Safeguarding Fashion Archives: A Strategic Approach to Risk and Mitigation

 

In the world of fashion, where ephemerality is the rule and change is constant, fashion archives represent a fixed point: a tangible memory that tells the story, evolution, and identity of a brand, an era, a culture.

 

With the aim of preserving and passing on their heritage to future generations, many brands are rediscovering and sharing their past through exhibitions, museum displays, foundations, and the creation of true archives, often communicated digitally as well. A recent example is Prada, which in April 2025 virtually opened the doors of its archive on social media, showcasing the conservation and restoration process of iconic pieces like the famous flame shoes.

 

Fashion archives are now considered strategic corporate assets, useful in marketing, branding, and even in merger and acquisition negotiations. For this reason, more and more fashion houses are investing in the creation, digitization, and enhancement of their archives.

 

 

What exactly are fashion archives?

Fashion archives are organized collections of garments, accessories, sketches, photographs, documents, and textile materials that bear witness to the production and stylistic evolution of a brand or designer. It’s not just about preserving clothing, but about safeguarding stories, techniques, creative visions, and cultural values.

 

Beyond being a source of inspiration for the brand itself, the archive can become a direct point of contact with customers, as demonstrated by Armani Silos in Milan: a museum-archive that gathers over 40 years of Giorgio Armani’s creations, organized by themes such as "Androgynous", "Ethnicities", and "Stars". It is a public exhibition space that celebrates the stylistic evolution of the brand.

 

 

How they are created and how they should be managed

The creation of a fashion archive often stems from a historical and cultural awareness.

In some cases, it is the designer themselves who wants to preserve their creative legacy, as in the case of Gianfranco Ferré or the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation. In others, it is the management that recognizes the value of garments and materials stored in warehouses, deciding to archive them to build a coherent narrative of the brand’s history.

 

In an era where fashion seeks authentic roots and sustainable processes, archives offer a valuable tool to design the future without forgetting the past.

 

Managing an archive requires a scientific and multidisciplinary approach: materials must be restored, cataloged, and often digitized. Digitization allows remote access to thousands of images, drawings, and documents; houses like Balenciaga and Chanel are investing in advanced digitization techniques to make their archives accessible.

 

However, as fashion historian Lydia Kamitsis points out, “a digital archive is useful, but it cannot replace the physical experience. Feeling the texture of the fabric, observing the nuances of embroidery: these are things no algorithm will ever reproduce.”

 

 

Preservation and Risks

Preservation requires suitable spaces, archival expertise, and targeted investments, as no natural fabric is inert. Each type reacts and is influenced by the environment in different ways.

 

Garments are treated like works of art, as in the Gianfranco Ferré archive, where they are stored in vaults with controlled temperature, humidity, and light, and rotated in exhibitions at the archive’s headquarters, where they are literally handled with white gloves.

 

Incorrect handling can cause irreversible damage, with significant economic and cultural impacts; the use of non-plastic, breathable materials, gloves, and controlled environments reduces the risk of deterioration.

 

Movement and loans also follow museum protocols: a condition report is drawn up, and loans from certain fashion houses, for example, are only permitted if the garments are used in a static manner, meaning they cannot be worn.

 

 

Physical and Environmental Damage

Garments or physical archives are often located in external storage facilities designed to hold a large number of pieces. These facilities may not be visited daily and often share space with other materials (items used for photo shoots, pallets, cardboard boxes, other recyclable materials). The mixing and accumulation of different materials (including paper and wood) can lead to a high fire risk.

 

Storage facilities may be located in industrial areas, where various and sometimes hazardous operations coexist. Stored items are generally on the ground floor and thus more exposed to flood or water damage. Additionally, the roofs of these buildings, being industrial warehouses, often have skylights that can break or leak water, which is extremely harmful to fabrics.

 

It is therefore necessary to conduct a careful analysis of the building (container) that houses the collection of garments and accessories.

 

Fashion archives are subject to various risks, including:

 

Physical and Environmental Damage

 

- Humidity and mold: deteriorate fabrics, paper, photographs;

- Poor ventilation or unstable temperature: accelerates material degradation;

- Sunlight or artificial light: causes fading and fragility of materials;

- Insects and rodents: can destroy garments and documents;

- Fires and floods: cause irreparable losses.

 

Damage from Improper Handling or Use

 

- Unprofessional handling: can ruin delicate garments or historical documents;

- Non-compliant restorations: alter historical authenticity;

- Frequent exposure without protection: accelerates wear.

 

Moreover, the digitization of archives exposes them to digital risks such as loss of digitized data due to failures, cyberattacks, or lack of backups, and the technological obsolescence of digital formats that may become unreadable over time.

 

 

Guidelines for Preservation

Some precautions make preservation easier and help prevent damage, such as:

 

- Wearing clean cotton gloves, avoiding hand creams or perfumes, and not wearing jewelry that could snag on loose threads;

- Avoiding folding garments, and if unavoidable, using acid-free tissue paper to cushion the folds;

- Not using plastic products and/or non-breathable materials at any stage involving costumes and accessories;

- Transporting garments only under dust covers, using trays or carts with protective features. Dust covers should be made of unbleached or partially bleached, well-washed calico;

- Not smoking, eating, or drinking in any room containing objects;

- Windows should be darkened. Fluorescent lamps should be equipped with ultraviolet filters;

- Maintaining controlled and stable parameters such as temperature (18°C) and relative humidity (50–55%), while considering the different types of materials. For example, leather prefers low    humidity, between 45–50%, and should be stored separately, as should fur, feathers, and wool items;

- Keeping storage areas clean is essential, especially as a precaution against pests;

- It is preferable to store garments flat on padded surfaces rather than hanging them, although the latter is cheaper and takes up less space. Stress on garments should be minimized by using    individually padded hangers and white cotton tapes to support the weight of heavy skirts. Materials under stress can tear and develop creases and deformations;

- Ensuring there is enough space to allow air circulation around the objects;

- Furniture with shelves and storage boxes should be raised off the ground to avoid damage in case of flooding;

- In areas dedicated to garments and textiles, only fluorocarbon fire extinguishers should be used.

 

 

The Role of Insurance

Precisely because fashion archives represent both cultural and corporate heritage, it is essential to protect them through specific insurance policies that can intervene in case of accidental damage, theft, or catastrophic events. These policies must also consider the dynamic life of a fashion archive, which is used as a creative source and moved for photo shoots, digitization, etc.

 

The economic valuation of an archive is complex and requires tailored approaches, considering both tangible (physical assets) and intangible value (rights, know-how, historical significance).