Meet The Fashion Archivist Behind Chloe Sevigny's Wardrobe, Plus Her Best Closet Preservation Tips

Summary

Podcast Summary: Let's Get Dressed

Episode Title: Meet The Fashion Archivist Behind Chloe Sevigny’s Wardrobe, Plus Her Best Closet Preservation Tips
Release Date: January 27, 2025
Host: Liv Perez
Guest: Julianne [Last Name], Founder and Head Archivist at The Wardrobe

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of Let's Get Dressed, host Liv Perez welcomes Julianne, the innovative founder and head archivist at The Wardrobe, an exclusive fashion archive in Los Angeles. Julianne's expertise in preserving the wardrobes of high-profile celebrities and renowned fashion brands provides listeners with a unique glimpse into the meticulous world of fashion archiving.

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Guest Background and Career Path

Educational Foundation:
Julianne holds a master’s degree in the history of fashion and textiles from FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology). Her academic journey was driven by her ambition to become a top-tier fashion journalist, which initially led her to pursue a museum studies degree.

“I had the goal of being the best fashion writer ever. I thought, I'll be super informed... I had to take college level chemistry before I could get into the program.”
[02:00]

Professional Journey:
After graduating, Julianne transitioned from journalism to museum and gallery work. Her pivotal career moment came when Tom Ford approached her to establish and maintain his personal archive after his departure from Gucci.

“Tom Ford had approached my grad program at FIT because he had recently left Gucci... I created an archive for him.”
[03:54]

Over a decade, Julianne meticulously built Tom Ford’s archive, later branching out to serve other prestigious clients such as Jason Wu and Carolina Herrera. This experience culminated in her founding The Wardrobe, where she expanded her services to manage archives for various designers and private collectors.

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The Role of a Fashion Archivist

Defining Fashion Archiving:
Julianne emphasizes that a fashion archivist’s role extends far beyond collecting clothes. It involves managing each client's personal “mini museum,” ensuring the longevity and integrity of their collections.

“Each of my clients has a mini museum... we're the collections managers or curators of this museum.”
[05:23]

Responsibilities Include:

• Preservation: Maintaining optimal conditions to prevent fabric degradation.
• Documentation: Cataloging each piece with detailed records and photographs.
• Monetization: Helping clients leverage their archives for future opportunities.
• Collaboration: Facilitating designers’ needs to reference past collections for new inspirations.

---

Building and Maintaining a Fashion Archive

Establishing the Archive:
Julianne recounts her experience with Tom Ford, where she started with minimal resources and progressively amassed a comprehensive collection of his designs and beauty products over ten years.

“I built that back over the course of about 10 years. I collected back all of his important designs...”
[04:30]

Operational Dynamics:
Her team acts as the guardians of these invaluable collections, ensuring that each garment is preserved correctly and is accessible when needed for reference or revival of specific design elements.

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Preservation Tips and Best Practices

Julianne shares her expert advice on maintaining a pristine wardrobe, applicable to both fashion enthusiasts and everyday closet keepers.

1. Cleaning Before Storage:
Always clean garments before storing to prevent fabric degradation and pest attraction.

“You can't put away dirty things because it degrades the fabric over time... pests can be attracted to your garments.”
[17:36]

2. Proper Storage Techniques:

• Hanging vs. Folding:
  • Avoid hanging knitwear to prevent stretching.
  • Use thick, supportive hangers to maintain garment shape.
• Material of Storage Containers:
  • Avoid Plastics: They trap moisture and chemicals, leading to yellowing and damage.
  • Use Muslin Bags: Allow garments to breathe while protecting them from dust and light.

“Plastic is generally a no no because it doesn't allow things to breathe... Muslin bags are the best.”
[21:17]

3. Control Environment Factors:
Maintain consistent temperature and humidity levels, manage light exposure, and implement rigorous pest control measures to safeguard against damage.

“We manage the light. We have like hospital grade air filtration... serious pest control is a precaution.”
[25:02]

4. Regular Maintenance:
Vacuum frequently, wipe down storage areas, and ensure ample space between garments to prevent dust accumulation and pest infestation.

“You need to vacuum religiously... wipe down those cabinets, like, underneath everything.”
[26:20]

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Insights on Collectible Fashion Pieces

Looking ahead, Julianne identifies several brands and designers whose pieces are poised to become highly collectible in the next fifty years. Current clients are actively investing in works by Alaia, Peter Mueller, Loewe, and Jonathan Anderson. Additionally, McQueen’s legacy under Sarah Burton is highlighted as a significant future collectible.

“I have clients that collect Alaia right now... I have clients that collect McQueen... will be legendary.”
[30:09 – 31:13]

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Red Carpet Fashion and Archiving

As red carpet season unfolds, Julianne sheds light on the fate of the iconic dresses featured at major events like the Oscars. Typically, these garments are either returned to the designer’s archive or retained by the celebrities themselves, depending on their status and agreements.

