Digital heritage business case

TCBL BUSINESS CASES

DIGITAL HERITAGE

Co-funded by Horizon 2020

ANNEX 3 TO TCBL D 3.2, 15 JULY 2017

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CONTENTS Contents..................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3 Approach.................................................................................................................................... 4 Work to Date .............................................................................................................................. 6 Marini Industrie ....................................................................................................................... 6 Lanificio Bisentino .................................................................................................................. 6 Lanificio Faliero Sarti .............................................................................................................. 6 BE.MI.VA Filati ....................................................................................................................... 6 Ilaria Filati ............................................................................................................................... 7 Activities at the Textile Museum ................................................................................................ 8 Discovering Textiles ............................................................................................................... 8 Inside The Historical Archive.................................................................................................. 9 Textile Design & Digital Printing ............................................................................................. 9 Re/Collection: Approaching the Archive .............................................................................. 10 The Way Forward .................................................................................................................... 11 Document Information ............................................................................................................. 12

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INTRODUCTION

Over the last few decades, the economic crisis and de-industrialization which have affected the European textile sector have resulted in the loss of many textile archives. The failure of businesses and the consequent closure of their warehouses has caused the loss of hundreds of textile samples and designs. In order to avoid breaking the line of continuity which joins past and future textile production - a fundamental feature of European excellence in the fashion sector - it is necessary for industrial districts like Prato to protect its textile heritage.

The loss of the textile heritage has been accentuated also by a substantial lack of a culture of conservation in the textile industry. Even in those companies that have succeeded to maintain their historical archives, in most cases, these are poorly accessible and unexploited, ending up as an unproductive clutter rather than an economic resource. Today, when the distinguishing feature of the quality and prestige of the European textile and clothing industry vis-à -vis its international competitors stands also in its cultural and emotional value, the enhancement of the local textile heritage is paramount. In fact, this material – sample books and data sheets, in the case of textiles - is of great value. By preserving the manufacturing memory of the area and of individual companies, it contributes almost unconsciously to the preservation and transmission of the 'know-how' and the enormous wealth of tacit knowledge of a T&C district. Above all, when it is properly stored, catalogued and digitized, making it available for consultation both internally and third parties, it can represent a significant resource for designers.

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APPROACH In the collections of the leading contemporary designers, we often find reminiscences of styles from earlier times. We find inspiration in other times and places and reinterpret them following the parameters of our own environment. Whilst citations and returns to the styles and fashions of the past regularly reappear on catwalks and international fashion markets, they are generally updated by a contemporary interpretation of the original lines, cuts, patterns and textiles.

Indeed, increasingly frequently, creative directors and fashion designers commence the process of creating their collections by consulting privately-owned or museum or documentation centremanaged textile and fashion archives. This allows them to draw inspiration from their contents with a view to generating new creations which blend all the charm and know-how of the past with new trends and technologies. Historical heritage, then, is a fundamental source of information and inspiration. For many leading companies, textile archives represent a source of inspiration for contemporary collections design and a competitive advantage in corporate marketing strategies (heritage marketing).

In the Prato textile district, this heritage is represented by a huge quantity of textile archives, mainly sample books of the 19th and 20th centuries, conserved in the Prato Textile Museum or in several companies operating in the area which are strictly connected with the European history of textile design and fashion. Due to its intangible 'know-how’ and tacit knowledge and the concrete archives materials (sample books, textiles and data sheets), Prato represents a perfect scenario to support the dialogue between brand new approach of archive culture and corporate strategies of textile industry as precious resource for future production, designers next inspiration and marketing plan factor.

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Digital Heritage TCBL Business Cases Textile & Clothing Business Labs

Conscious of the potential of the local textile heritage as a source of inspiration and innovation, the Design Lab at the Prato Textile Museum aims to experiment a business case in the framework of the TCBL project related to the enhancement of local heritage as a means to boost creativity and promotion of new marketing and communication strategies focusing on quality, creativity, cultural added value and heritage marketing.

