One of the largest and most comprehensive archive sales ever assembled, Horror Vacuo, Middleman, Huiben Shop, Ako Okada, Groupie and Coup De Grȃce have come together to present Time Lapse. Unprecedented in both size and scope, Time Lapse will offer over 1,000 items—nearly half-a-million dollars worth of stock—between September 21-23 at downtown New York staple Patron of the New. The cumulative collections span decades, designers, and trends, tying together '80s Yohji Yamamoto masterpieces, '90s Helmut Lang standouts and early ‘00s Raf Simons grails with contemporary talent like Kanghyuk and Craig Green, not to mention a laundry list of modern Japanese favorites including Undercover and TAKAHIROMIYASHITA TheSoloist. Drawn together due to an immense mutual respect and shared appreciation for archiving and selling, the six hosts represent the heart of modern archival resell culture.

THE HOSTS

Horror Vacuo is a retail consignment store in Los Angeles specializing in men’s past season and archive wares. Through fine-tuned curation and a unique selection of hard-to-attain items, the store has distinguished itself as one of the foremost consignment stores in the LA area. At Horror Vacuo, each and every article’s historical significance—as well as its contribution to contemporary men’s fashion—is considered as part of a thorough vetting process. Apart from simply a retail space, Horror Vacuo aims to support the current interest in vintage men’s fashion through creating a communal space to educate and explore. Standout pieces from its collection include a Fall/Winter 2005 Raf Simons “History of My World” Cape and a Fall/Winter 2006 Number (N)ine Sheepskin Biker Cloak.

Middleman is, like many in this event, a child of the internet. Owners Kyle Muhlfriedel and Clif Shayne met through an online fashion forum and release curated six to seven item drops on their site every Friday. The bicoastal Los Angeles-to-New York outfit explore high-fashion translations of taboo subcultures. Drawn towards items that distill militant, punk and fetishwear simulacra through fine craftsmanship, the items they offer are reflected as such. While community favorites like the Fall/Winter 2014 Dries Van Noten Backzip Bomber Jacket, Spring/Summer 2004 Helmut Lang Leather Bondage Rider Jacket and a Spring/Summer 2001 Artisanal Martin Margiela Rebuilt Vest are guaranteed crowd pleasers, Middleman is more excited to display garments from some of their favorite, less hallowed brands, including a selection of Jean Paul Gaultier and Wild & Lethal Trash pieces.

Ako Okada, a street style staple of Japan fashion blogs, began collecting Raf Simons in his youth. At 26, he turned his passion into a business when he opened a brick and mortar store in Osaka, Japan. Though consignment stores are a staple of the city, Okada’s was the first to directly cater to and curate true archival fashion. Tending to the store has not diminished his personal passion, as he still finds joy in educating his customers and helping them style their purchases. A collector first and a merchant second, Okada personally seeks to strike the perfect balance between designer and vintage pieces, often intermingling "holy grail" Raf, Margiela and Yohji with destroyed vintage tees and jeans.

Groupie is a New York-based collector whose bread and butter is clothing from Japanese designers. With a heavy focus on outerwear, the collection spans the likes of Undercover, Number (N)ine, Blackmeans and Miharayasuhiro. While predominantly focused on Japan, Groupie additionally carries many coveted pieces from outside the region. His 100 item collection features Raf Simons grails like a Fall/Winter 2003 “Closer” Parka and a Fall/Winter 2005 “Poltergeist” Sweater, along with unique luxury curiosities such as a Prada motorcycle helmet and Chanel skis.

Huiben (pronounced Hway-běn) roughly translates as "to return to one’s roots" and its mission is to investigate the social and cultural underpinnings of clothing. Despite the nature of the vintage market, Huiben places as much emphasis on introducing clients to work from prior seasons as highlighting emerging brands. The final result is a juxtaposition of past against future forming a symbiotic relationship: breathing life into the old and re-contextualizing what is to come.

Coup De Grȃce, founded by Casey Kohn, presents a highly-curated selection of items that best define the influential labels and designers who craft them. Among its highlights include a Fall/Winter 2004 Raf Simons “Exiles” Crewneck, Spring/Summer 2000 Helmut Lang Orange Raw Denim Jacket and a Rick Owens Spring/Summer 2009 Gradient Dyed Lambskin Intarsia jacket. Owner Casey Kohn believes sourcing and displaying rare garments is only half the job and aims to price items at a consumer-friendly price point for quick-turnover. Coup De Grȃce focuses on pieces that are meant to be worn and loved, rather than simply look enticing on a website.

Read up on the sellers here, and shop a curated preview of their upcoming sale—exclusively on Grailed.

Time Lapse will run from September 21st to 23rd at Patron of the New.

Patron of the New
151 Franklin Street, New York, NY, 10013
Hours: September 21st-23rd; 12 pm - 7 pm (Friday and Saturday), 12 pm — 6 pm (Sunday)

*Photography by Max Hanuschak

Tags: number-nine, craig-green, helmut-lang, takahiro-miyashita, undercover, raf-simons