“Usually they're archived... big enough stars that they're allowed to keep all of their own, like, all the pieces they wear.”
[28:24]

She also discusses the common misconception that all dresses are readily available for borrowing and emphasizes the importance of proper archival processes even during high-demand seasons.

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Advice for Aspiring Fashion Archivists

Julianne offers guidance for those inspired to enter the field of fashion archiving:

1. Formal Education:
Pursue specialized degrees in museum studies or fashion history to gain the necessary scientific and historical knowledge.

“You've got to go to school for it... we really only hire people that have the degree because they have very specialized knowledge.”
[31:54]

2. Continuous Learning:
Leverage digital resources and platforms to stay informed about fashion history and archival techniques.

“In the Internet age... you have all the knowledge now at your fingertips.”
[32:42]

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Conclusion

Julianne’s expertise underscores the critical role fashion archivists play in preserving the industry's rich history. Her meticulous approach ensures that iconic designs remain intact for future generations to study and draw inspiration from. Aspiring archivists are encouraged to pursue specialized education and remain passionate about fashion history to contribute effectively to this essential facet of the fashion world.

“It's a lot of value in an archive... it's capturing the industry's history and making sure that it survives.”
[29:32]

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Notable Quotes:

• Julianne: “Each of my clients has a mini museum... we're the collections managers or curators of this museum.”
  [05:23]

• Julianne: “You can't put away dirty things because it degrades the fabric over time.”
  [17:36]

• Julianne: “Plastic is generally a no no because it doesn't allow things to breathe... Muslin bags are the best.”
  [21:17]

• Liv Perez: “I have doors on my closets because of that reason.”
  [25:55]

• Julianne: “I've gotten contacted by assistants for stylists who work for our clients... she has no idea that I have this person's actual archive.”
  [28:11]

---

This episode provides a comprehensive exploration of fashion archiving, blending professional insights with practical advice to inspire both fashion aficionados and aspiring archivists. Julianne’s dedication to preserving fashion’s legacy ensures that the beauty and history of iconic designs remain accessible and appreciated for years to come.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of let's Get Dressed. It's your host, Liv Perez. Today's guest I am so obsessed with. I think mostly because I'm so obsessed with her job. I think everybody listening is going to want to quit their jobs and go work for her. She is the founder and head archivist at the Wardrobe, which is an archive based here in Los Angeles. No one knows where it is, no one knows what it looks like, and that's because it is the home to some of your favorite celebrities archives. I can't say their names, but I'll give you a few hints. One of them just finished an incredible residency in Vegas, and the other, who just so happens to be the most nominated artist in Grammy history. She went to FIT to get her master's in fashion history and later was poached by the one and only Tom Ford to buy back his archive and maintain it. Today, she has built the archives of some of our favorite brands, from Jason Wu to Carolina Herrera, Tom Ford, and so many more. Julianne gives us the rundown on how to preserve your clothes from the best hangers, the best folding methods, plastic versus fabric, and so much more. She also tells us a little bit about what goes into preserving some of the most iconic pieces in fashion history. What pieces she thinks now are going to be highly collectible in 50 years. And since we're in award season, her insight on where all of the incredible dresses go after the red carpet. I hope you guys love this episode. If you have a moment at the end of the episode, go ahead and leave us a review on the Apple podcasts and Spotify page. I love to know what you guys think about today's episode and who you'd love to hear from in the future. Let's go get dressed with Julie and Klaus. Welcome to the pod.

[B]

Thank you. It's great to be here with you.

[A]

I'm so excited to have you here. You have, hands down, one of the coolest jobs.

[B]

Oh, thank you.

[A]

Ever. I'm so inspired by what you do.

[B]

Thank you. Well, I'm excited to tell you all about it.

[A]

Okay. So I know you went to fit.

[B]

I did. I got my master's at fit.

[A]

Tell me a little bit about what you studied, because it's super specific, and I think in today's world of fashion, people would be really interested to hear this sector of the world.

[B]

Absolutely. So it is very specific, and it was kind of a means to an end because I had been a fashion journalist, and that's a whole other story. We could get into if you want to. But I wound up going to study the history of fashion and textiles, which is essentially a museum studies degree. Because I had the goal of being the best fashion writer ever. I thought, I'll be super informed. I'll get hired at the best magazines. And it was just, you know what I had my mind set on?

[A]

Where did you want to work?

[B]

Vogue, of course.

[A]

Of course.

