Luxury fashion tells a story — whether rooted in the past or present, every piece carries a narrative shaped by craftsmanship and history. Anthology of Style brings these stories to life and into your collection, allowing you to share in the legacy, and foster sustainability in the fashion industry. Kim Alpert, the founder of Anthology of Style, believes fashion is art and, whether you’re collecting or simply admiring, this type of art shouldn’t be limited to the world’s rarefied circles. Through immersive live shopping events, Anthology of Style offers customers an engaging way to discover curated and authenticated collections of vintage and pre-owned designer handbags, clothing, and jewelry. These real-time shows bring the boutique experience directly to customers, blending luxury shopping with the immediacy and excitement of live interaction.

Now, Anthology of Style takes its mission further, establishing a museum dedicated to showcasing the rich history of archival fashion. But this isn’t just about preservation – it’s about accessibility. Many of the pieces featured in the museum’s collections will also be available for purchase through Anthology of Style’s live show format. This unique approach blends exhibition with retail, offering both seasoned collectors and newcomers the chance to engage with – and potentially acquire – these iconic designs.

The inaugural exhibit of the NYC-based AoS Museum features the legendary Chanel 1995 Spring/Summer Barbie Collection, an iconic moment in fashion history. Since its release nearly 30 years ago, these coveted pieces have been scattered across the globe, tucked away in private collections, vaults, and the wardrobes of elite collectors. Until now, they’ve largely remained out of sight, appreciated only by a select few. That is, until the 2023 release of the Barbie movie, which put the 1995 designs back in the fashion limelight. This exhibit aims to reconnect the public with these iconic designs.

Anthology of Style has meticulously reassembled the lion’s share of the iconic Chanel 1995 Spring/Summer Barbie collection, showcasing over 200 pieces, including ready-to-wear, bags, and accessories. After years of hunting down these treasures, Kim Alpert has curated an impressive selection that represents the original collection almost in its entirety.

Among the standout pieces are the highly coveted bags that fans will recognize from the recent Barbie movie, including the iconic Heart Bag, which will be displayed in every color produced — from classic black and white to ultra-rare blue editions. Visitors will also have the chance to admire the top-handled vanity cases, complete with their signature heart-shaped mirrors — truly fit for a Barbie! And these are just a glimpse of what awaits –  there’s so much more to explore in this impressive exhibition.

While attending the exhibit in New York is currently invite-only, you can join the excitement by tuning into the exclusive AoS live museum curation show live on Instagram over at @anthology_of_style on October 26 – 28, where you can shop for your very own slice of Chanel Barbie 1995 history.

As a writer yourself, I’m sure you’ve heard the terms “plotters” vs “pantsers” to describe the two main types of people who put words down on a page: those who plan and plot out their work methodically before writing, and those who reach blindly into the ether, feeling around, grasping toward the next word.

The latter is the best way I can describe how this business has progressed. The journey has been quite organic, with each step forward stemming from what felt right at the time. I think this was possible because I do all of the LIVES for my company, so I spend a great deal of time with the community; I’m constantly gathering data and reflecting about what works, what doesn’t, what my clients want, etc.

From LIVES, I also found I had a knack for sussing out not only the stories of the objects I sold, but also of the people who purchased them. Learning a little bit about Courtney from Texas or Ari from California went hand in hand with learning why Chanel jackets allow for effortless movement or how the Hermes Kelly got its name. By noticing which stories seemed to fit together, I was able to guide customers toward building their collections in ways that brought them joy, which in turn brought me joy, and this all led to us building a tight-knit community.

 

What drew me to the LIVE format is the unparalleled ability to create trust with the client by combining the best of the brick and mortar experience with the conveniences of online shopping.  

When you tune into a show, you have the ability to see items live, from every angle, learn what makes each one special, and ask/receive answers to questions in real time from the comfort of your home anywhere in the world. 

I think LIVE shopping is uniquely suited to pre-owned and vintage luxury items because each piece, even when there are multiple items of the same style, has its own story, has lived a different life, may have different beauty marks, pedigrees, inclusions, etc. Each item is one of one. I believe that the only way you can build trust when selling high-value items of this nature in a remote setting is to treat each one like an individual and give clients multiple forms of information on its every facet (LIVE video and real-time Q&A, as well as static pictures, written histories, and descriptions via our check out links). 

