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how we destroyed archive fashion

Tuba Avalon

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From early eBay days to drip dropping look competitions, we have reached a point of pretentious name dropping that is supposed to cover personality and enhance fake identity.
Is it the Raf Simons 2002 bomber that you want or does it have to be the Helmut Lang parka? You can also always buy into Yohji Yamamoto to appear more intellectual, cause that's what it's all about correct? Oh or Prada, if you want to visibly say no to the classical beauty standard.
Fashion is usage of language reduced to clothing pieces or accessories.
We loved using that language when we felt misunderstood by commercial designers, it was amazing to express yourself finally exactly the way you wanted to.
But something about our language and inevitably the pieces we liked to choose, changed. It got misinterpreted, put into different context and lost its value for us.
I hope you still can find joy in digging for the best fashion archive pieces, that make you happy, but of course only if its COMME des GARÇONS, Yohji, Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi's Undercover, Carol Christian Poell, Martin Margiela, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Prada, Dior by Hedi Slimane or Raf SIMONS. lol.

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20 Comments

@thefeltt8259 2 years ago

Been trying to name this phenomenon for a minute and you said what I've been thinking - archive fashion now feels like sneakerhead culture of the 2010's. And on the celeb front - it's just famous clothes for famous people, and fame IS the identity. Also so much of this mirrors the way popular culture has been going wrt film, TV and music, just reusing the same IP over and over to death.

@John485Doe 2 years ago

on the bright side, people are preserving clothes better

@YouTuber-vy7hq 2 years ago

The internet ruined exclusivity across the board not just in fashion. Nothing is sacred.

@palomawooden1279 2 years ago

The old Céline Phoebe Philo collectors are like a cult 😂

@adarsh_p7046 2 years ago

Rare items are indeed abundantly available and we as buyers are tricked into thinking, "oh this is such a rare piece, I bet I won't see it on anyone else" and we end up paying high prices for those pieces.
Slayin in that all black 'Sarah Connor' fit Tuba!

@inkarlcerating 2 years ago

I love this Tubaa. I love when you said I archive and wear it. Thats the whole point right ❤

@violondon8776 2 years ago

hold up. Why was this so fucking spot on!!! I agree with everything you've said. It is something especially recently I think has become a trend for even non-fashion people lets say I think due to tik tok or just social media in general. I have one friend that will literally tell me all the designer shit she has in her closet or name drop every brand she wears and it is so annoying. Like how many people nowadays are buying Margiela now just because they see other "fashion" girlies also wearing them on tik tok and deeming them cool? I love fashion and I am guilty of loving archive fashion. I think with archive pieces we know that to a certain extent the pieces were still of high quality, created and lead by fashion legends and in many cases hadn't been seen before. Now luxury brands worry about sales and how commercial their collections are to ensure they sell well.

@dietcokesoju 2 years ago

Hope archive Zara will never be a thing

@victor_melick 2 years ago

at 12 tubaa!?? you were early in the game . i started by getting into sneakers

@mayylda 2 years ago

im glad youre sharing your view point on this, everything has became way too accessible that most people have become lazy. instead of searching for the things that appeal to them its the constant begging of "do you have a link", no passion, no drive, just laziness.

@Manuel-kx4qt 2 years ago

I feel like 2017 social media over saturated and took away a lot of the allure of fashion

@rogerfinney2811 2 years ago

It used to be when you'd show off a rare collectable item, you weren't flexing about money or popularity or "coolness", you were sort of sharing an interest with someone who "got it". "I'm wearing [rare thing]" is meaningless to a normie, but to another insider is amazing. While it can maybe be a little competitive sometimes, it's usually more sharing an appreciation and being happy that something is "saved" from oblivion by someone else who shares your respect and understanding. I get that people choose clothes for a variety of reasons depending on their values; but niche collectable/archiving seems to be a small niche group no matter the style.

"I'm wearing [expensive thing with famous name]" serves a totally different purpose. Sadly I've seen that same behavior take over other (non-fashion) "collectables" and they always stink (and irrationally drive up prices too).

(Every time a specific type of antique gets trendy, real collectors groan.)

@AlexHider 2 years ago (edited)

My hottest take is that buying archive (in your size) and not wearing it is stupid and I respect you less if you do this. This does not apply to non-wearable clothes a la CDG or Iris van herpen, but 90s Helmut Lang just made like, normal clothes. They decay. Wear them.

@MFLOVEify 2 years ago (edited)

Genuinely its cause fashion back designers back then were just simply better at creating a truly cohesive and inspired, high quality collection , its why I personally only purchase archive. Now im definitely not for upcharging reckless prices profiting off of it, but hey, all the luxury shit brands like Chanel and bottega veneta charge wayyyy more

@erikreeds3836 2 years ago

if my aesthetic can be defined as anything it's probably "archive" generally speaking, but i find that it's just so much more than whatever the 5 digit pieces are thesedays. i don't really care about early 00s raf, but i love mid 00s julius; same for hedi slimane and golem respectively or what have you. i think the process of finding these cool and sometimes very unknown and undervalued clothes is the fun part, not really the pursuit of owning expensive chase pieces. lovely video :)

@dietcokesoju 2 years ago (edited)

I hear all the Rick kids wearing plain black t shirts saying it’s archive smth…

@CRIMSONCITADeL 2 years ago

great video and interesting thoughts regarding wielding archive as a mark of taste and exclusivity. tbh I see how industrial use of these garments can be icky and insidious. but to me its still fun! as someone who doesnt have the bougie impulse to collect outside of personal wear its fun to see the stylists put together a marketing package for their clients. I guess its just so transparent to me that the clients are buying the service for their career that i dont really see them as personally responsible for any of the fashion moment itself?

To me i think marketing is an incredibly important part of fashion, and branding is a core instrument in any sort of luxury production. these clothes (especially hc) were consciously designed for the powerful! I think community can and does exist outside of that game. I dont think competition and community are exclusive, noones trying to wear the same pair of pants at the same time. the key is to keep it moving and actually curate what you love. if it doesnt make you feel special anymore, great! find something new that does and flip your collection to the soccer moms for top dollar. property is theft!

@monishkhemani2940 2 years ago

This was such a new topic for me. So interesting to see modern archive guys compared to hypebeast bois. Since Tuba is ahead of the curve on these things it will be curious to see how folks approach archive fashion going forward

@danvolkov3819 1 year ago

For fs, we should praise that archive fashion is pop now. You can still buy cool archive clothes for cheap, they just won't be on trend. Eg kenzo pieces are dirt cheap now because they aren't 'fashionable'.

@daniellord-vera6987 2 years ago

there are new young designers right now in our period of time who will be the future legends please for the love of fashion look into young new upcoming designers support future fashion by supporting the young designers now.