I had the privilege of working with Daniele Scarante at The Fabricant, where I was continuously impressed with his curious, patient and meticulous approach to his work. What really sets him apart is his commitment to prioritising the human side of technology and its broader impact.
When we first spoke about d_archive, I was pulled in by the vision; they aren’t using 3D technology for cost savings, time efficiency, reducing prototypes etc, but instead are reimagining how fashion can be preserved for future generations. It’s that forward-thinking approach that makes this conversation particularly exciting – I hope you enjoy!
Thanks for joining us today Daniele! Let’s start simple: please give our readers a brief summary as to who you are and your professional journey to date within the fashion industry.
Hello everyone, and thanks so much for having me here today! So yes, I’m Daniele, an Italian creative with 15 years of experience in the realms of fashion and technology.
Funnily enough, a career in fashion wasn’t at all on my radar growing up; I studied Art and Photography and just kind of stumbled into fashion by chance. My first role was as a Technical Apparel Product Designer in Italy, working on sportswear for outdoor and performance activities. Completely new to the field, it opened my eyes to the importance of functionality in fashion design and sparked my interest in how technology could play a bigger role in garment creation.
From there, I moved to Prisma Tech, a software, hardware, training and consulting provider, as a 3D Design Specialist, teaching other designers 3D and helping them to integrate it into their workflows. The role was all about bringing digital processes into traditional design, which I loved. Then, around 2018, I joined adidas as a Senior 3D Design Manager, leading a team through a massive end-to-end digital transformation project, before joining The Fabricant, a digital-only fashion house in late 2020 where, of course, you and I worked together.
I came in as the 3D Fashion Lead and later took over their Academy, focusing on building strategies to engage the creative community, upskill talent, and help people become active co-creators in The Fabricant’s ecosystem.
Since 2023, I have been involved in a new project called d_archive, and while I’m still working in the digital fashion space, I’m no longer working with 3D directly myself; my role is more strategic as we endeavour to grow awareness and our reach.
That is quite the resume, and yes, I have known you now for a couple of years having worked in the trenches together – it seems like a lifetime ago! So tell us Daniele, what is d_archive and what inspired its creation?
d_archive is a project that aims to preserve fashion heritage and make it digitally accessible to everyone.
Most fashion heritage pieces are not easily accessible for those who seek to study them. Museums and brands’ archives are securely stowed away to preserve fragile and important pieces, so passionate people rarely get a chance to see them. So d_archive’s main purpose is to enhance the accessibility and the preservation of fashion artefacts by using 3D technology to digitally recreate garments.
Our process is all about reverse engineering — we measure and extract all the details of a garment, from its dimensions to the type of fabric, the placement of buttons, embroideries, and more, and then this data is compiled into a digital database of assets. Not only does this help us preserve the garments, but it also makes them accessible for the future as all of the garment’s data is saved and available in one place.
We always like to stress that we’re not trying to replace traditional methods of preservation, like photography and archiving, but instead we are working with the current material that museums/archives have and adding an extra layer of information on top of it.
With the workflow we have created by combining different tools and technologies, we can extract additional information. So we can say that our work is complementary to photos, videos and 3D scans, where each one carries different info.
Over the last few decades, there’s been so much focus on innovation and fast production within fashion that we feel we sometimes overlook the importance of preserving its rich history and what we can learn from it.
Video: d_archive platform overview
Who makes up the founding team and what roles do you each play day to day?
Our team is made up of 4 professionals and I’ll start with Martina Ponzoni, as she was the ideator behind d_archive. Martina is a 3D fashion specialist with a background in accessories design, and she also lectures in the School of Fashion and Textiles at RMIT in Melbourne. As our CEO, Martina’s experience and leadership drive the overall direction of the project.
Then we have Virgile Biosa, who is co-founder and Creative Director, as well as the founder of Unexplored Fields, a creative collective based in France. Virgile is the one responsible for curating all the output and the storytelling, particularly the rendering side of things – he’s our ‘Blender Wizard.’ All of the stunning visuals and experimental designs you see on our website and on our socials are his creations.
Next is Erisa Ibrahimi, co-founder and Business Development lead. Erisa is a digital fashion lecturer at institutions like Istituto Marangoni and H-Farm College, and was previously the Head of Digital Fashion at Prisma Tech, where we were colleagues. Erisa’s expertise in business development and education is crucial in helping us grow.
And then there is me; for the first time in years, I won’t be working directly in 3D, which actually comes as a bit of a relief. I’m taking on the role of CMO, which is a new challenge for me, back to learning and applying new skills.
We have such a great and well-balanced team in terms of skillset and expertise, and we’re spread across 4 countries – Australia, France, Italy, and The Netherlands.
Now 3D technology is of course at the heart of d_archive’s work. Can you explain the process of reverse-engineering historical garments and how 3D replicas are created?
