An archivist has at least once searched, studied, looked for the following pieces:
/ Helmut Lang’s bullet proof vest is the first one to mention. This piece has marked the industry for its innovation, it’s a piece that marks the era of fashion being combined with the practicality of workwear. It’s not only a symbol of Lang’s minimalist and sleek design but it also reflects the cultural and political concerns about safety and security rising in the 90s. This design helped open the way for fashion designers to incorporate utilitarian and protective elements into their designs. Also, it was not mass produced so its limited availability increased its desirability. The bullet proof vest is not only a 20yrs old vintage piece but is also an archive one, for its innovation, design excellence, cultural relevance and, most of all, because it continues to influence fashion today.
/ the riot bomber designed by Raf Simons for his AW2001 collection, because it is considered a real symbol of rebellion: a clear example of how certain pieces
transcend the realm of mere clothing and become a cultural artifact that some fashion mf ends up buying for 47.000€ breaking the selling records on Grailed
(probably the fact that Kanye, Drake and Riri were seen wearing it gave a little push to its resell value)
/ the seditionaries T-shirt designed by Vivienne Westwood in the 70s: it’s a symbol of the punk rock scene of the time, it challenged the norms of society and was a form of protest in fashion: its design includes the anarchy stamp and the iconic image of Queen Elizabeth II with a safety pin through her lip. It’s also giving diy, a vibe that was fundamental to the punk aesthetics because it embraces individuality.
If, at least once, you felt like I was describing you, you’ve come to the right place: this column will be exploring different aspects of archival fashion, from the anti fashion + avant-garde designs that defined the 90s scene to stuff that’s more contemporary, mostly in the shape of Rick Owens, Ann D and underground upcoming designers very few have heard of. I’ll also be diving into stuff about the industry, some career things and whatever else I’ll be getting inspired by along the way.