When did secondary distribution become a "culture"? – Understanding the essence of archives through historical facts

When did secondary distribution become "culture"?

Interpreting the essence of archives from historical facts.

Today, luxury secondary distribution is spoken of as a culture beyond just saving money or hunting for bargains. According to consulting firm reports, the luxury market for secondary distribution is expected to reach about $37–48 billion by 2024, expanding at a higher growth rate than the new market.

To reach this position,

1. "Vintage clothing" shifted from a necessity to a style in the 1960s–70s
2. Formation of vintage/archive awareness in the 1990s–2000s
3. From the 2010s onward, a phase where platforms and brands fully entered the market
   There are several stages like this.

1. Vintage clothing became "something to choose" in the 1960s–70s

In the first half of the 20th century, vintage clothing in Europe and America was generally regarded as something worn out of economic necessity. However, with the rise of counterculture movements in the 1960s and 70s, the situation changed. Movements like hippies and punks actively chose vintage and secondhand clothes as a way to distance themselves from mainstream mass production, as pointed out in several vintage histories.

At this time, shops handling military surplus and workwear, known as thrift stores, in American and European cities became gathering places for young people, functioning as places that attract "a sense of era that cannot be bought new" through clothing. Secondary distribution here first took on the meaning of "significance" rather than "cheapness."

2. 1990s–2000s: The birth of the concept of "archive"

Since the 1990s, secondary distribution has moved beyond "because it's old, it has value," to being evaluated as "materials" linked to specific designers or seasons.

On the men's/youth culture side, past works by Helmut Lang, Raf Simons, and Martin Margiela are treated as "textbooks" for later designers. GQ points out that works by Raf Simons and Lang from around 2000 are highly influential as references for young designers today, and features them as "Archive Grail."

Online, since the 2000s, forums like StyleZeitgeist have emerged, where information exchange and buying/selling of old works by Raf Simons, Lanvin, and Undercover took place. HUNGER Magazine states that these forums gradually expanded "archive fashion" from a very niche area.

In 2018, Raf Simons' dedicated archive shop "RS Archives" opened in Tokyo, and a business model resembling "half shop / half museum" that deals only with past works of specific designers became a reality.

By this time, "secondary distribution = used goods" was no longer the only understanding; archive collection as an act of owning and curating fashion history had been established.

3. "Secondary distribution infrastructure supported by platforms"

In the 2010s, several online secondary markets specializing in luxury brands were launched one after another.

• Vestiaire Collective: Founded in France in 2009, expanding to the UK, US, and Asia from the early 2010s. By the 2020s, it has grown into an international platform covering over 70 countries. 
• The RealReal: Founded in the United States in 2011 and listed on NASDAQ in 2019. As of 2023, it is reported to have over 38 million members and nearly 40 million items sold. 

These are not just simple flea market sites but are designed as "infrastructure-type" secondary distribution that handles appraisal, storage, photography, and shipping. The Financial Times feature also points out the recent increase in boutique-style resales like ReSee and Sellier that emphasize curation, indicating a trend of prioritizing "editing and storytelling over quantity."

According to research by consulting firms, the secondary luxury market is estimated to be about $37 to $48 billion as of 2024, with growth rates surpassing those of the new market, and it is repeatedly mentioned as an "entry point" for young people.

4. Mechanisms for archive valuation

The mechanism by which archives are "traded at high prices" can be organized not only by intuitive popularity but also by several clear axes.

1. Historical significance
   
• Collections that marked a turning point in the designer's career
• Seasons strongly linked to culture (e.g., Raf Simons' references to music and subculture) 
2. 
   
3. Innovativeness in design
   
• Materials, structure, and silhouette that significantly influenced later fashion
• Continuously referenced by subsequent brands and modern collections 
4. 
   
5. Rarity and preservation condition
   
• Produced in small quantities and also few remaining
• Original specifications are maintained, with no modifications or major damage
6. 
   
7. Information access (tags, materials, archive community)
   
• Primary materials such as tags, serial numbers, and look photos substantiate the season and authenticity
• Forums and archivists continue to accumulate information 
8. 
   

This "depth of information" directly correlates with the persuasiveness of valuation. It's not just because something is old that it is valuable; only those with historical significance, documentary value, and good preservation conditions are evaluated as an "archive."