3D replicas are built with a meticulous work of studying, measuring, and recording every element that makes up the original garment or accessory. The process we created is divided into three main pillars:
The first step is all about investigating the physical item. This is a manual process where we physically examine the garment, take detailed measurements, and capture photographs. If it’s an industrialized garment, we might have access to existing paper patterns or a tech pack, but for historical pieces, we manually reconstruct the pattern. This step lays the groundwork for the 3D replica, but at this stage, there’s no 3D software involved yet—it’s all about getting accurate physical data.
Next, we move on to the second step, which involves crafting the 3D replica. I use the word ‘crafting’ intentionally because, in this phase, we recreate every detail meticulously.
Unlike a typical digital product creation workflow where you might simulate or simplify certain elements for efficiency, we manually reconstruct even the most complex parts of the garment.
For example, instead of simulating bindings or stitches construction, we try to recreate them as close as they are in the physical piece. Our main goal is to have a very detailed and accurate database of information (patterns, measurements, etc.) and to be visually as close to the original as we can get. This is a more time-consuming process, but it ensures that we capture all the important details.
Finally, in the third step, we focus on enhancing asset quality and this is where we add a layer of CGI using software like Blender to make the 3D render as realistic as possible. The purpose here is not just for visual appeal, but also for preservation.
In 50 years, the physical garment might deteriorate, but the high-quality render will remain, providing future generations with a detailed and interactive representation.
With this 3D render, you can zoom in on specific details, rotate the garment, and access far more information than you would from a standard photograph.
Once the 3D replica is created, we have the ability to extract not just patterns but also BOMs and tech packs, allowing creators to integrate these heritage designs into modern workflows should they wish. This creates a connection between the past and the present, where a historical garment can now provide valuable data that we can use in modern design and production.
Throughout this entire process, we are very careful to maintain accuracy, both in the crafting of the 3D replica and in the final CGI render.
Our goal isn’t just to create a beautiful image like in typical design, but to build a comprehensive database of assets that will preserve the garment’s information for the long term.
Which specific tools do you use for this process?
For the first part of the process, we rely entirely on manual tools. It’s very hands-on, traditional work and involves cameras, measuring tapes, squares, and pencils—everything needed to manually examine and measure the garment, and get accurate physical data to replicate it digitally.
Once we have the measurements and physical patterns, we move into the second and third phases, which is where the 3D crafting begins: CLO3D to recreate the garment digitally, and Adobe Substance and Blender for fine-tuning, texturing, and rendering.
We’ve developed a simple, yet highly reliable pipeline using these tools; our approach to technology is very pragmatic: it needs to be stable, reliable, and effective.
While we are open to experimenting with other technologies, we take a cautious approach to value but also longevity. One of our key requirements is that the technology is likely to still be relevant and functional in 20+ years’ time so we can ensure the preservation of our preservation work, as it were. For example, take the SVG file format. It’s a format that has been around since the late 90s and is still in use today. It’s a reliable format that’s easy to open, upgrade, and save—an important consideration for us when we think about the future-proofing of our digital archives.
In the end, technology for us is always about serving a clear purpose, not chasing trends or gimmicks. It’s all about ensuring that the tools we use help us achieve accuracy, quality, and long-term accessibility.
Presumably, the garments you are working with are owned by some entity, be that a brand, a museum, a private collector, or in the public domain. How does ownership of the physical garment impact the ownership of your 3D, digital replicas?
In general, if there is a clear owner, they give us their permission with which we can store the digital replica and all associated data on our website, but there are grey areas of ownership, for example, when a brand no longer exists but still holds rights to a design. Regardless, we always approach the situation with a lot of caution. First and foremost, we conduct thorough research into the history of the brand or garment, looking at who might have ownership, whether it’s still active, and if it falls into the public domain. If there’s any uncertainty about the ownership, we always prefer to take our time to fully understand the situation before proceeding.
Whenever we’re working with a museum, it’s crucial that we have clear communication and permission to make the items accessible. Even though some pieces might be in the public domain, we still take extra steps to ensure everything is done ethically. We also make sure the garments are credited properly and that our digital archive promotes the visibility of the museum’s collection.
What’s the biggest challenge that you’ve faced in your preservation work so far, and how have you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced is when, for various reasons, we are unable to physically handle the garment. Without being able to touch and examine the piece, it becomes much harder to extract all the detailed data that we usually rely on. To address this, we’ve been testing photogrammetry, which allows us to scan the artefact and capture its volume digitally, which is essential when we can’t physically interact with it.
What’s important for us is to recognize that the purpose of our work isn’t just about producing something quickly, but that what already exists will still be accessible in the future. Sometimes, this means documenting the limitations of our processes or technologies and learning from them.