[B]

And I had already interviewed there once. I had had my heart set on that for a long time. When I was in high school, I wanted to be a fashion journalist. When I was at nyu, I wanted to be a fashion journalist. I was a journalism major. So the fact that I hadn't actually applied and it kind of fell into my lap was amazing. So, so super exciting and also very heartbreaking in the span of, like, a week. Yeah. But I said, what can I do to stand out? What will make Anna notice me? I will get my master's in the history of fashion and textiles. I'll intern at the Costume Institute, and I will be the best fashion journalist the world has ever seen. It's really a museum studies degree. So while you're learning about the history of fashion, you also learn how to care for clothes in a museum, how to put on an exhibition, how to care for things, which is a whole area unto itself. I had to take college level chemistry before I could get into the program, which I was not very excited about having to go back to school to do. I had to speak another language already because they want you to be comfortable translating texts. Wow.

[A]

What language?

[B]

I already spoke Spanish fluently. And since it's a romance language, they were like, okay, you could probably decode French. But while I was in school, I kind of fell into doing museum and gallery work. When I graduated, I still had every intention of going back to media. I [e-mail] I had an interview with Candy Prattz Price, who is like, another leg secondary editor.

[A]

I miss style.com.

[B]

Me too.

[A]

I really do. Like, I love Vogue Runway. I think they do an impeccable job, but I just miss the ease of it.

[B]

Yeah. It was the first one I interviewed with Candy. And Tom Ford had approached my grad program at FIT because he had recently left Gucci. So obviously I'm dating myself. This is quite a while ago. And he was looking for someone to start an archive for him. And I was like, ugh, I'm not so sure about this archiving thing, but maybe it would be a good idea to work for Tom. Maybe if I do a really good job he'll tell Anna about me.

[A]

Use Tom to get to Anna. I love that. Maybe it's a good idea to work for Tom.

[B]

Right? He's really important. He's a cool guy. He's a really important designer.

[A]

100%. That's hysterical. Wow.

[B]

So, lo and behold, I started working for Tom. I created an archive for him. When he hired me, there was barely anything in it. There were maybe 10 boxes of stuff that came from his tenure at Gucci and ysl. So I built that back over the course of about 10 years. I collected back all of his important designs that he wasn't able to take with him when he left. And of course, we put all of the Tom Ford stuff and the beauty stuff in the archive as well. And after kind of getting it up and running over the course of probably two years, I said, listen, I don't think you really need me full time. I still want to work for you. I still want to help you maintain the archive and add to it, but I feel like I could do that for you a couple of days a week and maybe do this for other designers and private collectors. With the rest of my time, I'm gonna start my own business. And I started it with Tom as my first client.

[A]

Incredible. For people who are listening who might not know what a fashion archivist is, walk me through the role.

[B]

Well, Liv, I'm so glad you asked because the term is getting thrown around really loosely. I'm sorry, but a fashion archivist is not somebody who has a couple of rails of clothes that they've purchased on ebay. Totally agree with that. It's getting very seriously bandied about a lot and of loses its meaning in the same way that curate has lost its meaning. The way that I describe what I do, and we can dig down and get granular, but the way that I describe it is that each of my clients has a mini museum. If they're a designer, it's their past season work that they're not using anymore. I mean, they will reference it and we can talk about that, but it's the stuff that's not current anymore.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

If it's an entertainer, it's usually everything that they've either performed in or worn on the red carpet or otherwise worn in some public way that's important.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I also work with, like, just private people who collect amazing Runway pieces. And so they each have their little mini museum. And then my team and I are like the collections managers or curators of this museum. We're not lending it out. It's not really necessarily getting worn. I mean, it's not supposed to get worn. It's just there to, like, we're preserving it.

[A]

It's their resting place.

[B]

Exactly. You know, I mean, for better or worse, we're there to preserve its longevity, to preserve its value for our clients, and then to help them monetize it. That said, things do get pulled to be worn. They do get pulled all the time for reference by designer. You know, they might say, oh, I want to see those things that we canceled five seasons ago, but we want to pick up that thread and continue that for this season. Or, you know, we want to cut jackets like we did in whatever collection for entertainers. It seems like it would seriously be a case of sleeping beauties. But I can tell tell you that things get really active before a tour starts or something like that. We've gotten requests where a tour was about to begin in Europe, and literally, like, 48 hours before the tour, this person wanted to see every single performance shoe that they had ever worn.

[A]

And then what'd you do?

[B]

We pulled them. Oh, my God.

[A]

Nightmare.

[B]

And then two assistants came and loaded up a bunch of hockey duffel bags and hand carried them to Europe. That's the kind of stuff that happens. They might want to see what zippers are used, what kind of elastic trim might go into the shaft of a boot. All kinds of things like that that the performer's comfortable wearing that we know will keep everything intact in the look while they're, you know, dancing, singing under hot lights or whatever. You know, they're kind of taking these precautions to make sure that things are made this time the way that they like them.

[A]

That's incredible. So you basically have. I feel like now that must be such an interesting place to be with so many designers moving around at different houses. Like, the importance of an archive, I think, is stronger than ever. For someone new to come into a business and be able to go back through the history of the brand, look at the brand's codes, absolutely understand what's going, like, understand what they're working with feels more important than it ever has.