The Digital Heritage Business Case aims to: • • • •

highlight the creative potential of new generations of designers offer innovative approach in T&C sector future collections development build new business models “Heritage based” strengthen brand values system and brand image

This preliminary analysis led to the identification of a series of activities to be developed in three different phases:

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WORK TO DATE So far, the activities of the 1st phase are arriving at their conclusion in due time and the 2nd phase will be start by Aug. 2017. After the identification of the service provider for the design of the cataloguing platform, a co-design process has been initiated by the Design Lab at the Textile Museum with 5 textile enterprises that have shown their interest to use and personalize according to their needs the platform to digitalize their internal archives. A short description of these enterprises is provided here below:

MARINI INDUSTRIE The company is distinguished for medium-high clothing fabrics and thanks to a production constantly at the vanguard it is a reference point for numerous fashion designers at international level. The Marini Industrie Group includes, in addition to the historic brand, also the brands of Ospiti del Mondo, Marini Tessuti Uomo and Assotex. The four brands continue to tell a story that allows fashion to "happen" every day. The research on materials and textures is the daily bread of the Marini Industrie group: it's worth finding out what's behind the clothes that have made the history of fashion and relying on professionals of creativity who can meet the tastes of fashion designers.

LANIFICIO BISENTINO Part of the world of fabric production since 1944, Lanificio Bisentino offers its clients Italian tradition and a taste of next season’s fashion. Australian and New Zealand virgin wool, South African mohair, Peruvian alpaca and Mongolian cashmere are just some of the quality fibres that Lanificio Bisentino sources and buys from all over the world thanks to its more than 70 years of experience dealing in quality. With B1944, Bisentino offers classic piece-dyed jacket and coat weight fabrics, refined jacquard coats and classic patterns from the wool world. A recently established B+ collection presents itself to the fashion world as a collection capable of reinventing the typical Pratese product, combining the quality of the traditional with the research and development of cutting edge products and techniques in fashion.

LANIFICIO FALIERO SARTI Since 1949, the Lanificio Faliero Sarti, located in Campi Bisenzio between Florence and Prato, has specialized in producing fine quality fabrics for haute couture and prêt-a –porter. Each Faliero Sarti product, from textiles for major fashion houses to their own scarf creations, is made of natural fibers such as wool, cashmere, angora, silk and linen. Faliero Sarti is reference point in the textile industry and a prominent supplier for many leading stylists and well-known international manufacturers. Among the prestigious fashion houses, which still constitute more than ninety-percent of the Lanificio Faliero Sarti's production, include Armani and Donna Karan.Products from the Lanificio Faliero Sarti are exported world-wide including Europe, the Far East and North America.

BE.MI.VA FILATI Since 1960 BE.MI.VA Yarns is synonymous with creative and well-qualified contents. Its final products are the outcome of a Made in Italy and not-delocalized production. Over the past 50 years BE.MI.VA Yarns collections have been abreast with new slants and different styles, by collaborating with the most famous and smart Italian and international labels of the fashion

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Digital Heritage TCBL Business Cases Textile & Clothing Business Labs

system. which is essential in order to ceaselessly supervise every single step of the manufacturing.BE.MI.VA. fancy yarns are a mix of colours, ideas, design and project: this formula has been the centrepiece of this group since 1960. BE.MI.VA Yarns has always proved a steady commitment in fostering an eco-friendly and non-environmentally dangerous production.

ILARIA FILATI Ilaria’s Yarns are structured, they reflect and value the natural aspect of the fiber, the raw material, replicating the original essential lightness. New materials, soft and comforting to be used in imperceptible knits with soave transparencies and technical fluidity, metallic effects with light and dark effect. High fashion creativity is mixed with eco sustainability. In "Ilaria" the desire to analyze problems rationally has always been dominating, rapidly changing according to the new reality. The basis is a heritage of insights, perception and passion, that join all the human resources of the company, in an effort that helped the renown of the Italian style in the world.

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ACTIVITIES AT THE TEXTILE MUSEUM In parallel with the co-design of the platform, the Design Lab started the cataloguing campaign at the Prato Textile Museum in Mar 2017.

