When you are a kid, vintage feels like the farthest word away from chic. You think, how could something antique and from the past be considered “cool”? But since the biggest trend in fashion is history repeating itself, wearing vintage or archived luxury pieces has become all the rave in fashion news.

Clothing taken from a designer’s past work is labeled archival fashion. Vivienne Westwood’s corset, Raf Simons’ bomber jacket, and the early 2000s John Galliano Dior era are significant pieces that have paved the way for fashion archives. Vintage fashion is period pieces that date back at least 40 years and must comprise stylistic elements relevant to the trends of those times. Both vintage and archived clothing often fall on the higher end of pricing if it remains in good condition.

Fashion collectors have always valued vintage pieces and have built curated wardrobes and vaults of their luxury archives. With the recent social media trends that include the hashtag #ArchiveFashion, mainstream fashion consumers have also begun to follow the collectors and seek out their archival pieces to keep up with the trends.

However, trendiness isn’t the only good part of vintage fashion, as it has become a sustainability initiative. Refinery 29 said, “secondhand luxury shopping has never been more mainstream. Credit a rising interest in sustainability or the increase in pandemic-fueled online shopping, but thrifting for designer pieces has reached an entirely new pitch.”

So yes, buying vintage or archival fashion is a sustainable alternative. Vintage fashion, unlike fast fashion, display the qualities of durability and longevity. “Vintage clothing has the potential to be reused and loved once again, by being passed through multiple owners it can still look just as good as it did (if not better) than when it was first produced.”

Fashions Finest outlined the importance of vintage fashion and its contribution to sustainability. It’s “sustainable because recycling and reusing items means fewer polluting resources are being used to make brand new clothing, as well as the fact it prolongs the life of an item and redirects it from landfills.” It’s “fun because you do not have to surrender your style in aid of sustainability, vintage provides both great quality vintage clothing, curated in line with current and timeless
trends.”

Without our favorite stylish celebs, this new wave of fashion wouldn't have stormed the media as much as it has. From Bella Hadid to Kim Kardashian, from Jennifer Aniston to Meghan Markle, celebrities have walked red carpets and city streets in some of the most iconic archived pieces from fashion history; fans have loved to see them recreate pivotal moments in fashion. Zendaya, one of the most stylish actresses today, has had her fair share of wearing archival looks such as
Beyonce’s green and purple Crazy In Love Versace 2003 dress and Valentino's 1992 black and white striped gown worn by '90s supermodel Linda Evangelista. Some celebrities have even chosen to wear one of their past looks. Laura Dern wore her black cutout Armani dress designed for her in 1990 again at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscars Party.

However, these celebrity moments meant more than just providing fashion inspiration but called out the toxic trait the fashion community has taken on, not rewearing an outfit. Tulerie firmly believes in re-wearing, whether that means wearing your favorite dress to one or more weddings or vacations or borrowing an item worn by someone else in our community. Being a re-wearer is a practice of eco-friendliness and is an excellent step in the right direction in not promoting fast
fashion.

Tulerie also contributes to the wearing of archival fashion as some of the pieces on our app are from a past collection and are no longer available. These pieces can transform your future wardrobe, and Wear Next said that vintage fashion is predicted to overtake fast fashion by 2028.

The beauty of vintage fashion is that it allows people to discover and appreciate things from the past, and this recognition is an important part of sustainability. We can’t move forward and demand change until we acknowledge the fashion industry's history.

I am always excited and longing for the future of fashion and future innovations. But, I have learned to love the history of fashion and embrace that the clothing we own doesn't have to go out of style. That said, start building your collections of luxury archives, think twice about buying from that fast fashion store, and instead check out what the vintage shops offer. The past holds power, and our environment will thank us later for this recognition.

-As always, elevate your wardrobe with respected fashion and embrace the shift in style.