Fabrica

Of all the various on-going creative initiatives in the world today, Fabrica is possibly the best example of the interface between commerce and experimental creative thinking. Owned and managed by the Benetton fashion group, it functions as a creative resource to the company while also trading the services of its ‘borsisti’ and teachers to external clients. Although there are some fundamental differences in structure between Fabrica and what is proposed for Esin, the author visited Treviso in July ’05 to research their financial structure, administration and marketing methods.





“In 1995, Luciano Benetton was persuaded by his friend Oliveiro Toscani that they didn’t need to use a proper agency to develop the Benetton brand – that they could just do it themselves. They hatched a theory that the best communication comes out of the heart of the company itself – and then they did some amazing campaigns which still stand out as being maybe the best use of photography in marketing ever..

At this point they decided to make their own ‘communication research centre’ – Fabrica. They commissioned Tadao Ando to design the structure and 5 years ago the completed building was opened.

Fabrica invites young artists and designers to be borsisti – they get a ‘borsa’ which translates as bursary. This is 500 euro per month, flights, accommodation and free lunch. For this they get to work on a combination of self directed research, Fabrica directed research and ‘applied research’. Every month there is at least one workshop, sometimes two with visiting artists/designers, presenting work, and leading a series of creative exercises.“

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