IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section A

Abstract

Cultural heritage conservation and enhancement practices are inextricably linked to technological development. Several institutions complement their approaches with digitization initiatives, including forms of 3D reconstruction and immersive environments (Kukreja, Singh, Kaur, Kaur Bajwa, 2024). These intentions are also evident in industries such as fashion, which seek to reactivate and integrate history within their values and production processes. This contribution examines their strategies through the case of the Missoni Foundation and Archive, an Italian brand that, thanks to the participation in the Europeana project, initiated the digitization of its materials. By analyzing both online and on site solutions, it highlights how fruition of the company’s heritage can be articulated through continuous cross-references between spaces –digital and physical – that perform it in design and content. The website, for instance, serves as a platform for remote accessibility, allowing users to view preserved elements as well as the space that houses them through a virtual tour, while also encouraging a direct experience. Even in this case peculiar is the interweaving of artefacts and technological tools during the visit, punctuated by 3D reconstructions of garments, accessible via QR code on smartphones and projected in space, as well as a virtual fitting room. These forms of augmented reality thus reinforce the archive’s ability to reactivate objects, making them exposable and usable without compromising their conservation status (Lester, 2022). The paper will therefore consider how the integration of digital technologies and cultural practices enables the preservation, re-contextualization and dissemination of heritage to diverse communities.