THE ROLE OF LOCAL AND MAKERS IN THE FASHION CRAFTSMANSHIP: TOWARD A MORE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIVE MODEL.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is defining new paradigms and business models in the design fields in terms of production, consumption, transportation and delivery systems (Schwab, 2016). The distinctive points of this new scenario could be recognized from the great attention paid to the sustainability and digitalization. The specific field of Fashion Design is very sensitive to this new assessment due to its fast-moving nature, and so it needs to face these new sets of challenges (Keller, et al. 2014). One answer to such issues can be seen in the renewed interest for local business models; as a matter of fact, the revaluation of small local activities is reviving because of their economical, human and environmental sustainability features, adding the possibilities given by new technologies of sharing local and global know-how, resources and instruments to the design of products (Imbesi 2014). In fact, local manufacturing is able to offer a bespoke production system, responding to the new necessities of customers in terms of experience and product uniqueness. On the other hand, these technologies have started to be applied by craftsmen in small and medium enterprises to renew their skills and to build a new concept of business in which makers become protagonists. In this way, a hybrid business model is conceived where craftsmen are switching to digital artisans, accompanying traditional methods of production with the support of the new technological solutions. Chris Anderson explained how small artisanal enterprises, with an involvement of high technological tools, could be considered the beating heart of this new revolution, since they might set up as entities enabling the production of high customized products (2010). According to these new design and production features, the structure of the start-up perfectly fits in with the new possible fashion business models related to local and maker realities.