Archival fashion as an expression of resistance
WORDS BY JORGIA BURKE
Climate collapse, historical amnesia, the sanitisation of genocide, and the diminishment of autonomous thought frames clothing as an afterthought. Which, to an extent, it absolutely is. However, sartorial decisions – often defined as frivolous – now stand tall as a radical act, forthright in defiance and fueled with intent.
The act of getting dressed when the world is an inferno seems redundant. Yet upon second thought, it provides a micro sense of agency to either condone or resist the relentless ebbs and flows of consumerism. The archive is a tangible call to action, functioning as a rebuttal of the senseless pace of contemporary fashion and the banality of algorithms, which ultimately breathes life into clothes that carry traces of lineage. The archive is alive and well, operating as a votive offering to craftsmanship, imbued with rich reverence for trailblazers, buried eras, and deadstock fabrics.
When considering archival fashion, we must question if what is unfolding is that of vintage renaissance, or simply a fleeting interlude in the industry being disguised as nostalgia? The red carpet is somewhat of a crucible for the archive, and archival controversy by extension, whereby an array of pulls have been immortalised in the public eye as nostalgic citations.
Archival fashion is inherently anti-acceleration by paying homage to history which actively rebukes trends. To pull from the archive is to engage with speculative time – all folded together into the seams of a garment. The archive tells a story of slowness, one that is synonymous with luxury. Functioning as a temporal sanctuary, the archive refuses disposability and, by contrast, champions reverence. In the wake of ecological anxiety, this depth of care becomes political.
Leaning into the archive translates to a sense of rumination, a beauty that the art of repurposing entails. Silhouettes held together by loose threads, textural fatigue manifested through worn-out linings and distressed hems meet at the intersection of absence and presence. As we cling onto the items that have stood the test of time, we aim to distance ourselves from the fleeting pace of contemporary constructs.