{"id":7144,"date":"2026-04-17T13:54:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T13:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/7144\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T13:54:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T13:54:25","slug":"designer-furniture-and-fashion-showroom-archived-gives-the-history-behind-one-of-its-most-special-pieces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/7144\/","title":{"rendered":"Designer furniture and fashion showroom Archived gives the history behind one of its most special pieces"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheSoloist <\/p>\n

This story is part of Image\u2019s April\u2019s Thresholds<\/a> issue, a tour of L.A. architecture as it\u2019s actually experienced.<\/p>\n

You hear it before you see it.<\/p>\n

Turning the corner of the 15th floor corridor of the historic American Cement Building, a low thrum of electronic sounds seeps through the door of Archived<\/a>, an L.A. luxury vintage curator. Inside, standing 43 inches tall, a silver speaker from Takahiro Miyashita\u2019s brand TheSoloist<\/a> vibrates high fidelity through the showroom.<\/p>\n

Constructed of 3D-printed polycarbonate resin and aluminum, with a wide amp frequency range of 20Hz to 25KHz, the object looks less like a speaker and more like a relic of time. It is an artifact set in concrete, chiseled away to reveal a replica of the Flatiron Building in New York City. Containing seven audio channels and two bass speakers, its vibrations can be felt against the skin. <\/p>\n

Dream Liu, along with his partner Marquel Williams, founded Archived in 2019 to resell rare vintage collectibles. Their designer wardrobe houses some of the most sought after pieces in the industry \u2014 like a 1990 Chrome Hearts biker jacket\u2014 but the collection of homeware, including a Giovanni Tommaso Garattoni glass chair or a Saint Laurent arcade machine, is what greets you when you walk in. \u201cThat\u2019s one way we stand out from all the other archival brands,\u201d Liu says. \u201cWe\u2019re very much deep into everything design-related, not just fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Liu first encountered TheSoloist speaker a few years ago at the home of a friend, a lighting designer working in music who he admired. The speaker, he says, lived at the back of his mind ever since. Archived eventually sourced it directly through TheSoloist\u2019s manufacturer, now acting as an intermediary seller. Only a few hundred of the silver color-way, on display in the showroom, were produced. Even fewer exist of the black, for sale on their website for $9,500.<\/p>\n

Miyashita, the cult Japanese designer behind early-2000s punk label Number (N)ine and later TheSoloist, is known for fusing meticulous Japanese craftsmanship with distinctly American motifs. The speaker, for instance, pays homage to New York City, where he opened his original store. Without even seeing a single garment, his style is clear: avant-garde, grunge and very rock \u2019n\u2019 roll.<\/p>\n

\"Image \"Image <\/p>\n

(Archived) <\/p>\n

Six months ago, Archived opened its MacArthur Park showroom, a brightly lit loft with exposed beams, floor-to-ceiling windows and a panoramic view of downtown. Today they are a team of about six people. Distinctive objects like TheSoloist speaker are an extension of not only the brand\u2019s imprint, but the architecture that houses it. \u201cThe speaker fits perfectly into this space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Archived, whose clientele consists mostly of celebrities and high-profile curators such as Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet, Travis Scott and Don Toliver, sources its pieces through consignments from sellers and endless hours spent hunting across international marketplaces. When it comes to selecting which piece makes it to the floor, Liu looks for collectible items and whatever fits the brand\u2019s taste, which can be described as minimal avant-garde with a touch of fine craftsmanship.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing is random,\u201d Liu says. Every item at Archived has a story, from the Giseok Kim aluminum shelf where an unworn pair of 2005 reconstructed Nike Dunks are displayed, to the Marc Newson racks which archival Rick Owens hangs off.<\/p>\n

The speaker is valuable, Liu admits, because of Miyashita\u2019s reputation as one of the greats, placing him alongside designers like Jun Takahashi and Yohji Yamamoto. \u201cOur audience knows his designs and all of his great collections,\u201d he says. \u201cSo the speaker itself speaks volumes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally from West Palm Beach, Fla., Liu moved to California to study fashion merchandising at FIDM in San Diego. Before that, he had dabbled in architecture. \u201cIt\u2019s always been in the back of my mind,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Liu said he recognizes that designers, after a time, get fatigued with profit-driven conglomerates and begin to delve into other art forms. \u201cFashion is just another art form, and I think eventually, when [designers] tire of making clothes \u2014 Helmut Lang as an example, even Tom Ford \u2014 they transition to art.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the nature of design is building upon and taking from existing works, then creating an archival space is collecting pieces of history. \u201cEverything is a reference point,\u201d Liu says. \u201cEvery piece here has made an impact on the current climate of fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n

To Liu, items like the speaker are worthy of preservation because some of them are only getting rarer and rarer to find. \u201cPieces like this deserve to be presented properly, and be in spaces that reflect the caliber of the clothing,\u201d he says. \u201cYou can put random objects in a beautiful space and that object becomes important.\u201d<\/p>\n

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