5. Tags, Era, Preservation: "Archive" as Practical Work

Example of a code indicating the era

• CHANEL Serial Seal
  Serial seals inside Chanel bags were introduced in the mid-1980s, and multiple guides explain that products from 1986 onward have serial numbers. The number of digits and the first digit can help narrow down the approximate manufacturing period. It has also been reported that since 2021, they have transitioned to microchips. 
• Levi’s tab and care label
  Levi’s is widely known for the **“Big E” marking on the red tab of the back pocket, indicating products made before 1971**. Furthermore, their vintage guide explains that the introduction of care labels such as washing instructions after the 1970s is a key to dating. 
• Maison Margiela's number tag
  Maison Margiela has adopted the "number tag" since 1997, which displays numbers from 0 to 23 on a white label and circles the corresponding line number. Each number indicates a line such as men's/women's/Artisanal, allowing for some estimation of line and period based solely on the tag. 

These "brand-specific rules" form the infrastructure for age determination in the secondary market.

Preservation and condition

In museum-level storage environments, standards widely used include maintaining a temperature of around 20°C, relative humidity of 40-55%, and blocking light as much as possible. Smithsonian and Canadian preservation agencies,

• High temperature and humidity lead to mold and pest damage
• Low humidity promotes fiber drying and brittleness
• UV rays and strong light accelerate fading
  For these reasons, specific numerical guidelines for textile preservation are presented as guidelines. 

Of course, reproducing everything in a typical household is difficult, but having these standards allows discussions about "what level of condition is appropriate" and "what risks cause deterioration" even in secondary distribution.

6. Brand stance: from conflict to "coexistence and participation"

As the secondary market becomes visible as a culture, the attitude of luxury brands has also changed.

A phase that began with legal conflicts

Some brands have long been wary of the secondary market as an uncontrollable market. In 2018, it was reported that Chanel filed a lawsuit against The RealReal for trademark infringement, revealing a strong vigilance against channels outside official distribution.

Shift towards collaboration and official resale

On the other hand, in recent years, the brands themselves have accelerated their involvement in the secondary market.

• Gucci × The RealReal (2020)
  Gucci partnered with The RealReal to launch a dedicated page for "Pre-Loved Gucci," promoting the circular economy. The release also indicates that Gucci items have a resale value higher than the average on that platform. 
• Alexander McQueen × Vestiaire Collective (2021)
  Alexander McQueen collaborated with Vestiaire Collective to start the "Brand Approved" program, purchasing items from past seasons from customers, authenticating them, and reselling. It is positioned as an attempt by the brand itself to ensure the durability of its archive. 
• Valentino Vintage (2021–)
  Valentino started the "Valentino Vintage" project in 2021, continuing efforts to collect and sell vintage Valentino in cooperation with vintage stores around the world. It also incorporates collaborations with official and educational institutions, acting as a curator of secondary distribution by the brand itself. 
• Balenciaga Re-Sell Program
  Balenciaga has teamed up with Reflaunt to launch the "Balenciaga Re-Sell Program." It has established a system where customers can resell their Balenciaga products on the official site and receive rewards. It is also characteristic that this is positioned as "part of a circular fashion revolution." 

Industry media such as L’Officiel analyze this movement as a whole, stating that "luxury brands have begun to use secondary distribution not as a competitor but as a place to maintain and expand brand value over the long term."

Summary: Conditions under which secondary distribution became "culture"

The background for secondary distribution becoming established as part of fashion culture rather than just a used market is,

• Since the counterculture, "oldness" has become an expression of personality and thought.
• Shared axes for evaluating archives (historicity, innovation, rarity, information content) have been established.
• The establishment of a common language that speaks of "era and condition," such as tags, serial numbers, and preservation guidelines.
• The platform and brands have begun to shift from conflict to collaboration and official participation.

Multiple conditions such as these overlap.

What is being discussed in secondary distribution now is not "how to buy cheaply," but rather a recognition of "where to place each piece in history." In that sense, the evaluation of archives is expected to continue becoming more three-dimensional, connecting not only to the market but also to research, critique, and preservation fields.

A dash of MOOD

Now that secondary distribution and archives are being discussed as "culture," the act of choosing clothes seems to have become slightly more extended along the time axis. It is a sense of understanding which era a particular piece was born in and on which designer's thoughts and techniques it is based, rather than whether it is new or used.

Tracing the mechanism by which archives are evaluated, it can ultimately be said that only "things that could not be discarded at some point" remain. Conditions such as tag specifications, serial numbers, sewing, and preservation state may serve as evidence reinforcing the "reason they could not be discarded."

Long-lasting clothes seem to have not only strong designs but also "structures that can withstand time" and "blank spaces that continue to hold meaning even when entrusted to someone." The flow of such clothes being quietly handed down within secondary distribution is also seen as a trigger to reconceptualize fashion not just as consumption but as something closer to memory and knowledge.