“I want to bring exclusivity and excitement back to high-end fashion – we’ve kind of lost that, now that it’s so easily accessible,” says Maryam Alrafi. Surrounded by her enchanting collection of self-sourced vintage fashion finds, her eyes gleam as she speaks about Marchive – her “curation of collectible fashion pieces that could belong to a museum.” Alrafi’s archive lines the walls of a private room in London’s The Twenty Two hotel. A saluki lounges on the plush, carpeted floor, which Maryam adores, prompting her to reminisce about her childhood spent in the UAE.
Photo: Courtesy Marchive
“Fashion is a form of artistic expression and character in the Middle East. We master the art of hosting – we honor our guests by dressing up. Where I’m from in the UAE, we aren’t ready to see the end of glamour. We want a dramatic dress with soul-warming fine jewelry,” she says, adding, “I come from a family of antique collectors, so history and breathing new life into forgotten pieces was always a part of my upbringing.” The entrepreneur pauses to stroke a hand-painted Spring 1999 Dolce & Gabbana corset and skirt suit. “Growing up, I found myself stealing pieces from my mother’s closet, specifically from French and Italian designers of the 80s and 90s, which left me with a kind of longing for more. I needed to own more pieces from this era.”
Photo: Courtesy Marchive
Her journey to creating the dream wardrobe wasn’t so straightforward. “I found the process of looking for vintage clothes to be a struggle. Boutiques and collectors lacked the level of curation I was looking for, especially when shopping online. Pieces were rarely ever modeled or styled properly and they would arrive in disappointing conditions. This is what led me to create Marchive.”
Maryam Alrafi. Photo: Courtesy Marchive
Alrafi is the “M” in “Marchive,” and it shows. Each piece is in perfect condition, meticulously restored, and cared for. “Be careful! These pieces are like her babies,” laughs a friend, also roaming the rails at The Twenty Two. Each month, her personal invitees are asked to attend an intimate showcase, with the last one held during London’s Frieze Art Fair, and the next set to happen on Miami’s Venetian Islands during Art Basel. “I’m especially proud of this aspect of Marchive,” gushes Maryam. “You not only get an amazing one-of-a-kind dress that no one will be wearing for your next black tie event, you also get to connect with like-minded women who see fashion as an art.”
