At The Museum at FIT, curators prepare for 5 exhibitions a year, a demanding schedule that necessitates meticulous scientific preservation of each garment. These pieces, often dating back decades or centuries, are frequently more fragile than ancient canvases, requiring precise environmental controls and handling.
Many perceive fashion archiving as merely storing old clothes, yet it is a scientific and multidisciplinary endeavor critical for preserving both physical artifacts and their embedded cultural narratives. Textiles, for instance, are significantly more susceptible to climate and temperature damage than canvases, demanding specialized storage solutions according to Forbes. The inherent fragility of textiles elevates the role of preservation beyond simple storage.
As the historical and commercial value of fashion continues to grow, the specialized expertise of fashion archivists will become increasingly indispensable for safeguarding these unique cultural and corporate assets.
The Scientific Discipline of Fashion Archiving
Managing a fashion archive involves a scientific and multidisciplinary approach, encompassing restoration, cataloging, and digitization, according to Artegenerali. Fashion archiving is far from simple storage; it requires an understanding of material science and environmental controls. For instance, storing clothing in plastic bins traps air and breaks down fibers, while thin hangers can ruin shoulders and necklines, as Forbes reports.
The seemingly mundane act of storing a garment—whether it is laid flat, hung, or placed in a bin—is a critical scientific decision. Knit and jersey items, for example, require flat storage to prevent stretching and distortion over time. Items adorned with feathers or delicate embellishments demand specific considerations to avoid crushing, often necessitating custom supports or specialized containers. Meticulous scientific requirements reveal that fashion archiving is less about 'storing old clothes' and more about an ongoing, high-stakes battle against entropy, where every detail matters.
The scientific approach to fashion archiving often involves breaking down components for restoration and digitization, a method detailed by Artegenerali. Breaking down components for restoration and digitization can improve the preservation of individual elements, such as fabric swatches or structural components. However, this scientific rigor encounters a significant challenge when dealing with mixed-format materials.