[B]

You're 100% right. It's super important because they can access the DNA of the house, see what the signature cuts or prints or whatever the house might be known for. They can take those ideas, and if they're a really good designer, they'll take those ideas and kind of expound on them. You know, it's really boring if someone's just taking archival things and sending them down the Runway over and over again. That's not fashion. Because fashion is about the future. It's about what's new. But if you're able to synthesize those ideas and kind of remain true to the roots while adding your own, you know, idea or thought to it, I think that makes a really successful designer.

[A]

Do you think there's anyone that's doing that really well right now?

[B]

Oh, my goodness. So I'm on the spot. I have to think about it.

[A]

That's okay. I was actually trying to think myself who I would say, and I'm not sure.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I like what's happening at Valentino.

[B]

I'm interested.

[A]

I'm interested.

[B]

I didn't like the pictures necessarily. However, I've heard that everything was gorgeous in person.

[A]

I heard that exact feedback that the show was really moving. The picture seemed a little too ominous for me.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

But then now I've seen it on red carpets. I think Kaia Gerber just wore a piece, a full look recently, and it floored me.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I was like, oh, my God.

[B]

One of my clients wore a look, and I'm like, oh, I wonder if that was borrowed or if it's going to come to the archive. So I'm looking forward to seeing it in person.

[A]

I just think that from a historical standpoint, there's a lot of textures and shapes that feel true to Valentino, but there's this, like, fresh spin on it that feels wearable today. And I think to me, that feels. That feels true to the success of a designer that's coming in and is able to mix their world and the house's world.

[B]

Right. I think Anthony Vaccarello does a good job.

[A]

Agree.

[B]

He definitely sends a lot of archival prints down the Runway. He'll play with some of the archival shapes. Like, a few seasons ago, he did the famous daisy petal collar from 1974, but he put it on a mini dress and changed the proportions, you know, so you could look at it and say, yes, that's a Saint Laurent dress, but it wasn't just a carbon copy of something. And, you know, when we see that, when it's like the exact thing and it's a reissue, I mean, if you love it and you didn't have a chance to buy it 30 years ago or something, maybe that's your moment. But otherwise, I think it can be kind of boring.

[A]

I'm really excited to see, and I feel like this News hasn't gotten 100% confirmed. I feel like I saw it float when the LA fires were peak. So I just Scrolled past it.

[B]

It was not a fashion time. I was like.

[A]

I actually remember seeing the post about it and I was so, like. It took me out of the moment in such a weird way. I was like, wait, that's still happening? I was like, that's still happening in the world that Jonathan Anderson is going to Dior.

[B]

Yes. And perhaps the Proenza boys are going to go to Nueve. Right.

[A]

I would love that. I think the Proenza schooler boys would be incredible at Loewe. I think that they would just get the weird shapes and the textures and make it so marketable.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

I think about the heritage of the PS1. The PS1 had me in a chokehold for years, everybody.

[B]

Right. I wanted that bag so badly and I helped them with their archive around that time.

[A]

Queen. Queen. I just had a lime green PS1. But you had them all.

[B]

Well, I did not, but I got to touch them and look at them.

[A]

Yeah. I just think that they do such a good job of making. Of following in the path of Jonathan Anderson and making something that feels unique and weird and almost obscure. Marketable.

[B]

100%. And they're all really modern designers. They make things that cool women want to wear. I feel like, you know.

[A]

Yes. Okay, let's go back. Because we heard about Tom Ford and we just kind of skimmed right over that. We need to get deep into that. What was it like meeting Tom Ford for the first time?

[B]

Huh? This is so embarrassing. But Tom was in London at the time and I worked out of New York. So the first time I met him in person was at the Tom Ford holiday party. And I was pregnant, but nobody knew yet. So I also pixied my hair right before I got the Tom Ford job, before I got pregnant. It wasn't advisable, but it was just one of those things that I had to do. So I was growing it out because I was like, great, I'm pregnant. Your hair grows really fast or you don't shed it. This is the time. So I felt uncomfortable in all of my clothes. It's kind of this point in pregnancy where no one really knows you're pregnant yet, but things are like tight and uncomfortable and you're not quite ready for maternity wear or whatever yet. So I had on this black stretchy turtleneck with a nude bra underneath it.

[A]

Oh, boy.

[B]

Not knowing that we were gonna take photos.

[A]

Oh, boy.

[B]

And my growing up pixie had like long side swept bangs with this like horrific little rat tail in the back.

[A]

Did he think it was cool? I feel like, he doubted it when.

[B]

I talked about it, but I doubt it. They took photos. So in all the company photos, it's like headlights.

[A]

The worst.