Plus, shopping is a social sport. Getting to do it with friends is the best part. It’s hard to scroll a website with friends. But watch a LIVE? It’s more fun than you can imagine. 

The idea of luxury can be somewhat elusive. A dictionary will tell you that what makes something luxurious is it being non-essential, but this misses the point. Luxury occurs when a simple, yet particular, set of conditions are met: a specific what + how + why. The essence of luxury is formed when the highest quality materials (the what) and the most expert craftsmanship (the how) are paired with a bit of someone’s soul – that is, the deep effort and intention that underlies anything truly special. This is the why or, in other words, the story.

In general, when I choose what to curate, I first make sure all these conditions are met: I believe in the craftsmanship and quality of the item (this is why we only source pieces in “very good” grade and up), and I find the story compelling. 

With the opening museum curation, I chose the Chanel 1995 Spring Summer collection because it is widely adored and relatively well known; I thought if I could manage to find the pieces, it wouldn’t be difficult to get people’s attention with them, and hopefully attract new people who are interested in viewing vintage fashion as art. That, and it’s SO pretty!!!

The sequin bra top from the collection’s quintessential look – shown on Claudia Schiffer and often referred to as look 63 – was the most difficult to obtain, and the negotiation the most challenging. For a long time, I didn’t think I would succeed in securing it, and this weighed heavily on me as I think it is the most important look in the entire collection. Needless to say, it will not be for sale – rather, it will remain in our permanent collection for future vintage lovers to enjoy. 

I host weekly LIVE shows every Tuesday that feature a variety of vintage and designer handbags, clothing, and jewelry. After one such show two years ago that was particularly packed with vintage treasures, I remember thinking to myself that anyone new to these LIVES might end up believing it’s normal and expected for some of the pieces I just sold to pop up on a random Tuesday night, even though they are ultra rare and wouldn’t be out of place in a museum.

Cheekily, joking with myself, my next thought was, “Well, maybe I should build a museum then.”

As often is the case with ideas we’re not ready for, I brushed it off and went on with my night.

But while I was cleaning up, walking home, greeting my husband, and sitting down to dinner, some small part of me must have been turning that idea over and over, examining it, dusting off the joke and finding the seed of the dream inside, because the next time that thought crossed my mind, it no longer sounded so silly. “Well, what *if* I built a museum?”

The MET often has rotating exhibits featuring belts I’ve sourced and a few jackets I’ve had, so I know I’m not wrong about them being museum quality. Otherwise, the few and famous museums around the world that include fashion either tend to focus on the earliest examples from a house that are rare in a different way than what I’m drawn to, or they only include fashion on an exhibition level rather than as a permanent collection.

I started doing a little research and, at least at the time, I wasn’t able to find any major museum specifically dedicated to archival designer fashion. Some stores had showrooms, and some museums looked at a broader swath of fashion, but there wasn’t anywhere in the US I could go to admire the vintage runway pieces that made my heart beat a little faster.

So, I became a person who had a dream to build a museum.

That was two years ago and, now that the first iteration of our museum exists, I want people to take away from it that it’s OK to find yourself in fashion – studying or being drawn to or somehow identifying with the Spring Summer 1995 Chanel runway collection is just as valid as having that same life-affirming swell of emotions while standing in front of a Van Gogh painting. The point of art is to provoke thought, connect people, and make you feel something. I hope people who come in contact with what we’ve built experience at least one of these things. 

Two final notes:

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my team for the countless hours of support they have given me over the years. Ana, Everlyna, Roxanne, Hanna, Aiden, Teah, Rizza, Jeni, Laura, and Aura – you make everything possible. 

While we adore Chanel, and we hope this exhibit honors what they’ve created, it’s important to note that Anthology of Style is not affiliated/associated/authorized/endorsed with/by Chanel, nor are we an official reseller of the brand.

Be sure to tune in to Anthology of Style on October 26 – 28 for the live launch of the AoS museum. 

Read related articles:

Vintage Vault Vol. 1: Navigating the Highly Collectable World of Vintage Chanel

Vintage Vault Vol. 2: 5 Most Coveted Vintage Chanel Bags

All the Chanel Bags from the Barbie Movie

The Chanel Heart Obsession Runs Deep: How Do You Wear Yours? + a PB Reveal

Chanel Introduces New Bags for Spring-Summer 2025

Love, PurseBop

XO