INTO Archive Editorials

Before logo-covered handbags became the ultimate fashion flex, there was a much smaller, much more rebellious status symbol: a silk scarf covered in tiny skulls.

If you were paying attention to fashion in the mid-2000s, chances are you remember it. Draped around the neck, knotted over a leather jacket, or tied to the handles of an oversized Balenciaga City bag, the Alexander McQueen skull scarf was practically a uniform for the decade's fashion girls. It was worn by Kate Moss, Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie, and the Olsen twins, becoming one of those rare designer accessories that could be recognized from across the street.

Halloween is the one time of year when getting dressed can feel like stepping into another world. But before reaching for a predictable costume, it is worth looking back at the designers who have spent decades turning the runway into something far more theatrical.

From Alexander McQueen's hauntingly beautiful presentations to Thierry Mugler's futuristic fantasy worlds and Maison Margiela's experiments with shape and identity, fashion history is filled with collections that feel tailor-made for Halloween. These are not simply clothes; they are characters, creatures, and entire visual universes brought to life through fashion.

From a ’90s Valentino leopard-print dress to a Dolce & Gabbana lace gown and archival Chanel runway boots, Olivia Ponton explores vintage designer fashion at Into Archive.

When it comes to archival fashion, the right piece can make an entire look. Olivia Ponton recently visited the Into Archive NYC showroom to explore rare designer finds, trying on a vintage Valentino dress, renting a Dolce & Gabbana gown for New York Fashion Week, and finding the perfect pair of Chanel boots for a sailor-inspired Halloween costume.

Across three distinct looks, her selections move between ’90s maximalism, Italian eveningwear and playful runway nostalgia, showcasing the versatility of archival designer fashion.

Few fashion houses understand the power of a little drama quite like Dolce & Gabbana. Think black lace, leopard print, corsetry, crystal embellishments, religious iconography, and the kind of Italian glamour that refuses to blend into the background. Whether it is a body-hugging 1990s dress, a logo-heavy pair of early-2000s sunglasses, or a pair of statement-making platform heels, Dolce & Gabbana has spent decades proving that subtlety is not the only way to make a fashion statement.

Founded by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, the Italian fashion house built its identity around a highly recognizable mix of Sicilian heritage, sensuality, and unapologetic maximalism. But its history is about more than the main runway label. The introduction of D&G in the 1990s created a younger, more street-facing counterpart to the main collection, helping bring the designers' aesthetic to an entirely different audience.

From under-an-hour fashion delivery to a major creative director exit, this week’s biggest fashion stories reveal a growing tension between instant gratification and lasting value.

Fashion is moving fast, but the pieces shaping its next chapter are rooted in more than just what is trending right now. This week, the conversation spans the convenience of on-demand shopping, the risks facing peer-to-peer resale, the return of Victoria’s Secret’s most extravagant runway tradition, and another turning point for one of fashion’s most influential houses. Meanwhile, a sculptural outerwear silhouette is gaining momentum ahead of Spring/Summer 2027.

Here is what we’re into this week, and what it means for archival fashion.

From the iconic Roberto Cavalli mainline to Just Cavalli and Class Roberto Cavalli, the Italian house built an entire universe of labels around its signature mix of animal prints, sensual silhouettes, experimental denim and unapologetic glamour. But what exactly separates one Cavalli from another?

If you have ever found a vintage Cavalli piece and wondered which label it belongs to, you are not alone. The name Roberto Cavalli appears across decades of ready-to-wear, diffusion lines, menswear, accessories and licensed categories, making the brand's archive surprisingly complex to navigate.

Twenty years of runway history, revisited through the pieces that continue to define fashion.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Who What Wear revisited some of the most iconic runway collections of the past two decades in 20 Years of Iconic Runway Fashion, Revisited, an editorial by Lauren Eggertsen published on October 14, 2026.

When Bianca Censori stepped out at ComplexCon alongside Kanye West, her look became another point of conversation in a celebrity culture that rarely separates fashion from controversy. But beyond the headlines, there was a piece of fashion history worth looking at: a black belted wrap coat by Chloé from 2008, sourced and purchased by her stylist at Into Archive’s New York showroom.

The coat is a reminder that the most compelling pieces in a wardrobe do not always come from the latest collection. Sometimes, the right reference is already out there, waiting to be found.

There are Gucci bags, and then there are Tom Ford-era Gucci bags. Right now, one particular style is getting the kind of attention that makes vintage dealers pay attention: the Gucci Horsebit.

At Into Archive, we have been watching the demand firsthand. Our selection of vintage Gucci Horsebit bags has been attracting stylists, collectors, and celebrity clients, with several pieces already sold after generating serious interest. And once you look at the history behind the design, the obsession starts to make sense.

SZA just gave our 2000s Gucci handbag a starring moment on Instagram, and we’re very into it.

SZA has a way of making the unexpected feel completely natural. In her latest Instagram post, she brought a little color and a lot of nostalgia with our Gucci 2000s Teal Rounded Bamboo Handbag.

Katharine Hamnett’s Union Jack wedges prove that Britain’s most recognizable symbol was never just a flag.

A good fashion symbol does more than tell you where something comes from. It carries an attitude. It can be political, rebellious, nostalgic, glamorous, or deliberately loud. Few symbols have managed all of that quite as effortlessly as the Union Jack.

Now back in the Into Archive showroom, Katharine Hamnett’s 2000s red leather wedge pumps put the British flag front and center. Covered in a bold Union Jack motif and finished with a sculptural wedge silhouette, the shoes are unmistakably Hamnett: graphic, confrontational, and impossible to ignore.

Pencil skirts are back, Dior is getting cinematic, beauty is becoming an accessory, and the fashion business is watching its own attention economy very closely.

New York Fashion Week has wrapped, but the bigger story is still unfolding. Across the runway, Tagwalk’s latest data points to a return to sharper, more traditionally polished silhouettes, with pencil skirts up 335%, capri pants up 113%, ruffles up 96%, transparent fabrics up 62%, and animal print up 10%.

At the same time, fashion’s cultural footprint is moving further outside the traditional runway. Dior has partnered with A24 for a two-year creative program spanning film, theatre, and live events. Rhode is turning beauty products into collectible accessories with Alexandra Leclerc. And some of the week's biggest marketing conversations have happened far away from a fashion show.