Ebay to auction archival American designer pieces in NYFW retrospective

Ebay is opening New York Fashion Week with Endless Runway: The Archive, a one-night retrospective and live auction of archival American fashion staged in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), the marketplace announced on Wednesday.

The exhibition assembles more than 150 rare and archival garments by American designers, all sourced from Ebay, alongside pieces loaned directly by designers and fashion houses. It traces four decades of New York Fashion Week and American design history through an immersive, storytelling-led presentation.

The centrepiece is an Ebay Live auction hosted by Jenna Lyons and streamed from the exhibition floor. Lots come from the archives of Calvin Klein Collection, DVF, Michael Kors Collection, Proenza Schouler, Tommy Hilfiger, Vera Wang and Willy Chavarria, among others. Bidders will hear commentary from industry figures on each piece as it goes under the hammer. Proceeds from the auction go to the CFDA.

Michael Kors, whose Resort 1990 crystal-embroidered slip dress is among the lots, said: "I love the crystal-encrusted slip dress that was worn in my 40th anniversary show by Bella Hadid. It's super glamorous but also streamlined, seasonless and timeless. This dress was first shown for Resort 1990 and has since been worn by everyone from Madonna to Sabrina Carpenter. I think it looks every bit as glamorous 35 years later."

Editor and stylist Carlos Nazario curated the show, structuring it around defining chapters of American design: the glamour and liberation of the 1970s, the rise of American sportswear, Nineties minimalism and grunge, the influence of American designers at European houses, and the designers shaping New York today.

Further exhibition pieces sourced from Ebay include work by Anna Sui, Bob Mackie, Donna Karan, Halston, Isaac Mizrahi, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Todd Oldham, Tom Ford and Virgil Abloh. Several carry provenance: a Marc Jacobs Fall 2001 trompe-l'œil dress worn by Winona Ryder during her 2002 shoplifting trial, a Bob Mackie beaded silk gown worn by Miley Cyrus on The Voice in 2017, and a Tom Ford for Gucci Spring/Summer 1996 mini dress modelled by Helena Christensen.

"Ebay has always brought enthusiasts closer to the things they're passionate about, and eBay Live gives us a new way to make those moments even more immersive. With Endless Runway: The Archive, we're opening up this incredible collection to people everywhere, giving them the opportunity to discover the stories behind these iconic pieces, engage with the experts who know them best, bid in real time and own a piece of fashion history," Ashish Chhabra, vice president and general manager of eBay Live, said.

The initiative extends eBay's global Endless Runway platform and leans on the marketplace's resale credentials, including its Authenticity Guarantee service. All exhibition pieces were styled by eBay resident stylist Brie Welch.