Deadstock 70s Gabicci’s unearthed in old Paris menswear store clearance inspire new archive collection

Gabicci has launched a limited-edition collection of tops for SS25 inspired by a collector’s haul of 1970s originals, discovered in an old Paris menswear store following the death of its owner and subsequent shop clearance.

The Gabicci Archive collection of five pieces, replicated in two original colourways each – with 100 per piece per colour – is now flying out of retro-focused menswear stores including Tonics in Sidcup, Arcade in Eastbourne, The 157 Store in Fareham and soon to be delivered to Stuarts London in Shepherd’s Bush.

Simon Parr, who heads up wholesale for Gabicci Vintage with his Heritage Brands company, said: "We got to borrow the pieces from a collector called Chris Alexander, who in turn had bought them off a person who cleared the shop that had closed down in Paris following the owner’s death.

"There were apparently all these amazing deadstock 70s Gabicci tops, along with Pierre Cardin and Yves Saint Laurent stock – a real treasure trove.

"Gabicci has recreated the tops to as close to the originals as we could, including the neck label, cloth ‘G’ on the chest pocket and the swing ticket. The originals were made out of acetate, which can’t be used anymore due to legal reasons, but we have made them in a viscose and nylon mix and the quality is amazing.

"When we showed Chris the reproductions next to the originals, he could hardly tell the difference. Gabicci had even bought a new machine to make the bigger collars as they were."

The collection was presented to press and old Gabicci fans, including DJ Gary Crowley, TV and radio presenter Mark Webster and film maker and writer Mark Baxter – who together have a podcast called ‘Clobbered’ with a focus on men’s clothes from days gone by – at an independent coffee shop in London’s Fitzrovia called Kafi last Friday.  There will be a special ‘Clobbered’ podcast on Gabicci airing in two weeks.

The price for the archive-inspired tops is £85 and there will be another six styles dropping for AW25.