[B]

Our publicist at the time was like, oh, you poor thing. Like, it was so embarrassing. I was like, I'm going to get fired for being ugly.

[A]

It's okay.

[B]

My parents sent me roses, so that was the first time I met Tom face to face. He probably doesn't even remember this, but it definitely made an impression on me.

[A]

We all have to have these moments. We learn, we grow from them.

[B]

Very humbling.

[A]

I went to the Michael Kors show once in a dress that was completely see through and saw everybody on the planet, from Anna Wintour to Emily Blunt, and I was fully naked, and I had no idea. So I hope that makes you feel good.

[B]

I had a Kate Moss moment, though, in the Liza Bruce dress.

[A]

Thank you. Yeah.

[B]

Very iconic.

[A]

I had no idea. They all knew. No one sent me roses.

[B]

No one sent you roses? Well, I mean, to be fair, it was my mom and dad.

[A]

Love them. Yeah, no, that's my. That's my trauma story. But okay. So you guys got off on the.

[B]

Right foot, I guess. Yes. I mean, and he was always overseas while I was working on this, but, you know, we would communicate mostly like over email or telephone about yay and nay for all the stuff I was buying for the archive.

[A]

What year was this, if you don't mind me asking?

[B]

Oh, my gosh. So 20. I started working for him in 2008, but we really started purchasing a lot for the archive 2010, so.

[A]

So in the last 15 years, what do you think it is that is has kind of shaken the ground beneath all of these designers and made them want to buy back their archive?

[B]

Well, there's value in it. Historically, one of the only designers to do it was Yves Saint Laurent, and he was really ahead of the curve. He has the museum and the foundation, but historically, they would give the pieces to friends of the house. They would sample sale them. It's an expensive endeavor, saving the pieces, housing them in the right kind of archival facility, buying the appropriate materials to store them, whether that's boxes or the right hanger. Paying for someone like me for my labor to take care of all of it. It's not cheap, and a lot of houses can't really afford it. Or historically, they thought it was better to just perhaps take in the cash from the sample sale versus paying for that. It also depends on the personality, because a lot of designers don't want to look back. Fashion is forward thinking. But now I think people are seeing the value in it. Right. I mean, there's an element of it that is sustainable, right. About not over consuming. There is definitely the idea of establishing the house codes, of the longevity of it, of having another designer perhaps take over for you after you're not there anymore and being able to synthesize the DNA of your house accurately. There's just tremendous interest in it. People are wearing it, designers are sending it out on the red carpet. They're doing, I mean, even with Proenza, when I did the project for them, it was their 10 year anniversary. So they put their first collection back in the windows of Barney's at the time. There's all kinds of creative things you can do, whether it's like a book or marketing or, you know, even onboarding new employees. There's a lot of value in an archive.

[A]

I think there's such a misconception around brands and what they have. I remember when I was planning my wedding and I was pulling and working with designers, I was working with this one designer and we were looking through archival pieces to potentially pull and be able to wear. And I was shocked myself when there were so many pieces that they didn't know where they were.

[B]

This happens all the time.

[A]

All the time. And that was my big learning of like, okay, this is still a, this is a work in progress. A lot of brands are getting behind this now and tracking down their archive. But I don't think a lot of people know that, like in the 90s, you know, a model would come walk a Dolce Gabbana show and instead of getting paid, they would just leave in the look and you have the dress forever. And so now designers are making a big effort to actually have to buy those pieces back.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And that these houses actually don't have everything perfectly.

[B]

They certainly don't. Most of them do not have everything perfectly archived. It's actually pretty rare. And I'm always telling potential new clients it's a lot easier to do this the right way from the beginning.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And it's less expensive than having to go buy everything in 10 or 20 years from now.

[A]

I was recently in the Kith office and they have a beautiful office in Brooklyn and there's a part of their office that has their archive. And it is a beautiful room, air conditioned. Everything is like perfectly hung and labeled. And I was like, that's how you do it. If you're a brand that started in the last two decades, start now. So I want you to walk me through the process of archiving something from start to finish. Something comes in your office, what are you looking at to decide how it gets kept and saved.

[B]

So first things first, it has to be cleaned. A lot of people don't want to pay for the dry cleaning bill. And, I mean, I can't say I always blame them. It can be really expensive, but it's really important. You can't put away dirty things because it degrades the fabric over time. Even if it's something as simple as you spilled a tiny something on your blouse or your dress or whatever, and you're not even aware of it because the naked eye doesn't necessarily see it, over time, it could weaken the fibers. And what's worse is we might not be able to tell, but pests can tell, and they can be attracted to your garments. Right.

[A]

So crazy to think about even. I'm thinking about that. Even for, like, the average Joe who has, like, a sweater like that you're putting in your closet, if there's something on it, you could easily get a mo. Like, anything could come your way from that.

