THE SMOKING ARCHIVE is an ode to tailoring.
Homage to sculpture.
A capsule of craft and meditation on form.
A study of construction and fabrication,
An echo;
An artifact rendered timeless through (re)iteration and (re)incarnation.
Evolved, adapted and reimagined over the decades,
It offers
Icon and emblem.
It proffers acquisition.
It’s unapologetic in everything it is and everything it is not.
It occupies the space between.
It is androgynous, it is formally informal, undefined yet understood.
Transcendent, it is a visual language de-abstracted.
It simultaneously invites admiration and defiance.
It’s bold simplicity,
Unencumbered by excessive adornment.
The form is revealed and revered.
A salute to architecture, the smoking is the blueprint.
Silhouettes that extol, command.
Imbuing time with tangible value,
Nostalgia made manifest.
Celebration.
Welcome to THE SMOKING ARCHIVE
Envisaged by stylist and designer Nausheen Shah, THE SMOKING ARCHIVE (TSA) is a online store established in Los Angeles in 2023. The collection is an artful curation of rare and vintage garments, accessories, and décor. TSA is based around one of the most timeless articles of clothing - The Smoking Jacket.
Built upon an uncompromising admiration for tailoring, sustainable practice, and quality, Nausheen has assembled an archive of one-of-a-kind pieces stemming primarily from the 1960’s to the 1990’s that exalt form and function, origin and originality. These pieces have been hand-picked by Nausheen from all over the world including Paris, London, Milan, and New York over the last decade. TSA traces the global etymology of tailoring through the tangible imprint of visionary designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Thierry Mugler, Givenchy, Giorgio Armani, Hermès, Christian Dior, Issey Miyake and Gianni Versace whose sculptural proclivities have enshrined – with purpose and poetry - the art form within the canon of fashion history.
The core of the collection is suiting and pieces are interchangeable amongst all genders. The majority of garments are photographed on both men and women offering a genderless approach to all pieces.
TSA will release monthly drops of vintage, luxury, tailored clothing and accessories. Join our Newsletter and follow @thesmokingarchive for our latest updates.