Latest news with #Archive
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Bengaluru's India Foundation for the Arts holds ‘Date with the Archive' to mark International Archives Week
When the India Foundation For The Arts (IFA) turned 20, back in 2015, the team behind the Bengaluru-based NGO wanted to do something special to mark the occasion. 'The former executive director of IFA, Arundhati Ghosh, with the team back then, was brainstorming on how to celebrate IFA, its legacy, and the work it had generated over the years,' recounts Dr Biswadeep Chakraborty, Archivist, IFA. At first, they thought of throwing a gala, inviting all their grantees from 1995 onwards to celebrate the occasion, till they realised that 'it would be only one evening, and after that nothing would happen,' he says. Around the same time, 'a wise person' asked them if they had an archive, says Biswadeep, who joined the organisation in 2021. Arundhati, he recalls, had responded in the affirmative, explaining that IFA had a record room containing everything since 1995. This person, however, told her that record-keeping was not an archive. While the latter involves 'securing everything in files for bureaucratic purposes', the core principle of archiving is to preserve memories, explains Biswadeep. 'The idea here was to document everything we have, the kind of work we have supported and the brilliant grantees and project coordinators who have worked with us throughout the years.' So they started working towards this goal, hiring their first archivist, Dr Spandana Bhowmik, the same year. 'We started working in 2015, but officially launched the archive in 2018,' he says. This was the genesis of the IFA archives, which is currently holding its 'Date with the Archive', a week-long celebration to mark International Archives Week. The event, which will be held at the IFA office in Sanjay Nagar between June 9 and 13, will consist of a series of curated walkthroughs, hands-on workshops, film screenings, and drop-in sessions, attempting to create an interest in these archives. 'The IFA Archive is a rich resource for artists, students, researchers, and anyone curious about the arts. We encourage visitors to explore the Archive, trace creative journeys, and discover the possibilities that an archive holds,' said Menaka Rodriguez, Executive Director, IFA. ' While, in general, the IFA archives are open through appointment, 'this particular week, we thought of curating an experience to give the public a glimpse of this archive: what we hold, how it is interesting, and why it is important,' says Biswadeep. 'This year's theme for International Archives Week is #ArchivesAreAccessible, so we realised that this is the best time for us to open our archives to the public,' Biswadeep adds. In Biswadeep's opinion, making the archives accessible will enable the dissemination of knowledge. 'In different eras of human civilisation, knowledge is something people didn't share freely.' That is a major reason to disseminate knowledge, Biswadeep says, going on to quote the French historian and philosopher, Michel Foucault, who argued that knowledge is power. 'The idea is to make the archives' knowledge system accessible; art and culture, in this day and age of technology, is such an important sphere to focus on.' At the archives At one of the curated walkthroughs at the IFA archives, groups of young people are huddled over the various exhibits, peering into computer screens, examining archival materials being digitised or flipping through some of them, with gloved hands. According to Biswadeep, when they first started creating the archive, most of the material accumulated over the years was kept in individual grant files made of plastic, in addition to the cupboards, which were full of audio and video material, artwork and books. 'We started securing all those files, creating an environment that is temperature-controlled, humidity-controlled and acid-free,' Biswadeep says, adding that nearly all the material, created between 1995 and 2021, has also been digitised. Some of the objects on display include A Musuem of Dubious Splendours, a video game by Studio Oleomingus, which is an adaptation of a series of essays written by Gujarati poet Mir Umar Hassan; The Mapmaker of Baghdad by Anuj Malhotra, an interactive map documenting the history of Bombay's hidden cinemas in the 1970s; a series of books investigating the history and evolution of printmaking technologies in Bengal by the visual artist, Aranya Sengupta and Nee Engey, a film by RV Ramani that delves into the puppet theatre tradition of South India. 'There are many archives throughout India that are based around one particular format. For instance, film archives in which you will see only films or textile archives where we see only textiles,' says Biswadeep, who believes that this archive is unique because it exists in so many formats, including 'board games, video games, textiles, audio-visual materials, only audio materials, artwork, scrolls, art pieces.' Equally unique is the sheer range of projects supported by the IFA grants, a deliberate decision, going by Biswadeep's account. IFA has, from the beginning, attempted to break down cultural hegemonies, facilitating projects that may not have seen the light of day otherwise, he says. 'You will see from the kind of materials that we have that they are not particular to one community or thing or one particular idea. You will find everything here, without bias,' Biswadeep says, something, that is also reflected in the archive. 'When we started this archive, we thought of creating one which would not look at hierarchies in creating a repository, representing the uniqueness of this country's art and culture realm,' says Biswadeep. 'The motto should be unity in diversity.' To know more about the IFA archives, log in to
Business of Fashion
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business of Fashion
The Attico Opens First Store, in Ibiza
