Collecting Fashion: Nostalgia, Passion, Obsession – Alexandra Carl

An indispensable survey of the most important archival collections assembled by fashion’s key players.

In order for fashion to march forward, it must possess the ability to look back. For the fashion obsessed, one’s archive is surely a testament to the act of preservation and, of course, a sophisticated symbol of taste. Archives take time to build, wardrobes or storage units packed to the brim with rare, archival shoes, dresses, and handbags, some never worn, are only perfected after countless hours spent on Ebay and in the depths of obscured vintage sales. The results end up being remarkable representations of fashion history.

This book gathers the preeminent collections of archival obsessives, capturing the closets of an impressive list of fashion and design talent. Readers will get an in-depth look at Michèle Lamy’s extensive Comme des Garçon archive, Sarah Andelman’s covetable (and colorful) sneaker and t-shirt collection, ENDYMA's growing Helmut Lang archive, Zaha Hadid’s fabulous footwear assemblage, and more. This tome, over 300 pages long, painstakingly showcases the subject’s archive while showing off top-tier labels and hard-to-obtain seasons: Issey Miyake, Maison Martin Margiela, Thierry Mugler, John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen, among others, and serves as an indispensable reference for those interested in fashion history and building their own archive.

Essays throughout by leading thinkers and writers provide insightful commentary alongside each collection featured in this new, enlightening fashion bible.