Milan, 15 June 2015

THE BENETTON ARCHIVE PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS INTEGRATING DATABASES AND ARCHIVES

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• Founded in 1965

• One of the best-known fashion companies in the world

• A network of about 5,000 stores;

• A consolidated identity comprised of colour, authentic fashion, quality

at democratic prices and passion for its work:

• These values are reflected in the strong, dynamic personality of the brands

United Colors of Benetton and Sisley.

ABOUT BENETTON GROUP

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• The project started at the end of 2009

• Goals: preserving, organising and enhancing the company’s historic heritage

• Scientific guidance of the project given to The Fondazione Benetton

THE BENETTON ARCHIVE

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE

1988 (Arch. Afra and Tobia Scarpa)

Former wool division, now converted into the Benetton Studios, which are also the house of the Benetton Archive

2009 (Arch. Tobia Scarpa)

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – peculiarities

• Wide range of structured physical archives

• Wide range of operational and document storage locations

• Wide range of representatives with different perceptions towards the

concept of archive

• Wide range of criteria and tools for archive and document management

• Impossibility of accurately estimating the total amount of

documentation and bringing together all existing archives

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – main points of discussion

Complexity / diversity:

Historic garments

Weaving patterns

Design department library

Advertising

Press review

Fabrica

Management of document flow:

Retail Design Department

Nature and amount of material already registered:

Institutional catalogues

Enhancement of the documentary heritage

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE –Complexity/diversity

Historic garments

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE –Complexity/diversity

Historic garments

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Historic garments

THE BENETTON ARCHIVE –Complexity/diversity

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – Complexity / Diversity

Advertising campaigns 1966 - 2014

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – Complexity / Diversity

Advertisements

F/W 1980-1981 F/W 2013-2014

S/S 2013

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – Management of document flow

Retail Design Department – Manuals for Furnishing

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – Nature and amount of material already registered

Institutional catalogues

F/W 1997 - 1998 S/S 1998 S/S 1999 14

THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – Nature and amount of material already registered

Enhancement of the documentary heritage

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – Solutions

• Balancing archive requirements and company needs

• Building functional relationships within the company

• Sharing goals and implementation times between archivists and their

superiors

• Providing better in-house access to data and digital documents of the

archive

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THE BENETTON ARCHIVE – Conclusion

• Abilities:

o Mediating

o Adopting different languages

o Promoting the values and the uses of the archive

• Return on investments:

o Annual report

o Access to the digital inventory via the web

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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