2000Archives: The Label Archiving a Y2K Mood

2000Archives is a brand created by two designers captivated by the retro sensibility of the 2000s, out of a wish to remember that era. The number 2000 was placed in the brand name because it conveys that sensibility directly. Born in the 1990s and having formed their sensibility while passing their teens against the cultural backdrop of the 2000s, the two explained that, just as the name says, the brand aims to express free and individual women on the basis of 2000s vintage collections.

What led them to focus on the 2000s among many eras was their student days in London. At the vintage shops they went to often, they said, they frequently thought that one day they wanted to express the millennium mood of the 2000s in a mysterious and playful way. The two described the early 2000s as an era of upheaval and an era in which ‘coolness’ exploded, adding that when they look at photographs of their mothers' generation they cannot understand how everyone managed to look so good. Unlike the 1990s, it appears somewhat more refined while also being more colorful and bold, so the expression ‘hip’ fits it exactly.

The autumn collection released recently is ‘Road Trip.’ Recalling the streets of London, which overflowed with people of distinctive style, they took as the concept a woman finding her own style, like those who express their individuality without minding the gaze of others.

Asked why so many prints appear in the collection, the two answered that prints are one of 2000Archives' core pieces of DNA. Both of them, who handle design, majored in fashion photography on the fashion communication course at Central Saint Martins, so they wanted prints to show more. Beginning with tests in which images they shot themselves or created through collaborations were applied to clothing, they actively apply prints to their products, and as they worked various scanned images piece by piece to fit patterns, they also came to design a range of stockings based on prints. They plan to keep trying new approaches to prints.

As 2000s archives that inspire them, they named designer accounts such as @dior_galliano, @jeanpaulgaultier, @tomfordforgucci and @prada. The 2000s archive of Diesel, which inspires the brand, cannot be left out either, they said, because it carries a fond and fantastical nostalgia that cannot be imitated now even if one tried.

As the reason the Y2K trend draws fervent support from the MZ generation, they cited a disposition that values adventurous and singular individuality. Because it is an age of social media, the generation absorbs trends faster, and so, they explained, it is naturally drawn to the refined, vintage appeal particular to Y2K fashion and reinterprets it with individuality in each person's own way.

Among social media, Instagram is a very important platform that made 2000Archives what it is today, they said. Because they want to capture a natural atmosphere rather than elaborately well-made images, they work to capture something unstable and experimental, and they put a great deal of effort into communicating with people who like the brand's mood.

As accounts they enjoy these days, they mentioned stylists' accounts. They draw much inspiration from the free styling and use of color of @lottavolkova, @airtomyearth and @sakspotts, and said @airtomyearth, the account of the stylist Jamie, shows a lot of styling using 2000Archives stockings, which is always a pleasure to see. They also always follow @claire_barrow, whom they named the eternal queen of punk in their hearts, the brand @jennyfax.official, and @another___kind, run by James Chester.

As three items for putting together a Y2K look, they chose a low-waist skirt or trousers, a vintage baseball cap and a double-layered top. They added that tights with vintage, grungy prints and western boots cannot be left out either.

The two looked back on the pandemic era as truly stifling, a time when face-to-face activity itself decreased and the resulting shrunken frame of mind showed through plainly in fashion as well. With the arrival of the with-corona era, they said they look forward to the appetite for fashion that had been suppressed bursting out in various ways. They are also cautiously anticipating collaborations with designers who fit well with the brand's sensibility, and said that above all they hope for more and more chances to communicate with many people.

Going forward, they plan to try a different side of 2000Archives, a fun side only the brand can show. They are working to expand offline elements in earnest, and are preparing a new project aimed at February next year that will incorporate performance elements.