INJECTING PIXELS INTO OUR PHYSICAL WORLD

WHAT IT IS?

An army of virtual models is taking over the fashion industry. Luxury fashion house Balmain summoned the first CG, computer generated, models in the summer of 2018 as brands turn to the online world for inspiration. But a lot has happened since, in collaboration with Cameron-James Wilson, a British artist, Balmain has giving life to three CG members who now run the fashion industry (Balmain Paris, 2019)! Not only does this affect the fashion industry, it is blurring the lines between the physical and digital world. This development will change our culture and reshape it forever (Dazed Fahion, 2019). 

Meet the top CG models who represent this futuristic fashion phenomenon:

Lil Miquela has established her presence in the fashion and beauty world ever since she was created in 2016. She has collaborated with multiple brands, among which Chanel and Prada. Every day she influences the lives of her 1.5 million Instagram followers, and was named makeup artist Pat McGrath’s muse mid 2018. Miquela even took it off in the music world, with her four hits on Spotify  (Dazed Fahion, 2019).

Virtual model Perl is moving from fronting in campaigns to creating her own. She launched the first ever artificial intelligence beauty line, showing “a world where beauty isn’t exclusive to humans anymore”. Her collection for AI, by Ai includes the ‘pixel injection’, which fills in dead pixels, and the ‘MHZ pallet’ which restores youth. Perl shares her vision and personal experiences on body shaming and self-esteem (Dazed Digital , 2018). 

With her slim silhouette, perfect skin and breathtaking beauty, Shudu is considered the first ever digital supermodel. She was created by photographer Cameron-James Wilson, who was inspired by the South-African princess Barbie doll (Balmain Paris, 2019). He brought her to ‘life’ because of the lack in diversity the saw in the modeling industry. Shudu now shares her opinion on several movements to inspire her followers (In Style, 2018). 

WHY IT´S COOL?

 “Over the next generation we’re going to see huge amounts of progress and development in the space of AI that will have real-world effects and impact, not least on beauty.”

–Bunny Kinney, editorial director at Dazed Media

• The world of beauty and fashion is moving beyond its human form. Emerging the digital world into our own. Creating a virtual presence in the form of an influencer, model, artist, activist and so on, that triggers a whole new space into existence  (Dazed Digital , 2018). Consumers are rapidly allowing this new phenomenon into their lives, using it as a new source of inspiration. 

We’re inviting the CG’s into our world because we believe they represent the future of beauty. They reshape the fashion industry and blur the lines from the digital and physical world. Breaking boundaries and making fashion available for everyone (Dazed Fahion, 2019).

• Robots taking over the world, is the greatest nightmare that once stemmed from the science fiction movies which got people rethinking human life. Now it has gone from a far-fetched thought to a potential reality, thanks to the recent development in digitalization, science and artificial intelligence. While we are probably still a few years away from living hand in hand with robots, social media is one place where human beings are already interacting with robots and it is quickly evolving. 

WHY IT HAS FUTURE GROWTH POTENTIAL?

In this era of digitalization, we are constantly connected with the digital world. It has become a huge part of our daily lives and a big source of inspiration. The digital, online world in slowly intriguing into our lives more and more. 

These CG influencers are capable of breaking boundaries between the digital and physical world. Creating a world in which it isn’t possible to notice what is real and what is not. However, it provides us a space where everyone can be anything they want online and live in their greatest imaginations (Dazed Digital , 2018). 

I’m curious to see how this will develop further. Is there a possible future where we live through our online character? Where CG influencers become a part of our society, work together, learn together, live together and be in perfect harmony? Will it enhance humanity or not? Even though you and I might feel they do not influence our lives greatly in this moment, think about what the future might hold in a few years from now. Who knows, perhaps will this be the key to a perfect, balanced society.