged to bow before her.

Katy Perry’s Camp chandelier dress by Jeremy Scott for Moschino is displayed while gossip murmurs are audible in the background, in the so-called Gossip Room in the palace.

Lizzo’s Met Gala 2022 look, alongside Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’, Iris Law and Jeremy Scott’s and many other looks for the 2022 Met Ball ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’ are lined up in a manner resembling the gala’s red carpet. All of this, of course, in a opulent, high-ceiling salon decorated with regal paintings.

“Such exhibitions can be excellent bridges to connect to public audiences, especially when they are held at highly recognizable locations, such as Kensington Palace, that draw in visitors from their own citizenry as well as foreigners,” says Domoszlai-Latner.

Visit Crown to Couture at Kensington Palace until October 29. Tickets: Adult £25.40 / Concession £20.30 / Child £12.70. Free for Historic Royal Palaces members.

Katy Perry’s Chandelier dress for the 2019 Met Gala

(up):Lizzo’s look for the 2022 Met Gala

Billy Porter’s 2019 Met Gala look

Kendall Jenner’s 2021 Met Gala look

Photo Credits: Ioana Pana

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Illustration by: Liv Treweeke