History weavers: when fashion treats its archives

Nous sommes en plein cœur de Paris, au pied d’un bel immeuble haussmannien. Pour y entrer, il faut montrer patte blanche – et papiers d’identité – aux vigiles qui assurent la sécurité des lieux. Au fond d’une cour se dessine alors un autre bâtiment, d’apparence plus moderne et abritant des locaux au design épuré, imaginés sur mesure. Bienvenue chez Dior Héritage, là où la marque a installé une partie de ses archives, depuis 2016. C’est ici que Soizic Pfaff, directrice du patrimoine de Dior, passe le plus clair de son temps.

The story of the house, this elegant lady knows her at her fingertips.Arrived in the company in 1974, she held various positions there, notably in licenses, before joining the archives, in 1996."The archive service was born in 1987 following an exhibition organized for the 40th anniversary of Dior at the Museum of Decorative Arts, in Paris," she explains.Small service that has become large.Today, a dozen people work there daily.

Their mission?Find the archive parts and the documents relating to the history of the claw, list them for their scanning, restore them if necessary, preserve the conservation and, if possible, go up the thread of their history."Our first function is to reconstruct the collections as much as possible, whether it be haute couture, ready-to-wear or accessories.As a priority of course the creations of Mr. Dior.We buy a lot of clothes, accessories and documents.There are different channels for our acquisitions, including sales rooms.We are in continuous connection with the greatest experts around the world.Now, individuals also contact us directly to offer us clothes and accessories, ”adds Soizic Pfaff.Few people have access to these places."We study each request, especially of students in fashion or researchers who work on a particular theme, but Dior Hétage is not open to the public.Being able to visit these places is a privilege.»»

The success of fashion exhibitions or heritage days - Balenciaga exhibited in September on this occasion, within its headquarters, silhouettes from haute couture collections from 1938 to 1967 - shows the growing interest of the publicFor the history of fashion and designers."This is part of a particular context.Today, fashion is more and more criticized for its drifts, its propensity for overconsumption. Mais comprendre son histoire, ses savoir-faire, affirmer le rôle qu’elle a eu dans l’histoire de la France, cela participe à l’inscrire dans la culture du pays et cela intéresse le grand public»», explique Sophie Kurkdjian, historienne de la mode et professeur à l’université américaine de Paris.

You have 65 left.93% of this article to read.The rest is reserved for subscribers.