[B]

Totally. And when I say the fibers weaken, like, eventually they'll be prone to getting a hole or something, Especially if it's in an environment where the humidity's fluctuating. That means that the fibers are expanding and contracting with the rise and fall of the humidity.

[A]

Chemistry and.

[B]

Exactly. Chemistry. So eventually those spots on the garment will be weaker than the rest of the garment. Right. So first you have to clean it, then we document it. We photograph and catalog everything. I have my own app, the digital archivist, so all of my clients can log in and see their whole collection of everything. Things will go out into the world, even if it belongs to the person. Like, their mom might have borrowed it for something, and they never send it back. And it's in a random house somewhere. So we need to be able to say, like, nope, it left on that date, and here's the tracking number and who signed for it. Yep. Once that is done, we evaluate each piece, see how it's made, what the construction is, what the materials are, and whether or not it's safe to hang, or if it has to be packed flat. Those are, like, the two most common things. But since clothes are meant to be worn on a body and they're three dimensional objects or intended to be on a three dimensional object, sometimes we have to put them on mounts.

[A]

So I want to go through a few preservation tips because I feel like you are the queen of all of it. And even for people who are Listening at home, I feel like there are tips that we could switch up. Okay. Hanging your knitwear? No, never.

[B]

Not never. It's a case by case basis. Like, you know, we have to think about space and cost and storing things flat can be really space consuming and expensive. But for the standard person at home, typically I keep things folded in a drawer. If it's a very lightweight sweater or cardigan, you can hang it. You can kind of do like a trifold over a hanger.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But generally speaking, you're not supposed to hang it.

[A]

Even a knit dress.

[B]

Knit dresses definitely don't hang anything. That's a jersey is famous for growing. If you leave a jersey dress hanging, it'll grow a size in a year.

[A]

Velvet hangers.

[B]

Okay. I'm not really a big fan because they're great for a closet. Do you mean like the. The huggables, like the really thin ones that are supposed to save space, or do you just mean like the kind that you would Chanel or from like a nice store?

[A]

No, no, no. Like the ones that you get from Amazon.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So generally no.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

They're great for saving space, but they will stretch out the shoulder line of most of your garments. You know, like, think about it. It's extremely thin and wide.

[A]

Yep. Running into my closet right now.

[B]

If something has a really wide neckline, I do like them. You know, if it's like slipping off of your basic hanger, but it's really a case by case basis. Generally speaking, no, though.

[A]

Good to know. My God. So what's the alternative?

[B]

You want to support the shoulder, and it's a bummer because it takes up more space in your closet.

[A]

You want the ones that have, like, the thicker end.

[B]

Yeah. It's mostly about supporting the shoulder line to keep, like the integrity and structure of the garment.

[A]

Me, who's like a closet clean out organization freak freaking out right now. Okay. Plastic boxes or like the fabric boxes?

[B]

Plastic is generally a no no because it doesn't allow things to breathe. You need air circulation or things to degrade especially. And this is about a bag, not a bin. But a lot of people will leave things in the dry cleaning bags. Even people who've been clients of mine who have, like, amazing archival collections of very expensive vintage. I'll go. And it's covered with these plastic bags. And I'm like, what are you doing? Because when things are dry cleaned, they use nasty chemicals. You know, they get the job done. But when you put a bag over it, you're trapping the chemicals that would be off Gassing. That's what we say in the museum world. Generally. It's just like airing out, I guess, in layman's terms.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But you're trapping those chemicals, which isn't really good for your garment, especially if it's something that's white. It'll turn it yellow eventually. So you do need air circulating. Muslin bags are the best.

[A]

Oh, that's smart.

[B]

Switch out muslin bags because they breathe, they protect from dust and light and all of that. And you can even get ones at the Container Store that have, like, one plastic side so you can see what's in, but at least the other side is breathing and allow you some air to circulate.

[A]

Okay, great. You brought up dry cleaning.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

What do you feel about dry cleaners in general?

[B]

So it's tricky. I don't want to disparage anybody, but you have to seek out the really good cleaners and, you know, know that you're going to somebody reputable. I had some really bad experiences when I first moved to LA from New York two years ago. I mean, just, like, they melted the buttons off of my clothes, which is like, rookie move 101. You're supposed to take them off or cover them in tinfoil. So I had some melted buttons. I saw that, like, stains just weren't treated at all. And a cleaner here that I work with told me that there's. I don't know. Like, I'm gonna. I'm paraphrasing the story, so I'm probably not gonna get all the details exactly right, but I think there used to be, like, a standards board and test, and they did away with that in California. So essentially, anybody could say they're a dry cleaner and not necessarily be very skilled. But there are good ones. Just, you know, stick with those guys.

[A]

PSA. I go to Frederick's. It's on 3rd Street. Gab Waller was in there.

[B]

Oh, was she?

[A]

And I was like, okay, I'm in the right place.

[B]

Gab is great.

