THE EVOLUTION OF INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS: FROM THE DISTRICT OF VALENCE TO THE SELF-DESIGN OF THE PRODUCT

The object of the essay starts from the theoretical-general aspect of the industrial development model based on the districts, narrows to the observation of parallels with the Italian situation, to focus, between the different districts present in our territory, to the productive reality of the Valenza goldsmith district, witness of the excellence of the made in Italy of the sector at international level. The first part of the research begins with a historical perspective, starting from the concept of "district" or "cluster" identified by the precursor Alfred Marshall, to then go through the various changes and events that led to the more modern thinking and vision of the district itself. The path is analyzed through some of the economist's papers. Finally, the speech of the goldsmith district of Valenza will be deepened, with the history and evolution that has developed starting from the traditional craftsman (19th century) up to the present figure: the Maker. Great attention during this step will be paid to the economic crisis that occurred in 2008, with the general collapse of all production sectors and the subsequent uplift which has had a marked impact on the evolution of the sector. This path will be objectified by several graphs and statistics that will highlight the same metamorphosis. The study will then end with a totally revolutionary concept that has taken hold in the last decade: the self-design of the product. This new approach, alongside the Maker figure, will highlight the transition from "old" to "new" world, with some reflections on how it got to its current form, while still maintaining some of the peculiarities.