Stage11 typically creates immersive, mixed reality music experiences featuring the likes of Snoop Dogg, David Guetta, and Snoop Dogg; however, for Paris Fashion Week they teamed up with IFM Master of Arts students to amplify the visual experience of the fashion event.
Thirteen students from the accessory major designed a digital shoe or bag to complement their physical collection which was brought to life by Stage11. A collection of stills detailing the designs, alongside the landscapes they were exhibited within, can be seen below.
Exploring conceptual and creative ideas inspired by the emerging metaverse, the real and the virtual flirted to produce a wholly original aesthetic experience.
While many students were inspired by their own personal stories, others decided to focus on experimenting with textures and shapes within a digital space, building metallic designs which behaved like organic, gelatinous objects.
There were also deeply conceptual works, such as a bag that can transform into a tent allowing users to hold private conversations in the metaverse.
Speaking on the project, cofounder and director of business development at Stage 11, Gregory Dhonner, said: "As the fashion industry continues to explore what its future looks like, the metaverse, digital experiences and ultimately, digital goods will be a part of that and the next generation of designers will be the leaders in the space. We are very excited for Stage11 to be a part of shaping the future of fashion.”
To showcase the co-created digital accessories, part of the IFM fashion show, Stage11 art director, Victor Bonafonte developed four fantastical environments in Unreal Engine 5 inspired by a signature workroom at the institute: one envisioning a space overgrown with trees, another bisected by boulders and a bubbling stream. Other designs are presented in a grungy, science-fiction-inspired environment, while a final room imagines how fashion could be displayed in a space without gravity.
The students were mentored by Stage11’s chief technology officer, Olivier Ozoux, who helped them to understand the ways in which individual identity can be expressed in the digital space, and how digital clothing will contribute to the future of fashion.
Augmented reality technology is transforming consumers’ experience of fashion and, with the development of different metaverses, talented fashion designers will soon be able to showcase their designs in a wholly virtual environment.
“Through Stage11 we were able to provide [the IFM students] with the educational tools, resources and platform to explore digital design and metaverse experiences which will certainly change the future of the fashion industry,” said Olivier Ozoux.
As a further sign of the technological innovation existent in the fashion-tech space, each student will have full ownership of their digital accessory and will have the opportunity to mint them as NFTs on any digital marketplace.
