Coalescence: Bringing Fashion Archives into the Digital Space
June 25, 2026
The following post is a copy of our June newsletter.
Coalescence: Bringing Fashion Archives into the Digital Space is a collaborative initiative between d_archive, Alu Studios, and Centraal Museum Utrecht (CMU), supported by the Design Grant Scheme of the Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie. The project addresses the unique challenges of digitizing complex historical garments by bringing together d_archive’s reverse engineering methodologies with Alu Studios’ specialization in photogrammetry.
The Hybrid Workflow: Bridging Craft and Data
To date, the digitization of heritage fashion has largely been split between two methods: reverse engineering (based on measured patterns) and photogrammetry (based on photographic data).
Coalescence, as the name suggests, seeks to esablish a hybrid workflow that brings these two techniques together. By aligning the photographic detail of photogrammetry with the structural accuracy of reverse engineering, d_archive and Alu Studios are attempting to create 3D models with both lifelike surfaces and technically accurate construction details. This would allow for the “reactivation” of garments through digital storytelling, rendering them in historically accurate light and context while preserving the delicate traces of wear and construction.
The Subject: Euro-Asian Textile Exchange (18th–19th Centuries)
The garments from the collection of the Centraal Museum Utrecht were selected as they exemplify products of the global textile trade of the Dutch colonial empire and the intricacies of its cultural exchange. The project will explore technical innovation while framing a specific historical narrative, to maintain a strong focus on the objects’ provenance, history and meaning.
Research & Institutional Collaboration
To ensure these multifaceted stories are told with accuracy and sensitivity, the project draws on a network of expertise.
The design research is curated internally by Finn van Tol (Alu Studios) and Martina Ponzoni (d_archive) in close collaboration with CMU.
Daan van Dartel (Wereldmuseum), will provide knowledge and curatorial insights by offering access to archives and expertise on ethnographic and provenance research.
Lipika Bansal (Textiel Factorij) will bring specialized knowledge about the Netherlands–India textile trade.Â
The Scheepvaartmuseum and Zeeuws Archief will be consulted for archival imagery.
European Fashion Heritage Association (EFHA), will offer support to disseminate the results to its international networks and co-organise the presentation event.
Partners
Coalescence: Bringing Fashion Archives into the Digital Space is a collaborative project made possible by the support of:
Stimuleringsfond – The Creative Industries Fund NL
Centraal Museum UtrechtÂ
Modemuze | Wereldmuseum | Willem De Kooning Academie European | Fashion Heritage Association