Tilburg University Fashion and the city Pandolfi, V.C.F. Publication date: 2015 Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in Tilburg University Research Portal Citation for published version (APA): Pandolfi, V. C. F. (2015). Fashion and the city: The role of the cultural economy in the development strategies of three Western European cities. Eburon. General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 28. sep. 2021 Cover_Print.pdf 2 03-02-15 13:57 The field of culture is increasingly seen as a strategic asset in/for a balanced development of cities. Recent research, however, seems to point to a limited recognition of this potential in local policy-making, culture becoming increasingly linked to aims of economic repositioning. But which aims are exactly involved here? Are we indeed facing a new dominant (and unilateral) approach to culture in Western European cities, leaving the full development Vincent Pandolfi (Monza, 1985) potential of the field unexplored? And why graduated as MSc in Leisure Studies might this be the case? (cum laude) at Tilburg University, and as MA (with distinction) in European Urban C Cultures at the Free University of M Through case studies of fashion in Antwerp, Y Milan and Amsterdam, the changing Brussels, Tilburg University, Manchester CM strategising of culture in local development Metropolitan University and TAIK MY (since the 1980s), is linked to the search for Helsinki. Since 2010 he has been CY new governing arrangements between public working on his PhD dissertation at CMY and private (cultural) actors within the cities. Tilburg University, with the support of the K Cattolica University of Milan, living On the basis of this analysis, a plea is made between Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the for a new, and more integrated approach to Netherlands, and Milan, Italy. culture in Western European cities, pointing to the significant challenge of experimenting with new, and more inclusive forms of public-private policy-making in support of this agenda. The role of the ʻcultural economyʼ in the development strategies of three Western European cities FASHION AND THE CITY The role of the ‘cultural economy’ in the development strategies of three Western European cities Eburon Delft (2015) ISBN 978 90 5972 934 6 Uitgeverij Eburon Postbus 2867 2601 CW Delft Tel.: 015-2131484 / fax: 015-2146888 [email protected] / www.eburon.nl Cover design: Jeroen van de Ruit © 2015 Vincent Carlo Francesco Pandolfi. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing from the proprietor. FASHION AND THE CITY The role of the ‘cultural economy’ in the development strategies of three Western European cities Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan Tilburg University, op gezag van de rector magnificus, prof. dr. Ph. Eijlander, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van een door het college voor promoties aangewezen commissie in de aula van de Universiteit op maandag 16 maart 2015 om 10.15 uur door Vincent Carlo Francesco Pandolfi geboren op 15 september 1985 te Monza, Italië. Promotores: Prof. Dr. Ir. J. T. Mommaas Prof. Dr. G. W. Richards Overige commissieleden: Prof. Dr. J. O’Connor Prof. Dr. A. C. Pratt Prof. Dr. G. Evans Prof. Dr. L. Bovone Prof. Dr. A. Schramme Prof. Dr. W. G. M. Salet “But whose city? I ask. And whose culture?’’ (Zukin, 1995, p.47) TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction p.5 1. Problem definition p.5 2. The aims and questions of the study p.6 3. The contributions of the study p.7 4. Outline of the report p.8 1. Conceptualising the role of culture in local development p.10 1. The expansion of the ‘cultural economy’ p.11 2. The multiple role of the ‘cultural economy’ in the development of the city p.15 3. The analytical framework p.19 2. Understanding the role of culture from a governance perspective p.22 1. Conceptualising changing local governance p.24 2. Urban regime analysis as an analytical perspective p.25 3. The integral analytical framework p.31 3. Studying the strategic role of fashion in Western European cities p.33 1. Three comparative case studies: a grounded theory approach p.33 2. Semi-structured interviews, desk research and operationalisation p.39 3. Pattern coding and semi-structured overviews p.40 4. The strategic role of fashion in Antwerp p.43 1. Fashion in the strategic development of the city p.46 2. Changing strategic roles of fashion: an overview p.64 5. The strategic role of fashion in Milan p.67 1. Fashion in the strategic development of the city p.70 2. Changing strategic roles of fashion: an overview p.87 6. The strategic role of fashion in Amsterdam p.91 1. Fashion in the strategic development of the city p.95 2. Changing strategic roles of fashion: an overview p.111 7. Comparing the strategic role of fashion in the three cities p.114 1. The role of fashion in development strategies p.114 2. Understanding the strategic roles of fashion from a governance perspective p.117 8. Reflecting upon the ‘cultural economy’ and ‘urban regimes’ p.121 1. The ‘cultural economy’ and its strategic positioning p.121 2. The influence of ‘urban regimes’ on local cultural policy-making p.124 9. Rethinking the role of the ‘cultural economy’ in local development p.127 1. Unlocking the strategic potential of the ‘cultural economy’ p.127 2. The need for public-private governance ‘regimes’ p.130 Reflections and directions for future research p.134 1. Reflecting upon the approach of this study p.134 2. Directions for future research p.139 References p.143 Appendix p.157 Summary p.173 Acknowledgements p.188 INTRODUCTION In recent decades the field of culture has been identified as a strategic asset in and for the development of cities in Western Europe and beyond, its multiple development potential becoming increasingly acclaimed in both academic and policy communities (e.g. Scott, 2006; Pratt, 2007; Mommaas, 2008; Richards & Palmer, 2010; European Commission [EC], 2010; O’Connor, 2011; UNESCO, 2013). Attention is paid to the (potential) contribution of a wide array of cultural qualities and activities to urban regeneration or ‘gentrification’ processes, to the attraction of tourists, talent or new businesses, and as a new and differentiating economic reality in its own right. At the same time, also the potentials for the artistic and cultural renewal of the city, for a more participatory and inclusive society, and for more socially and environmentally just working and living conditions are often ascribed to this field. In short, urban culture seems to behold highly strategic potential for a multi-value, and balanced, development of cities (UNESCO, 2013). 1. Problem definition However, when considering the actual approach to this field in the recent development strategies of Western European cities, existing studies seem to point to a rather limited accommodation of this potential. The field of urban culture seems to become increasingly involved in the economic repositioning of cities, being linked to aims of urban regeneration, promotion or industrial development (e.g. Mommaas, 2004; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2005; URBACT, 2006; Evans, 2003; 2009; Musterd & Murie, 2010). But which strategies, with related aims, are precisely involved here? And does this indeed 5 reflect a new unilateral positioning and strategising of culture, leaving underexplored its full development potential? Is the current situation indeed reflecting a somehow linear shift in rationales for public involvement with this field, from concerns with the presumed public education and elevation function of the independent arts and culture until the 1980s (Mommaas, 2000; O’Connor, 2007; Dubois, in press), towards a more recent interest in the economic externalities of culture for the city (without exploration of the middle ground and the workings of the field itself)? And why does this narrowing down of development potential happen? These are the core questions informing this study. Regarding the latter question, changing approaches to culture have often been linked to changes in the way that Western European cities are governed. The recent turn to economic rationales, the argument goes, is related to shifts in governing arrangements from the dominance of public actors and rationalities until the 1980s, to the growing role of private (business) actors and interests in the recent governance of the city (e.g. Zukin, 1995; Rhodes, 1997; O’Connor, 2002; Mommaas, 2004; Musterd & Murie, 2010; Grodach & Silver, 2012). However, despite conceptualisation, and some empirical exercises, less attention has been paid to a more precise and systematic analysis of this shifting relationship. How can current approaches to culture, with the presumable dominance of economic interests, be understood from the possible formation of new types of public-private collaborations? Which public and private (cultural) actors are exactly involved? And which related interests in the economic and socio-cultural externalities and development of the urban cultural field are being (re)negotiated? 2.