[A]

Gab is great. She knows what's up. So if she's there, I was like, okay, I'm in the right dry cleaner.

[B]

Ritz is great, too, in Larchmont. Oh, but no, I love Ritz. The Patel family is wonderful.

[A]

Awesome. Yeah. Finding a good dry cleaner is hard. Even with my wedding dress, I didn't really know where to begin. I feel like there's a lot of.

[B]

Scams out there, 100%.

[A]

I got at least three different quotes for $3,000 to, like, dry, clean and put my dress in a box. And I was like, I don't know. I ended up getting it dry cleaned and then I put like the acid free paper on it and then put it in a box. And it's in my closet, away from any light.

[B]

The places to avoid with storing clothes are attics and basements, which is unfortunately where many people think of storing them. Yeah, but basements are too humid and attics are extremely hot in the summer. And the temperature, if you're in a kind of climate with changing seasons, the temperature fluctuates wildly between the summer and winter.

[A]

I had an apartment in New York and had turned one of the rooms into a closet, as one does.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And I had a garment rack of leather jackets that I had up against a window. Really good lesson.

[B]

Did you fade the shoulders?

[A]

The whole one side of those, like, they were all gone? I had to. I think most of them, I had.

[B]

To, like, there's nothing you can do.

[A]

There's nothing you can do.

[B]

I know. I just had this with a client whose stuff was being stored in some, like, random warehouse. And they sent everything to us to start a proper archive. And there's whole racks of things where, you know, one side of the shoulder is just completely faded.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

And I mean, I guess. Well, like, we're saving the pieces because they were worn to important events, but, you know, there's nothing we can really do to fix that.

[A]

Okay. Speaking of having the perfect space, you literally had the perfect space.

[B]

We literally have the perfect space.

[A]

It was based in Los Angeles, completely undisclosed. No one knows where it is. There's no signage, which I like, because you have some pretty important things in there. But it's museum grade. So tell us a little bit about the space that makes it perfect for archiving clothes.

[B]

So the temperature and humidity levels are controlled to a strict standard.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

We manage the light. We have like hospital grade air filtration in the building.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

We have serious pest control, you know, is a precaution. It's not like we have a problem or anything, but you have to be very vigilant about monitoring for all of that kind of stuff.

[A]

That's my biggest fear.

[B]

Yeah, moths. Moths, yeah, they're awesome.

[A]

Biggest fear.

[B]

And it's really tough because they can come in on anything. Like, a lot of times we'll have clients that store things in a garage in la. You hear that? Very commonly, they're like, oh, my archive is in my garage. And I'm like, well, guess what? This entire rack of things was eaten by moths. You know, did you even realize?

[A]

No. Probably not. It makes me so nervous. I have doors on my closets because of that reason. I'm just like, but they could probably get through to see.

[B]

Well, here's the thing. A lot of people have misconceptions because they think, like, oh, moths and bugs love light. So I'll keep everything really dark. But if things are too dark and cramped together in the closet, that's what clothing moths, like, you know, they like to hide. They're very sneaky. So you want to have, like, space between things, give things room to breathe.

[A]

She knows I'm panicking. I'm like, oh, my God. It's literally dark. It's cluttered.

[B]

I mean, dark. I mean, you have to. It's like a fine balance, right? Because you can't have the light fading your things either, right? But you don't want it, like, so dark and jam packed together, right? Because that's where they can thrive. You need to vacuum religiously. Like, you can't have dust because they're attracted to the materials that dust is made of. Like, a lot of this is not very fashion. It's very gross scientific stuff.

[A]

But it's actually something to think about for anybody who has a closet of things they love, right? There are a lot of times where, you know, I will, like, vacuum my space. But now I'm like, oh, I need to be really wiping down those cabinets, like, underneath everything. It's like, you really have to keep that stuff pristine to extend the lifetime lifespan of your clothes.

[B]

You totally do. I mean, dust is bad just by itself because it has, like, what you call a tooth or kind of a grain to it. You know, it's a little rough. So if it's sitting on stuff and the humidity is changing again as the fibers are expanding and contracting, the dust is, like, kind of abrading the fibers and can create, like, a hole or a rip eventually. It's crazy. I mean, it would take a while for that to happen. You're okay.

[A]

Like, oh, God, I have a dog. There's burns everywhere.

[B]

With, like, modern clothes, we're not talking about historical pieces that are super fragile to begin with. So, you know, generally speaking, you're okay with your home collection. It's just good to be aware and, you know, take the steps to maintain it in the best way that you can.

[A]

Has there ever been a piece in your years of archiving that you've been like, I need to find that or keep it for myself, or something along those lines? Oh, sure, yeah.