Not every challenge needs to result in a perfect outcome, but every experience helps us—and the wider field—develop a better understanding of how technology can be used as a tool to support the preservation of fashion heritage.
I hadn’t even considered that some of these pieces would be that fragile. So in practice, how does that play out on the day when you first set about collecting those data points manually?
It’s both really exciting and nerve-wracking; when we first go in to collect data points manually, there’s a lot of care and precision involved. For instance, when we’re working in a museum, the process often feels like stepping backstage in a theatre—there’s a whole world behind the scenes that most people don’t see. It’s fascinating because you get to witness how these historical pieces are preserved, stored, and handled.
Before we can even start, there are strict protocols that have to be followed: we always use gloves, and our hands must be clean and free from anything that could damage the garment. Fragile items can be very delicate, so we handle them with the utmost care. Even when taking photos or measuring, we make sure that our approach is as gentle as possible.
In some cases, we don’t handle the garment directly, and that’s where the museum staff, who are trained in their handling, assist us. These people have years of experience working with such pieces, and so we rely heavily on their expertise. The environment is also tightly controlled – things like temperature and humidity are carefully monitored to preserve these historical objects. Some of these depots and archives are amazing to visit because you can see first hand how dedicated the preservation process is, from the way items are stored to the precision of the environmental controls.
Even with all this care, it’s still nerve-wracking because you’re handling artefacts that could be hundreds of years old. There’s always a sense of responsibility, knowing that this object has survived so long and you need to ensure that it continues to do so.
But this is also what makes the work exciting—there’s a sense of discovery every time. For instance, we often find small details in these garments that tell stories about how they were made, like asymmetries in historical, tailor-made pieces that are absent in today’s industrialized fashion. These details open up conversations about craftsmanship, history, and even topics like sustainability or the evolution of fashion production.
At the end of the day, it’s about more than just capturing measurements or patterns—it’s about learning from the past and bringing those lessons into modern conversations.
Whether it’s a pleated skirt designed to adjust as the wearer’s body changes, or techniques that speak to durability and longevity, these garments still have much to teach us.
Can you share some of the most notable projects d_archive has worked on so far?
For sure the most notable project to date has been with the ModeMuseum (MoMu) in Antwerp because it’s the most complete project we’ve worked on and we learned so much because of it. We initiated the contact through a mutual connection, Shayli Harrison, who introduced us to MoMu.
This collaboration was a significant milestone for us because it allowed us to move from the proof-of-concept phase into practical application; it became a testing ground for our processes, and it gave us a clear understanding of the value we were creating, not just for ourselves, but also for the institutions we work with.
The garments we worked on were specifically chosen for a showcase as part of a Future Front Row (FFR), a fashion hologram show. I know you interviewed the FFR team also so your readers will know about their amazing work!
(see our interview with the Future Front Row team here)
We focused on a centenary silhouette, which was a functional riding garment that belonged to a wealthy woman from a prominent Dutch family. It was chosen not only because it was a complete piece that could be fully replicated, but also due to its origin: it was a functional garment designed for horse riding, with unique design features like asymmetrical cuts that allowed women to sit on a side-saddle comfortably while still maintaining the structure of the skirt.
So yes, the MoMu project allowed us to refine our process and understand the challenges of working with historical garments. It was a real learning experience, and we had to improve and test various aspects to ensure we could meet both the institution’s scientific standards and the needs of our audience.
Another fascinating project was our residency at ATOPOS cvc in Athens, keeper of the largest paper fashion collection in the world, with more than 500 paper garments. Paper garments date back to 19th-century Japan, where they were made from recycled paper and became functional pieces worn under other garments for protection. Fast forward to the 1960s, and paper garments also became a trend in Western fashion, notably with pieces like the famous Campbell Soup dress. The 3D replica and data of this dress is in fact available on our platform already for anyone interested.
I have to thank Daphne Mohajer va Pesaran, fashion researcher, Lecturer, and Program Manager at RMIT University, who introduced us to the world of paper garments and invited us to join her for the residency at ATOPOS.
Together, we studied their archives for one week and we conducted a workshop where, on one hand, participants learned from Daphne how to work the paper to make it stiff and usable for garments, while on the other, we taught them how to reverse-engineer these pieces digitally. This was a great example of combining craftsmanship with technology, bringing both the practical and digital worlds together.
Lastly, we’ve also collaborated with two of Italy’s most renowned archivists: the Archivio Storico Vintage and A.N.G.E.L.O Vintage. We digitised complex garments, and then we played around creating new and imaginative full-looks and outfits digitally, to demonstrate the potential of having access to a database of 3D replicas by mixing and matching heritage garments without worrying about ruining them.
This was a creative exercise to show what could happen when designers have access to a vast digital archive of garments from different time periods and regions.
What specific services does d_archive offer to museums and fashion brands?
