How to Collect Archival Fashion

How to Collect Archival Fashion

Archival fashion is having its moment in the spotlight. Start here to learn about identifying and collecting significant pieces.
Archival fashion is having its moment in the spotlight. Start here to learn about identifying and collecting significant pieces.

F or lovers of fashion, vintage pieces are sartorial time capsules offering us an opportunity to dig into the nexus of style and nostalgia, and appreciate a level of craftsmanship that can be difficult to find today. Vintage fashion is easy to source – anyone with a phone that connects to the internet or has 20 minutes to spare on a Saturday can acquire a few beloved vintage pieces. But archival fashion? Archival fashion is an if-you-know-you-know variation on the theme – an elevated expression of vintage for those of us who can point to a tailored blazer and identify it as an original Yves Saint Laurent 1966 “Le Smoking” jacket from its fabric, stitching and silhouette alone.


Archival vs. Vintage

Thierry Mugler, Spring-Summer 1990
Thierry Mugler, Spring-Summer 1990 . Sold for 5,000 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2015. WestImage - Art Digital Studio

But what exactly is archival fashion and how do we distinguish it from regular vintage or thrifted clothing? Anything (from cars to clothing) can be considered vintage if it is at least 20 years old. For a piece to be considered “archival”, it needs to be of some significance to the brand and industry at large – i.e. it appeared in a collection and is not simply a continuity piece that might be produced seasonally. Often, these pieces have some kind of associated mythology. Maybe they defined a generation of style, or perhaps they set a designer on a particular trajectory (whether successful or unsuccessful). Archival pieces are almost always incredibly rare and difficult to find, making the acquisition of one an ecstatic and unique experience.

Yves Saint Laurent, Autumn-Winter 1976-1977
Yves Saint Laurent, Autumn-Winter 1976-1977 . Sold for 52,500 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2017.

Many brands maintain their own archives, painstakingly preserving important pieces in climate-controlled storage environments. These archives serve to inspire and engage successive generations, while ensuring that significant designs do not fall into conceptual landfill. Traditionally, this practice was limited to luxury fashion houses like Christian Dior, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, who have decades-worth of historical pieces preserved in tightly controlled environments. But, increasingly over the past few years, younger contemporary designers are going to great lengths to establish their own archives, making sure that key samples are maintained for posterity.

John Galliano, Spring-Summer 2000
John Galliano, Spring-Summer 2000 . Sold for 8,750 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2015. WestImage - Art Digital Studio

But when we speak about the practice of collecting archival fashion, we are not talking about the corporate archives, though the pieces will often overlap. We are talking about the sourcing (and sometimes wearing) of special pieces by a subset of knowledgeable fashionphiles. You need not spend exorbitant amounts of money to acquire archival pieces (if you’re lucky, you may simply happen upon one through thrifting, though that is progressively harder in our internet age), but you do have to know your stuff. You will need to be able to discern between an old slip dress and one from the Marc Jacobs Perry Ellis Grunge collection (the notorious collection for which Jacobs was fired); spot the difference between John Galliano and Raf Simons for Christian Dior without peeking at the tag; be haunted by Tom Ford’s jewel-toned velvet Gucci suits; and seriously consider donning Alexander McQueen’s towering armadillo boots.


What Makes Archival Fashion Important

Martin Margiela, Spring-Summer 2006 Menswear
Martin Margiela, Spring-Summer 2006 Menswear . Sold for 10,710 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2021. WestImage - Art Digital Studio

Connoisseurs of archival fashion will recognise certain references – and quite a few more. They will understand that the value of these pieces lies not simply in their rarity but also their historical value. Grunge, for example, spelled the end for Jacobs at Perry Ellis, and threatened to take him out of the game entirely. However, the collection served as an inflection point for the designer and the industry at large. Far from fading into obscurity, four years later he was installed as the Creative Director of Louis Vuitton where he stayed for 17 years – one of the most significant partnerships in recent fashion history. The Grunge collection has gone on to become a grail for collectors.

Paco Rabanne, Spring-Summer 1967
Paco Rabanne, Spring-Summer 1967 . Sold for 35,000 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2018.
Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld, Spring-Summer 1983
Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld, Spring-Summer 1983 . Sold for 11,250 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2018. WestImage - Art Digital Studio

 The combination of historical value and celebrity influence is also part of the reason archival fashion has become a watch term recently. Awards season often sees the dusting off of vintage pieces as famous guests and nominees compete in the red-carpet Olympics. We loved seeing Reese Witherspoon win the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2006 whilst wearing a vintage Christan Dior gown. Michelle Williams wore a vintage lace couture dress to the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. In 2019, Penelope Cruz’s cream vintage Balmain earned her a place on several Best-Dressed lists.

However, some observers have been horrified when important pieces come out of their acid-free tissue paper and into the spotlight. The American socialite Kim Kardashian, for example, caused a minor scandal when she wore a flesh-coloured beaded dress to the 2022 Met Gala that was originally designed by Bob Mackie for Marilyn Monroe, who crooned “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy wearing the tight-fitting creation at Madison Square Garden in 1962. Though Kardashian only wore the dress for the five minutes it took her to get from one end of the red carpet to the other (and both she and Ripley’s Believe it or Not, the owner of the dress, insisted no damage was done), the stunt was decried as disrespectful at best and “disgusting” at worst.


How (and What Designers) to Collect

Comme des garçons by Rei Kawakubo and Schiaparelli Couture
[Left] Comme des garçons by Rei Kawakubo, Spring-Summer 1997 . Sold for 4,500 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2015; [Right] Schiaparelli Couture, Summer 1939 . Sold for 10,000 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2018.

Scandals aside, archival fashion is hotter today than it ever has been before. With the internet making knowledge of fashion history broadly attainable and vintage pieces available at the press of a button, emerging collectors are starting to make the acquisition game a sport. Sotheby’s, a longstanding champion of fashion-as-art, curates significant pieces from couturiers, allowing discerning buyers to establish their own wearable archives.

Vivienne Westwood Yves Saint Laurent
[LEFT] Vivienne Westwood, Autumn-Winter 1994-1995 . Sold for 3,125 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2015; [RIGHT] Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, circa 1968-1969 . Sold for 30,000 EUR at Sotheby’s Paris in 2018.

And, if you’re looking to start your own collection, it pays to know where to start. The big names are almost always a good bet – think Chanel, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Balmain, Alexander McQueen, Versace, Balmain and Schiaparelli – these are the houses that have built in historical significance alongside continuing relevance in the fashion space.

However, some of the best collections are also deeply personal, buying things you love because of their aesthetic appeal and provenance is a joyful experience. Go for the heavy hitters but don’t forget that there are plenty of other designers worth hunting for as well. Anna Sui, Perry Ellis, Vivienne Westwood, Comme Des Garçons, and Rick Owens are contemporary designers who have created countless iconic pieces over the past 20 years – just come prepared to fight with Gen Z over some of the hottest pieces.

Handbags & Fashion

About the Author

More from Sotheby's

Stay informed with Sotheby’s top stories, videos, events & news.

Receive the best from Sotheby’s delivered to your inbox.

By subscribing you are agreeing to Sotheby’s Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe from Sotheby’s emails at any time by clicking the “Manage your Subscriptions” link in any of your emails.

arrow Created with Sketch. Back To Top