Italian fashion label The Attico has opened its first standalone boutique in Ibiza. Located in a newly developed area of the island, the store is the first in a series of concept-driven flagships. A second opening is set for Seoul later this year, with a Milan store also planned. Founded in 2016 by Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini, The Attico started with a focused collection of robe-inspired silhouettes. Nearly a decade later, the brand offers a full lifestyle range including ready-to-wear, swimwear and accessories — all made in Italy, aside from intricate embroidery, which is crafted in India. (Courtesy) Each of the planned stores will be inspired by different rooms of an imagined apartment — an approach that mirrors the brand's long-standing interplay between fashion and interiors. The Ibiza store will be a bathroom, complete with a functioning bathtub and vintage vanity details. 'Ibiza is our second home,' Tordini said. 'This space makes our world tangible for the first time — it's an extension of our aesthetic and the women we speak to.' The boutique also signifies a gradual move into direct-to-consumer retail. The Attico currently sells through its own e-commerce site and a wholesale network of over 270 global stockists. Backed since 2018 by Archive, the investment vehicle founded by Moncler executive Remo Ruffini, The Attico has been quietly building infrastructure, expanding its internal team to 50 people. 'We've chosen to grow slowly and deliberately,' said Tordini. 'We could have sold much more, but we've always favoured a scarcity strategy to protect the brand's long-term value.' (Courtesy) As the brand prepares for its third official runway show this September during Milan Fashion Week, it continues to balance its Italian roots with global aspirations. 'The Attico woman is multifaceted — unapologetic, style-driven, with a global outlook,' said Tordini. 'This store is a milestone. It's the first time people can walk into our world, one room at a time.' Learn more: How Three Influencers Built Legitimate Fashion Brands The influencers behind Totême, Midnight 00 and The Attico have built respected multi-million-dollar businesses without resorting to blatant associations with their personal brands.
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
CEO Says Peloton Not For Sale As Peloton Repowered Marketplace Debuts
Peloton stock soared during the pandemic but its share price has been downhill ever since. (Photo by ... More) Peloton has launched an equipment and accessories resale marketplace called Peloton Repowered, as the company boss also slapped a 'not for sale' sign over the business. Speaking at a Bloomberg event today, CEO Peter Stern insisted that he had not been brought in to find a buyer for the company but instead is looking to capitalize on new and existing customers with a range of initiatives, including the growing trend towards pre-used merchandise. Initially eligible for sellers located in the Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C. metro areas, the marketplace will then expand nationally in the coming months and has been created to connect buyers and sellers in the same metro area, Peloton said. In its testing phase it will launch in beta and until there is enough inventory will only allow users to list items, with the facility to buy and sell to be introduced in the next few weeks. The platform will enable members to post their used Peloton equipment and gear and set a price with help from a generative AI tool, the company said, although sellers will have the final say on how much to list the item for. Peloton Repowered sellers will receive 70% of the sale price and a discount on new Peloton workout equipment, adding to the discounted products it sells, which already include refurbished equipment, offering a peer-to-peer pre-owned option. The sellers' discount on new Peloton equipment will range from around $200 to $600, depending on what type of new equipment is purchased, while Peloton Repowered buyers will receive a reduced used activation fee for the equipment they purchase at $45, which compares with its typical used equipment activation fee of $95. Buyers will be able to see the equipment's history on the listing and have the option to get the item delivered for an extra fee, Peloton said. The Peloton Repowered platform works through the Archive platform, which has worked with fashion brands including The North Face, Dr. Martens and New Balance and Peloton said previously it had started to see a 'meaningful increase' in the number of new members who bought used Bikes or Treads from peer-to-peer markets such as Facebook Marketplace. The launch of Peloton's new resale platform follows third-quarter earnings released last month that showed a 13% year-on-year fall in revenue to $624 million and a wider-than-expected net loss of nearly $48 million. Peloton ended the third quarter with 2.9 million paid fitness subscribers, down 6% from a year prior. Peter Stern, president and CEO of Peloton, during the Bloomberg Tech conference in San ... More Franciscoyesterday. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg Peloton's stock value is a fraction of the peak in 2021, when enforced pandemic lockdowns led to a surge in home exercise and rocketing equipment and subscription sales. CEO Peter Stern – who was co-founder of Apple Fitness+ – took the helm in January and been trying to revamp the company, although he has so far been unable to reverse value declines which have seen the stock price fall by over a fifth since the start of the year. Speaking at a Bloomberg event yesterday, Stern stressed that he had no intention of selling the company as he reaffirmed his commitment to reviving the bike and running workouts firm and keeping it "a standalone company." "I was not hired to sell this company,' he said. "I was hired to bring this company back to growth, reinvigorate it, and that is happening." He said that Peloton must evolve into a more personalized coach powered by AI, while expanding its reach through retail, international markets, and travel, including a stronger presence in hotel gyms. The company has implemented several initiatives to steady the business, including 15% job cuts announced last year and shifting its focus to subscription sales over hardware. The company last month also initiated a pricing strategy to offer discounted equipment rates for eligible educators, healthcare workers, first responders and military personnel in the U.S. Peloton Repowered also seems to play to Stern's assertion that the company must balance between hardware and software: "Our future is not to try to scale the app at the expense of that equipment business," he said