For museums, our focus is on accessibility and preservation. To date, we have prioritized working with museums because they are scientific institutions, and this allows us to rigorously test our processes in a reliable and credible way.
We haven’t formally launched our services for brands yet but are already in discussions with several companies.
Our vision for brands revolves around the same core pillars of accessibility, reuse of data, and preservation.
Brands can use our services to build a digital database and archive of assets, preserving their design DNA and making it accessible for future projects. This would enable them to connect their rich history with contemporary stories, all while ensuring consistency across collections. We don’t aim to disrupt their current processes but, again, simply add a layer of information that integrates seamlessly into existing systems.
Video: Historical riding costume, MoMu Collection | Future Front Row at Flanders Technology & Innovation Festival
All references here: https://www.momu.be/en/magazine/digital-fashion-riding-costume
You’ve also mentioned running workshops as part of your offering; can you elaborate on this side of your offering?
Yes, we offer educational and practical sessions where we teach participants how to reverse-engineer garments and work with 3D technology. This offering is aimed at any group interested in digital fashion preservation.
During our workshops, we walk participants through the entire process, from manually collecting data on historical garments to creating detailed 3D replicas, and collaborate with experts, such as fashion researchers, to ensure that these workshops offer both a technical and creative experience.
These workshops provide a hands-on way for people to engage with both the traditional and digital aspects of garment preservation. They are designed to be flexible and tailored to the audience, depending on their specific needs and goals.
For schools, for example, the workshops might focus more on educating students, providing them with the tools and knowledge to engage with fashion preservation and 3D technology. In these cases, we might teach them the process of reverse-engineering garments, or how to reinterpret heritage styles using modern tools.
We ran a workshop at MoMu where we invited several designers to use our data of heritage styles from the museum’s collection to create something new while maintaining a connection to the original. And at ATOPOS, attendees worked hands-on with us to recreate historical paper kimonos using the measurements and patterns we gathered.
But no matter the specific focus, all of our workshops aim to spread knowledge, educate, and share our processes with others. We’re committed to ensuring that what we do is accessible, and we strive to avoid being gatekeepers of knowledge.
Image: Suza Vos and Naama Turner participated in d_archive’s first workshop at MoMu.
What is your business model?
Not at all – I’d love to say we’re just doing all of this for fun and out of the kindness of our hearts, but at the end of the day, money helps fund the work and our growth. We generate most of our income through client-based projects and workshops, and at the same time, we are exploring opportunities within European funding programmes.
We are also planning to implement a subscription model on our platform; the data and resources that are currently free will remain free and will be integrated with new releases, but we will introduce a paid tier that offers additional content, such as tutorials, and other resources for every garment we work with.
Subscriptions will help us consistently produce in-depth content on heritage fashion and explore new niches worth preserving and making accessible.
Video: 1890 – 1900 corset. Art direction, texturing, and Blender animation by Virgile Biosa. 3D modelling in Clo3D by Martina Ponzoni. Pattern making by Erisa Ibrahimi.
Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re particularly excited about?
Yes – we are very much looking forward to November because we have been invited to Madrid, where Centro Superior de Moda de Madrid of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (CSDM-MUP) and the Museo del Traje (CIPE) are jointly organising the Second International “Tech&Craft 2024” Congress on Technology, Craft and Fashion Innovation.
This congress was born with the mission of being an international scientific forum to analyse and discuss the importance of preserving and enhancing the value of traditional techniques along with the application of new technologies in the creative processes and conservation of textile heritage.
We are currently finalising the details of our workshop, but what I can share is that we will be working with Museo del Traje’s collection of “glasillas,” which are lightweight, plain-woven fabric mock-ups, often used for making prototypes or test garments. They originate from a number of different Spanish ateliers that were active after WWII, the common thread being that at the time, they copied the design models from the latest collections of the great designers.
What I think makes this project particularly fascinating is that these copies, over the years, have become as valuable as the original garments in terms of the information that the model carries within itself.
At the end of November, we will also be returning to MoMu for an exciting project, but I can’t tell you more about that one just yet…watch this space!
I look forward to hearing all about it! And with that, we are out of time, so let’s end with this: in what ways do you hope your work with d_archive will impact the fashion industry at large?
Our focus has never been on trying to influence or disrupt the fashion industry.
We want to do our work as accurately and thoroughly as possible with the aim of providing valuable information and resources for those who are genuinely interested in learning about fashion history, preservation, and the craftsmanship behind garments.
Of course, if our work inspires someone along the way, that’s great too, but our primary focus remains doing a good job, first and foremost.
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today, Daniele – can’t wait to see what you guys do next! For those of you interested in keeping up to date with the ongoing work of d_archive, set yourself up with a free account now at darchive.io
Have any questions or comments? Pop them in the comments section below and we’ll come back to you!
