WHAT DOES "ARCHIVE" MEAN IN 2023?

As I was tapping through my Instagram stories, I have noticed an uptick in advertisements from fast-fashion and drop-ship brands promoting an "archive sale." Each brand promising a discount of more than 30%, a quick explanation on how they have to clear out stock, and how the promotion will not last for long.

Advertisements from clothing companies offering deeply discounted merchandise is common after Christmas. Clothing inventory needs to be cleared to make room for garments suitable for the spring/summer season, which retailers start selling around February or March. While this type of advertising is normal, what has come into recent emergence is the word accompanying the sale: archive.

The term "archive," with regards to the fashion industry, refers to a collection of clothing from previous seasons. While this terminology sort of makes sense with regards to the sale promotions, as the garments being marked down may be a mix of items from one or two seasons ago but also the current season, the word itself has garnered meaning that does not make sense with this particular advertisement.

The term "archive" in the industry, at least in the last decade, typically refers to a collection of clothing from high-end, anti-fashion brands such as Helmut Lang, Raf Simons, Comme Des Garcon, and others. I do not typically see someone who collects Chanel refer to their collection as their "archive." Instead, it is simply their collection of Chanel garments. As with these anti-fashion brands, collectors would refer to their assortment as their "archive."

However, the term "archive" has garnered greater meaning: it describes a collection accumulated through a dedicated hunt, one that is admired and taken care of. As most garments sought out from anti-fashion brands are from previous seasons where inventory is limited to the willingness of previous owners giving up their garment, having an archive is something special. Personally, I have an archive of Helmut Lang pieces, each garment manufactured between 1986-2005, when the namesake was at the helm of his brand. Over 4 years, I have collected 30 or so pieces, each piece captured through hours of scrolling, bidding, and rumination. To be an "archivist" means that you are dedicated, passionate, and have immense brand loyalty.

Let's focus back on the use of the word "archive" with regards to advertising end-of-season sales: if part of having an "archive" is the hunt, the blatant advertising defeats the purpose! It is especially more frustrating as fast-fashion and drop-ship brands are the ones advertising this way. How can one hunt for something that is so easily accessible?

Using the word "archive" in a fast-fashion / drop-ship brand's promotions does try to create a connection with the consumer in an attempt to convince them to shop the sale. The brand is asking the consumer to obtain a part of the brand's "history," or perhaps promote the idea that, since archivists treat their clothing with so much care, their marked down garments should be purchased by consumers who want to treat their clothing with care. However, it just seems so shallow when executed by a fast-fashion or drop-ship brand. 

With other brands outside of the high-end, anti-fashion space attempting to adopt the word "archive," what does archive mean in 2023? Should its previous associations with high-end, anti-fashion brands be dropped, opening the definition to all brands? Perhaps my shock is coming from the fact that I am part of the "archive" community and dislike its "misuse," but maybe I am gate-keeping.