Miami Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Peloton reveals clever solution to alarming consumer problem
Many people try to overcome adversity by combating the problem. However, some conditions are too strong to defeat, no matter how great a fight we put up. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Peloton has found the solution to a troublesome problem within its business. After years of trying to fight it, it decided to follow the motto "if you can't beat them, join them." Related: Peloton CEO believes cost-cutting can help reverse slide Peloton's (PTON) business model boomed during lockdowns, reaching its highest-ever sales, subscriptions, and shares peak. However, once the confinement period ended and gyms began to reopen, the need and demand for at-home workout equipment declined. This has caused Peloton's business to struggle since 2021. Not only do consumers not depend on Peloton's equipment and subscriptions like they once did, but the pandemic's aftermath also led to an overall slowdown in consumer spending due to economic uncertainty that continues to impact its business. During its third quarter of fiscal 2025, Peloton's overall membership declined 8% year over year. Paid Connect Fitness subscriptions required for Peloton equipment were down 6%, and equipment sales declined 27% yearly, marking the third consecutive year of year-over-year sales declines. Related: Peloton faces subscription challenges, stock price soars anyway Peloton has previously stated that, in addition to the current consumer slowdown, unregulated resale platforms were also a factor in declining sales across all equipment categories, since they offer lower prices, taking away market share. The company has tried to combat this problem by implementing a one-time $95 activation fee for all secondhand equipment, yet the efforts haven't been enough. The popularity of these unregulated resellers has been so significant in Peloton's business that the company forecasted equipment sales would continue declining for the remainder of fiscal 2025. However, Peloton said it would focus on price optimization and promotional strategies to reverse these declines. Sometimes, the competition is too great to try to eliminate, so Peloton decided to play along, but by its own rules. Peloton has teamed up with the developer Archive to launch Repowered, a secondary marketplace where customers can resell and buy used equipment and gear from the brand. This new platform implements an AI tool to provide sellers with suggested product prices based on factors such as year, condition, and type. However, sellers can still set their listing price within a range, while buyers can see the products' history. More Retail News: After bankruptcy, closed clothing chain hints at comebackWalmart makes deal to open popular food chain in storesPopular fast-food burger chain to open first store in new market The marketplace is a win-win for all involved because sellers will receive 70% of the sale, and Peloton and Archive will split the other 30%. Sellers will also get a discount of up to $600 that can be applied when buying new Peloton equipment and gear, and the buyer activation fee will be reduced from $95 to $45. Once the products are purchased, buyers can arrange a pickup with the seller or have the products delivered for a fee. Currently, the platform is only open for listings from sellers in the Boston, New York City, or Washington, D.C., metro areas. Once enough products have been listed on the marketplace, buyers will soon be able to make purchases. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
UPI
04-06-2025
- Business
- UPI
Peloton launches 'Repowered' platform to resell used fitness equipment
Pedestrians walk past a Peloton store in Bethesda, Maryland in August 2022. The fitness company announced Tuesday it was launching a resale platform for its fitness equipment, called Repowered. File Photo by Michael Reynolds/EPA-EFE June 4 (UPI) -- Peloton is geared-up to help customers sell their bikes and treadmills online with Tuesday's launch of Repowered, a resale marketplace that could bring in top secondhand dollars for the connected fitness company. Repowered is currently operating in New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C., with plans to go nationwide within the year. The platform is available to sellers only and will become available to buyers, once there's enough inventory, Peloton said. "The official Peloton resale site where you can find great deals on gently used Peloton equipment or sell your pre-loved pieces for cash," the company announced on its website. According to Peloton, the platform will cut third party friction by coordinating pickups and deliveries. Sellers will receive 70% of the proceeds, with Peloton splitting the rest with platform provider Archive. Sellers can also receive up to a $600 discount on new equipment. Peloton says the resale market aligns with its sustainability goals to "help give used equipment a second life," while providing transparency on the product. "If you're buying or selling used Peloton equipment, you will have access to the Peloton History Summary that includes details like service history, warranty and more, directly from us," the company said. "This ensures transparency about the item's condition, giving both parties confidence in the transaction." The fitness company has seen a drop in the monthly subscriptions that go with their equipment, as treadmills and bikes collect dust and clothing once owners stop using them. Those subscriptions are a big part of Peloton's revenue, according to the company's financial records. Last year, Peloton cut 15% of its workforce as chief executive officer Barry McCarthy stepped down. At the same time, the company noticed a spike in the resale of its equipment on Facebook Marketplace and Trade My Stuff, which manages transactions and heavy lifting for buyers and sellers. The delivery team also sets up the equipment and teaches the buyer how to use it. After reporting a 13% decline in revenue during its third quarter, Peloton announced it would help facilitate the resale of its own equipment as part of its full-spectrum wellness offerings that include mindfulness and sleep.
