Step into this store that doesn’t sell clothes: over a thousand discontinued Prada and Dior pieces hidden inside, each one a real eye-opener!
They even turned stylists away at the door! 😲
Summary
- Based in Melbourne, The Era Archive houses around 1,000 top-tier vintage garments from the 20th century, including pieces from Hermès, Prada, Dior and more.
- To protect these fragile historical garments, the founder has laid down strict rules: clothing may not be rented to stylists, nor can it be used for shoots.
- Rental periods range from one week to several months, with monthly fees from AUD 100 to 600. The archive also offers international shipping and access to a dedicated website for browsing.
- The space doesn’t focus on sales; it’s designed as a treasure trove of inspiration for designers and fashion students to study garment construction and craftsmanship.
Imagine walking into a room filled with 1970s Hermès silk dresses, Christian Dior double-breasted coats, and discontinued Prada pieces, only to find that not a single item is for sale. For vintage clothing lovers, that might be a little torturous. Yet at Melbourne’s Abbotsford Convent, a “fashion library” called The Era Archive is giving fashion houses’ exceptional craftsmanship a new way to live on. Founder and designer Hannah Canham previously interned at The Row in New York and lived in several European cities. In 2024, she brought about 1,000 high-end vintage pieces collected over the previous decade back to Australia and opened the collection to the public, creating a treasure trove for design research.
- Related reading: Not sure where to start when shopping vintage? 5 insider tips for vintage boutiques to help you hunt for treasures without making a misstep!
A library with no books, only Prada and Dior
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In Europe, it has long been common for designers to visit museums or consult archives for inspiration each season. Hannah has now brought that concept to Melbourne. The Era Archive holds haute couture and ready-to-wear pieces from the 1930s through the 1970s, with a brand roster that feels like a snapshot of Paris’s Champs-Élysées: Schiaparelli, Margiela, Kenzo, Valentino, and more.
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Interestingly, because space is limited, the studio selects only around 100 pieces for fittings and research based on a “wish list” submitted in advance by visiting designers. The rest of the collection is carefully stored in a nearby warehouse.
Why are stylists turned away?
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Since the pieces are available to rent, many people would probably assume that stylists working on magazine shoots are the obvious clientele. Yet The Era Archive has one strict rule: it does not rent to stylists or lend pieces for photo shoots. The decision comes from a desire to protect the clothes. Hannah worries that photo shoots can be unpredictable: precious silk could be dragged through muddy countryside, or handled carelessly by interns unfamiliar with the garments’ history. To ensure these fragile vintage pieces are treated gently, she rents only to designers or fashion students who appreciate their construction and history.
A rental system where even the lining deserves a closer look
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If you’re wondering how much it costs to rent an archival designer piece, the barrier to entry isn’t as high as you might think. Rental periods start at one week and can extend to several months, with monthly fees ranging from AUD 100 to 600 (from about HK$ 520 / NT$ 2,130). If you can’t fly to Melbourne, you can browse through a password-protected website and request international shipping.
Nothing compares to experiencing design with your own hands
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At a similar price point, being able to touch and study these aged examples of exceptional craftsmanship may be what makes The Era Archive so appealing, rather than buying a brand-new fast-fashion piece. Looking at details enlarged on a screen is one thing; touching a Cerruti shantung suit or lifting the storm flap at the back of a Christian Dior coat offers a moment of awe at the craftsmanship that cannot be easily replicated.
Besides this feature, here are a few recent stories worth checking out:
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- UNIQLO 2026 Fall/Winter collection is here, every Uniqlo U 10th-anniversary piece is so easy to style!
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