How to Archive Fashion?

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Want to start your own archive but don't know the tropes?

This is an extensive review of all major fashion labels on authentication and dating + Tips on easy dating and archiving your favourite pieces.

These are from personal experience from working and detailing an archive collection. (Feel free to DM us on Insta to correct or add any relevant info)

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So where to start?

You are quite lucky that archive culture is currently on the rise, since most of us are tired of the quick cycles of fashion (not to mention fans of quality and artistry), you are probably wondering how you could become proficient at the subject. Well demermination and a lot of screentime.
Ok enough mucking about. Let's get to it.
You just got your first taste of archive fashion, worn out, stretched, odd looking duck of a piece, and you wonder if you could be more accurate than "90s" or "y2k" with it. So how do you actually do it?

    1. Just google the piece, try keywords, brands and even a celeb you seen it on.

    Use keywords like: (try to be as specific as possible)

    Materials: Wool, Leather, Lurex, Silk, PVC etc.

    Colour: Black, White, Cream, Red, Multi-Coloured etc.

    Aesthetic: Reconstructed, Grungy, Minimalist, Punk, Military, Bondage etc.

    Cutting: Skinny, Slim, Puffy, Slouchy, Bias cut etc.

    Details: Buttons, Zippers, Prints, Lining, even snappers could make a difference etc.

    Prints: Abstract, Striped, Monogram, Specific wordings or patterns that appears on the clothing etc.

    2. If you're lucky this is all you need to do! But its never that easy, so try and find at least one photo online of whatever the item you're searching.

    3. Try to google image search the image as much as possible, keep choosing a different image of the garment you are looking for and you might struck gold. The quickest way to learn about a garment is from other listings and posts. Don't let go of even similar designs or just something with the same colour, usually it's easy to trace smth once a detail is established.

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    OK so if none of this works out lets just go old-school:

    Authenticating and finding the specific collection of a piece:

    Select the brand you are inquiring (A-Z):

    Ann Demeulemeester

    Alexander Mcqueen

    Balenciaga

    Comme des Garcons

    Chanel

    Dolce Gabbana

    Dior

    Gucci

    Jean Paul Gaultier

    Junya Watanabe

    Louis Vuitton

    Maison (Martin) Margiela

    Prada

    Raf Simons

    Rick Owens

    (Yves) Saint Laurent

    Undercover

    Vivienne Westwood

    (Gianni) Versace

    Yohji Yamamoto

    Feel free to request specific brands with us thru Insta DM.

    Notes:

    The best way to become proficient at identifying pieces is to simply memorise every collection from the designer, after some torturous viewing you should be able to identify a piece right away. Try sites like Vogue(not recommend but convinient enough), Livingly(higher res) and 1stview.
    Remember sometimes it just doesnt work out, theres always a resort collection or a capsule that you couldn't find online, a healthy limit of time spent on a singular piece is 3 hours. After that either give up or just buy it.
    Also sometimes a basic piece is not worth the time is research it. Please do not use up all your time to research a blank tee.