digest | Fashion Forward • digital super-models + virtual tools
October 1, 2018
image | above
Portrait of the virtual fashion model + web celebrity Miquela.
photo: Brud co.
— story —
Some of the most eye-catching and spontaneously interesting fashion models popular today have a secret — they may not be human at all. Advances in computer illustration and photography have made virtual high fashion models a super trend. Can you tell them apart from people?
Avant-garde stylists are exploring this creative intersection of life + art. These digital personalities are rising in the fashion world’s spotlight.
Virtual software from Clo co. makes modeling fabrics and textures fast and efficient, with life-like effects rendering images that are indistinguishable from actual surfaces like garments and skin.
Meanwhile, fashion industry think tank Looklet co. has breakthrough software that helps designers photograph and digital create modular sections of garments, then mix + match them virtually.
on the web | pages
Instagram | Shudu
Instagram | Miquela
Instagram | Perl
Miquela | YouTube channel
video 1. | Virtual super-model Shudu photo shoot
Styling fashion’s first digital muse.
Shudu is the world’s first digital super-model. She may not be able to talk or predict your favorite new product, but don’t under-estimate her power. In this video Shudu’s creator photographer Cameron-James Wilson shows us how he created the first digital super-model.
description: by WWD
video 2. | Miquela + Shudu: the rise of digital fashion models
Trendy virtual brand ambassadors.
There are an increasing number of digital fashion models. Some have millions of Instagram followers — and brands and retailers are starting to show interest. A look at this growing trend.
Miquela — by Brud co.
Shudu — by the Diigitals co.
description: by cNBC
video 3. | Will robots take over Instagram
Millions of followers are fans of virtual characters.
This is Miquela: she’s a 19 year old model and singer. But she’s not real. She’s computer generated, created by mysterious start-up called Brud co. Their team of story-tellers dictate her every move. She has 1.2 million followers and she collaborates with major artists, brands — and is popping up everywhere. She’s released her own songs with auto-tune and lyrics videos.
description: by Colin + Samir
image | above
Portrait of the virtual fashion model Shudu.
photo: by the Diigitals co.
about | Clo
Amazing virtual garment software.
Innovating the way we communicate fashion.
Clo virtual fashion is committed to innovating the way we communicate fashion through our true-to-life 3D garment simulation software. Our virtual garment solutions and services connect all teams involved in the digital product life-cycle, enabling more direct collaboration and reduced lead time — but maintaining the details of garment design. Our garment simulation and visualization tech creates virtual garments — along with a platform of valuable data about garments, designs, and trends.
3D garment visualization + design.
We create cutting-edge 3D garment visualization technologies that cultivate a more creative and sustainable landscape for the fashion and apparel industries — to consistently solve obstacles in your product life-cycle. With over 15 years of extensive research and development, and multiple successful enterprise-wide adoptions, we provide the best-in-class solutions for brands and vendors of all sizes.
Clo brings together expert engineers and fashion-industry veterans to build a user experience that focuses on the most essential element of your process: you. Explore how you can revolutionize your design process.
on the web | pages
Clo | home
Clo | YouTube channel
about | Looklet
A high-tech software + hardware solution for fashion imaging.
Looklet works towards developing the future of fashion production photography. Our technology is new and revolutionary. Our hardware / software re-thinks traditional image production and offers the most modern, scalable, and industrialized workflow for fashion e-commerce players globally.
Our technology helps fashion brands and retailers transform the way they capture and market fashion by presenting a hardware / software solution for the entire photo process — from the actual photo shoot to the point where an image is ready to publish. Looklet, better content for the digital fashion world. We think mathemathically, we imagine the problem and how to automate it.
on the web | pages
Looklet | home
Looklet | video: Look Creator
Looklet | video: re-imagine fashion imagery
Looklet | video: life at our studio
Looklet | YouTube channel
on the web | reading
Vogue | Numerous questions around the rise of CGI models and influencers
deck: The virtual reality model debate.
Vogue | How artificial intelligence will influence the future of fashion
deck: In the post-material world.
the Washington Post | Soon the most beautiful people in the world may no longer be human
deck: Virtual models are the beginning of an avatar revolution.
Pen | Who is the mysterious Japanese artificial Instagrammer hanging out with French rapper Orelsan?
deck: Perl is a model and virtual influencer.
Cosmopolitan | Those crazy-realistic robot models taking over your Instagram feed — here’s why they look so human
deck: An exclusive glimpse at how digital influencers get made.
Harper’s Bazaar | People can’t tell if this Fenty model is real or fake
deck: Shudu is the science fiction creation of photographer Cameron-James Wilson
Time | list: the 25 most influential people on the internet
deck: no. 22 — Miquela
WWD | Shudu: fashion’s first avatar super-model
deck: She can’t talk or predict your favorite new product, but don’t under-estimate her power.
the Cut | Body con job
deck: Miquela Sousa has over 1 million followers, but she isn’t real.
Wired | The rise of computer generated celebrities
deck: A new generation is selling out concerts, starring in commercials, and amassing huge followings.
on the web | pages
Allegorithmic | home
Allegorithmic | YouTube channel
* WWD is Women’s Wear Daily magazine
* CGI is computer generated image
* cNBC is the cable television business news channel of the National Broadcasting co.