[B]

This happens every time I do a new intake for somebody like, I think I told you that we work with Jamie Mizrahi. And I was like, I'm sure everything that Jamie sends us, she's, like, so sick of and doesn't care if she ever sees again. But I'm like, oh, my God, what collection is this? I have to Google this and see if I can find it on the RealReal. But this happens all the time. You discover gems that you might have overlooked from a past season, and it's really fun.

[A]

I'm sure her Louis Vuitton archive is bananas.

[B]

It's on. It's on point.

[A]

So red carpet season is now. We're in the midst of it. The Oscars are in March. I don't think a lot of people realize what happens to the dresses at the end of the day, right?

[B]

So usually they're archived. I mean, now it's turning into more of a thing than it was as we were discussing earlier. Like, you know, in the past, it wasn't necessarily so important, but people keep these things. Either it's cleaned and returned to the house's own archive, or depending on who the celebrity is and what their agreement is, like, they'll get to keep it. A lot of our clients are big enough stars that they're allowed to keep all of their own, like, all the pieces they wear. Whereas when, you know, they're first starting out, they might not necessarily have that privilege. And, you know, we've even bought things back for people. But anyway, that's a whole other story. So, yeah, it's the same process, really, as any other piece. It has to be cleaned, it has to be documented, and then it's properly stored. There's misconceptions, though. People will hit me up before award season and be like, do you have anything really special that we can borrow? And it's really funny because I've even gotten contacted by assistants for stylists who work for our clients. And I'll be very confused because I'll get an email on a Saturday morning, and I'll think that they're reaching out to pull something they need me to send on tour somewhere or something. And I'm like, wait a minute. Then I read the email again, and I'm like, oh, she has no idea that I have this person's actual archive. She thinks she can pull something, right?

[A]

But I think that's also the importance of the first question I asked you, which is, what is the difference? I think what you do is still under the radar, but one of the biggest backbones of fashion it's collecting the industry's history for sure, and making sure that it survives. I couldn't imagine if we didn't have people like you who are making sure that in 50 years from now, we can look back on all these incredible references.

[B]

Well, thank you.

[A]

Of course.

[B]

It's a pretty fun job.

[A]

I feel like a lot of people are into vintage shopping right now, into collecting, into starting kind of their own archives. What do you think right now is something that we're going to want to collect in 50 years?

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Okay. So I get asked this a lot because I have clients that do this. Right. So a lot of clients are collecting Alaia right now. Peter Mueller's work, Loewe, Jonathan Anderson, as we were talking about. So we'll have to see, you know, what happens with these shifts that are coming up. I have clients that collect a lot of Japanese designers. That's like a very acquired taste. I feel like. I don't think the average person necessarily is into that. Alaia Loewe.

[A]

I've not thought about Loewe being something that in a few decades, we're gonna be completely lusting after.

[B]

I have a lot of clients that collect McQueen. Yeah. I mean, obviously, especially Sarah Burton's McQueen.

[A]

I feel like, is going to be legendary.

[B]

It will, for sure. She really carried on his legacy in a beautiful way, you know, was still her own. Like, you know, as we were saying, it needs to be kind of your own. You have to have your own viewpoint. But she completely was true to the ethos of his brand, I think Aladdin, McQueen. And there's a finite amount of it, so the prices are really expensive. Galliano, Dior, a lot of people go crazy for still.

[A]

Yeah. I also think the Fendi baguette is going to be forever a thing that people lust after.

[B]

I know. It's so funny, like, how it came back in such the hard way. Came back. Yep, I know. I wonder if we'll see that with any of the other bags, because I feel like bags generally don't have longevity. Like, you know, once they're in the past, they're in the past. But the baguette had a moment. I feel like people are into the Balenciaga City bags again.

[A]

Bags are investments.

[B]

They definitely can be.

[A]

They definitely can be. If you strike while the iron's hot.

[B]

Yep. Well, you. If you strike while the iron's hot, if it's a trendy bag, or if you're investing in a classic like an Hermes or Chanel, you'll always be able to get your money out of that.

[A]

Okay, so for people listening right now who are inspired by what you do, what is your biggest piece of advice for them? To get into fashion archiving.

[B]

You've got to go to school for it because, you know, we really only hire people that have the degree because they have very specialized knowledge about how to handle the things, about all the science that goes into the, you know, the back end of it, so to speak. But these little museum studies degrees are very specialized, they're short programs, they're not particularly expensive compared to going to a four year university. And that science end of it is something you really have to be trained to do. However, in the Internet age we're living in, you can definitely learn the history of fashion all by yourself, you know, and that's what's exciting. There's so many people on Instagram, TikTok, whatever, that just have all this knowledge now, whereas maybe 20 years ago we didn't have that. You had to like seriously go to a library and research all this or work in the industry to get that knowledge. And now you have it at your fingertips.

[A]

Thank you so much for coming on today. It was so glad we got to have this conversation. It was fascinating.

[B]

Thank you for having me, Liv, of course.