It is no question that archival fashion has reached a new level of interest in the world of fashion today. The primary audience used to be just collectors and brand buffs who had been searching for exclusive and specific pieces. Now the audience has expanded, kids who were just getting into primary school after some of these collections were debuted are now able to easily access as well as purchase extremely coveted pieces through sites like TheRealReal and Grailed. Many of those who were interested in archiving before these curated sites existed remember the struggle of hunting for a piece but never having the ability to physically access it to see the condition or fit. The foundation of physical stores in which items such as this would be readily available to be reviewed and tried on would prove to be a turning point for archival collectors. Last year we got a peek into the origins of Horror Vacuo the first of its kind on the west coast and discussed the waves it has been making in the LA scene.

This weekend we've returned to LA for ULTRA SALE, where Horror Vacuo, TheWolrdIsYours_official, and Ako_Okada have combined collections in order to present one of the most extensive and wide-ranging Archival collections to ever hit Fairfax within 424's store space. We stopped by on the opening day of this five-day long event to and ask how it all came to be and of course cop some grails.

Respectively: Kel Saborough, Ako_Okada, TheWorldisYoursJapan

There was a line and quite a wait to get inside, but once you did I'm sure those who were there would agree it was worth it. Prices were high as expected for sought-after items like the "Waves" AW 04' Raf Simons hoodie but there was also an abundance of steals. Simply put, I didn't plan on leaving empty-handed.

I was briefly able to catch Kel amidst the chaos (while he was helping Ian Connor) to see how he has been doing since we last caught up with him in our first interview last year and get some insight into how this event developed and his history with Archive fashion altogether. 

How did you all end up meeting each other (Ako and TheWorldIsYoursJapan)?

"Well, basically they saw my IG, saw I had Japanese characters in it and reached out. They came to the store and checked it out. It evolved from there." 

So what would you say people are looking for the most nowadays?

"Usually cheap cool tees. Sometimes celebrities come in and cop a whole bunch of stuff at once. The other day Lil Yachty came into my store and just copped all the pants."

Word, I see you got more than a rack in 424 from when we previously spoke. You actually got the whole store. What drew you to this location in particular? 

"Guillermo had been coming to my store for a little and showed interest. It kind of just grew from there. "

What got you into Archiving? When did you start?

"Natural Process. I was born in Japan and got early exposure to brands. I was also really into thrifting and making bots."

Bots?

"For eBay, I would create specific queries and searches for specific brands and get updates when new items were posted."

Interesting very old fashioned, last question would you say that social media has more of a positive effect on archival fashion or negative? Why?

"More positive than negative. Social media allows people to have access to brands they wouldn't otherwise have access to because of where they live. For example, someone in Mississipi can be a collector. "

If you're in the LA Area you should definitely stop by. The sale is at 424 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Until May 15, opening and closing time may vary. Otherwise, you can check out Horror Vacuo's store in LA or look up Ako_okada, Horror Vacuo, and TheWorldIsYours_Official on Instagram. 

All Photos by extennded_time.period