The business case has made a further step testing its activities in the field of textile and fashion heritage with art, fashion and textile students, designers, professionals as well as fashion and textile companies to raise awareness on design heritage and bringing new energy to creative T&C clusters.

DISCOVERING TEXTILES

March – May 2017: Student experimental activity in collaboration with Tullio Buzzi Technical Institute

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Digital Heritage TCBL Business Cases Textile & Clothing Business Labs

INSIDE THE HISTORICAL ARCHIVE

Feb – April 2017: Student experimental activity, in collaboration with the Marangoni Institute, Arts Management course.

TEXTILE DESIGN & DIGITAL PRINTING

February 2017: Workshop in collaboration with Textile Solution Centre Epson Italia

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Digital Heritage TCBL Business Cases Textile & Clothing Business Labs

RE/COLLECTION: APPROACHING THE ARCHIVE

February 2017 \ Workshop in collaboration with Lottozero / textile laboratories

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THE WAY FORWARD The Digital Heritage Business Case approach and method has been validated by a significant demonstration of interest by several textile and clothing companies in Prato as well as new applicants to the 2017 Call for Associate Enterprises, with more than 50% indicating their interest to experiment on this business case.

This business case will be firstly experimented in Prato by the Design Lab at the Prato Textile Museum and the five abovementioned enterprises in order to: • • •

assess the possibilities to customize the cataloguing platform for the companies according to their preferences and needs develop training on how to provide value to the historical archives and use the cataloguing platform evaluate the potentialities of the development of a small-scale collections inspired by local heritage together with the involved enterprises and other TCBL Design Labs.

In parallel, the business case has already started to establish connections with the other Design Labs and through them is striving to involve other Enterprises. In the next months, the software will be made available to other T&C companies that may wish to build an internal digital archive.

Upon these activities, the business case will experiment marketing and communication activities and media tools, such as focus on heritage brand marketing, product story telling as well as test online marketing and sales campaigns. The ultimate goal is to showcase the results of the business case during the January 2018 edition of Première Vision.

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Independents TCBL Business Cases Textile & Clothing Business Labs

DOCUMENT INFORMATION REVISION HISTORY This document is Annex III to TCBL Deliverable 3.2, “TCBL Business Labs: Internal Pilots”. Authors: Ista Boszhard, Cecilia Raspanti, Besnik Mehmeti, Maria Adele Cipolla. This Annex in particular is written by Besnik Mehmeti.

REVISION

DATE

AUTHOR

Version 1

10.07.2017

Besnik Mehmeti

Version 2

15.07.2017

Jesse Marsh

ORGANISATION

DESCRIPTION

Municipality of Prato City of Prato

Digital Heritage Business Case description Minor adjustments for publication

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY This deliverable contains original unpublished work except where clearly indicated otherwise.

Acknowledgement of previously published material and of the work of others has been made through appropriate citation, quotation or both.

COPYRIGHT This work is licensed by the TCBL Consortium under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, 2015-2016. For details, see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ The TCBL Consortium, consisting of: Municipality of Prato (PRATO) Italy; German Institutes for Textile and Fiber Research - Center for Management Research (DITF) Germany; Istituto Superiore Mario Boella (ISMB) Italy; Skillaware (SKILL) Italy; The Oxford Brookes University (OBU) UK; imec (IMEC) Belgium; Tavistock Institute (TAVI) UK; Materials Industrial Research & Technology Center S.A. (MIRTEC) Greece; Waag Society (WAAG) Netherlands; Huddersfield & District Textile Training Company Ltd (TCOE) UK; eZavod (eZAVOD) Slovenia; Consorzio Arca (ARCA) Italy; Unioncamere del Veneto (UCV) Italy; Hellenic Clothing Industry Association (HCIA) Greece; Sanjotec - Centro Empresarial e Tecnológico (SANJO) Portugal; Clear Communication Associates Ltd (CCA) UK.

DISCLAIMER All information included in this document is subject to change without notice. The Members of the TCBL Consortium make no warranty of any kind with regard to this document, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The Members of the TCBL Consortium shall not be held liable for errors contained herein or direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The TCBL project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Programme for research, technology development, and innovation under Grant Agreement n.646133.

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