HeriTech4Fashion

HeriTech4Fashion is a research project developed by the Gianfranco Ferré Research Centre in collaboration with the Fashion in Process Lab of the Department of Design at Politecnico di Milano and funded by the MUR. The project aims to foster the dissemination of the culture associated with the heritage of accumulated techniques in the textile–fashion sector by proposing actions of dissemination, augmented access, and ‘spectacularisation’ of this heritage through the use of new technologies. More specifically, it seeks to enhance the extensive historical archive and digital database preserved by the Gianfranco Ferré Research Centre, Politecnico di Milano.

The project began with the activation of the Gianfranco Ferré Archive through an extensive process of digitisation of the material and documentary heritage, followed by the implementation of the digital database. This phase included the experimentation of advanced 360° acquisition techniques applied to archival garments and objects. In parallel, the research focused on the exploration and testing of immersive and virtualisation technologies – from photogrammetry to augmented, virtual, and mixed reality solutions – with the aim of understanding different approaches to the construction of the digital twin. These activities led to the definition of differentiated technological strategies according to artefact typologies and to the introduction of reverse engineering as a methodological experimentation.

On this basis, new models of augmented access to heritage were developed and tested through three exhibitions (Gianfranco Ferré Design Principles, Los Angeles 2023; Gianfranco Ferré tra Ragione e Sentimento, Legnano 2024; Gianfranco Ferré dentro l’obiettivo, Bard, Aosta 2024), which progressively evolved the relationship between the physical dimension and digital content: from targeted AR-based insights to augmented guided visits, up to more advanced models of interactive and participatory user experience. The design-driven approach adopted by the Research Centre enabled the integration of technologies as tools that facilitate meaningful, inclusive, and personalised cultural experiences, defining a virtuous and scalable model for the enhancement of fashion and textile heritage.

Alongside research and experimentation activities, the project developed digital training pathways dedicated to fashion heritage, leading to the creation of the MOOC Unfolding Gianfranco Ferré. The contents, some of which are already completed, have also been tested within the educational context of Politecnico di Milano, involving students at different levels in pathways focused on design methodology and the use of artificial intelligence applied to archives.

Finally, dissemination and outreach activities accompanied the entire project through the design of multi-channel narratives – including videos, podcasts, social media, and scientific publications – as well as the development of the Augmented Archive section of this website. This section functions as a space for the presentation of research outcomes, in which each component of the physical collection is enriched with virtual insights and additional informational layers that expand its context, transforming the object into a process and guiding user engagement towards a participatory, interactive, and inclusive experience.