Your Fashion Archive: An Interview with Oliver Leone
You and I both know as much, so I’ll just come right out with it - social media is awash with BS. I saw at least several posts today that nearly drove me to take a bath with my toaster. From explore page clone-fits to the inexhaustible stream of memes, social media has reached a dreaded saturation point. The apex of fuckery has ostensibly been reached, yet our culture continues its march onward. But I’ll climb back from the ledge and admit that not it’s all bad - there is gold amongst the chicken feed. We can all agree that social media has many redeeming charms - the same qualities that keep us scrolling, visiting and revisiting.
A sterling example is yourfashionarchive, a page that curates a collage of scanned images from old magazines and provides context behind their derivation and influence. The online gallery is a visual meditation on archival fashion and cultural relevance. In the midst of the surge of intrigue in archive clothing, the page acts as an almanac of fashion design and facilitates a dialogue between the past and present. In the same way, paleontologists study the fossil record to glean revelations about life on our planet, archivists study the history of fashion to learn more about design, culture, and society at large.
We caught up with the man behind yourfashionarchive and quizzed him on his beginnings, intentions, and view of the future.
Name: Oliver Leone
Age: 20
Location: Los Angeles
Who are you? What do you want people to know about you?
“I’m Oliver - a 20-year-old loner lost in life who’s found some purpose in the superficial world of fashion. I want people to know my story: a year ago, I was homeless after being kicked out of my parents’ house and was battling addiction and mental illness. I remember looking at fashion pages and influencers wishing I was them, feeling unworthy and inept to ever have value in the industry. I know it’s a somber tone to start an interview but vulnerability is the only way I can connect to people and I’ve since made a lot of personal progress and hope I can offer guidance or hope to others going through dark periods.”
What’s your relationship with fashion and how has it changed since you first delved into it?
“I first got into fashion during elementary school. I was (and still am) extremely insecure. No one ever really noticed me and I had no friends, I used to read Harry Potter in the library during recess while all the other kids would play basketball. I remember one day my dad brought me to the mall and introduced me to men’s fashion. He bought me some flannels, distressed jeans, and some Converses. I began feeling noteworthy during the next few days at school. I remember finally being acknowledged and standing out among the other kids who wore gym shorts and Jordans. Although it was simply an appearance, I realized that, without having to speak, I could use fashion as a representation of my personality, the perfect remedy for my shyness. Presently, fashion is still a tool I use to express myself but it’s become more than that. I obsess over brands and pieces, thirst for knowledge and new ideas. It’s possible my addictive personality has found a healthier fixation. Now I collect “archive” clothes… there is a feeling of achievement when I score a highly sought after piece.”
How has your sense of style changed from your earlier years?
“My style is always changing, every day. Some days I dip into a 70s look with flare pants and boots, other days I go full goth with bondage pants and skull-print tops. I like to “dress up” because it feels like I’m putting on armor, it’s kind of the opposite of being vulnerable but it’s as if I get the chance to be a new person every day. My “costumes” have become more eclectic since my youth. I’m comfortable wearing women’s blouses or skin-tight shirts or skirts. I tend to dress depending on my mood.”
Why did you start @yourfashionarchive and what’s your vision for the page?
“I don’t know why I started YFA but it was before I got sober. I just did it. I had no vision of it ever becoming anything. I mean why do people do anything anyway? I did take inspiration from @archivings.stacks. I remember messaging Shahad (the page’s creator) when I first got started and learning about different magazines. Now I want my page to be my segway into the fashion industry. I’ve already met loads of people who I looked up to back in the day and I’ve even interviewed some of my idols. I also want to put kids on to shit they’re not keen to, like obscure Japanese brands or women’s fashion (since most of my followers are male).”
What’s your process for sourcing the pictures/videos you post?
“I buy tons of mags from Japan and scan the pictures I think are cool. It reminds me of when I used to buy Pokémon card packs in my youth - I never knew what I would get. Sometimes I’ll spend a chunk of money on like six mags that have nothing post-worthy in them and sometimes I’ll find gold. It gets expensive and it’s not sustainable but I can’t stop now.”
What about older “archival” fashion collections and content inspires you?
“I like to see where ideas originate from. There’s a feeling of fashion being “ahead of its time” when I look through archival collections. It’s cool to see what has been done before and observe that most contemporary fashion is just recycled ideas. There’s also an exclusivity to archival pieces since you can’t get them in stores anymore. I like to think of them as ancient artifacts.”
What art inspires you outside of fashion?
“Honestly, I don’t know much about art but I love Manga. Junji Ito is one of my favorites. I like horror, there’s an eerie beauty about darkness and fear that I find appealing. I took an AP Art History course in high school and loved it although I slept through the majority of it. Sometimes I see things that I like and I can’t even explain why I like them.”
What’s the craziest piece you own? Are there any grails you have your sights set on?
“My craziest pieces are my Vivienne Westwood “Swarm of Cupids” jacket from 1991 and my Dior Homme “Blood Wound” tank top from 2002. Realistically, my most sought after grail is true happiness and love… clothes can only provide those temporarily. I always buy clothes to fill the hole in my heart but I know they will never completely fill the void.”
What void do you hope to fill in the space shared by fashion and social media?
“I’d like to fight against the current mediocrity of the fashion industry. Everyone feels as if they have to agree on the same ideas and everyone wants to look similar. I also feel as if the fashion press is very contrived and dishonest. Honesty is vital in fashion because fashion should be about self-expression. I hope that my website eventually becomes a haven for “controversial” ideas and knowledge people never knew they wanted.”
What’s your vision for the fashion industry’s trajectory?
“I have no idea where it’s going but I’m here for the ride".”
How’d you find out about @fashionmovesforward?
“When I was in the throes of what I refer to as my “Dark Ages”, I watched the FashionMovesForward’s interview with @jcdachurro on your YouTube channel. It was my first introduction to archival fashion and I became obsessed. If it wasn’t for FashionMovesForward I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
What are some of your craziest moments during your experience building @yourfashionarchive?
“The craziest moment for me was meeting and styling one of my musician idols, Laura Les (of 100 gecs) in my archive. I’d like to meet more people in similar industries and style them. I like to network. All of the interviews I’ve done are crazy to me and such an honor. To think that I was a homeless nobody and now I’m speaking with culturally influential figures is surreal.”
Your website, yourfashionarchive.com, is finally live. What can you say about its inception, the process of putting together interviews/editorials and how you hope it will progress?
“It’s been a lot of fun but it’s hard work! When you have to self-motivate, it’s difficult to stay consistent (especially when you’re not getting paid) but it’s a learning process. I love doing interviews and especially love having photoshoots supplement them. I want the site to have a multitude of writers but I’m still looking for the right fit. The idea of the site is that it’s independent and honest, two elements the fashion industry is lacking. I don’t have a ton of people to talk to about fashion, so I’m eternally grateful when readers respond to my pieces. I hope to expand the site in the future. It’s in its infancy but is evolving quickly.”