From the HiddenFloors project, a virtual fashion event with 6 model avatars, this image shows Ava avatar modelling a shiny lilac coloured skin-tight top and shorts under a full length diaphanous lilac coloured gown created by Little Peril Studio. Her huge and sumptuous head dress of flowing multicoloured swirls floats above her red hair and as she walks she is followed by numerous colourful flying pet objects. She also wears a large decorative front piece of shiny metallic swirls.
Just two of the avatar models, Ava and Lena, from the HiddenFloors Project,
with garments and accessories by Ann Marie Shillito and Megan Mackay.

How exciting is this, HiddenFloors! Have a look at this video as it shows a small important part of the HiddenFloors project which was launched on 17th November 2023 at V&A Dundee. For this project, four fashion designers and four applied artists were paired up to explore the potential for showcasing their work anywhere in the world by using and combining digital and virtual programmes. Through immersive media we can now connect to audiences and international buyers without the costs and environmental impact of international travel and organising physical exhibitions and runway shows.

As an applied artists, designer/maker and jeweller, Ann Marie Shillito, (CEO and director of both Anarkik3D Ltd and AnarkikCreations), was paired with fashion designer, Megan Mackay, at Little Peril Studio in Dundee. Together they created the garments and accessories for their avatars, Ava and Lena using Clo3D and GravitySketch VR. Megan and the other three fashion designers were provided with 5G technology by The Scotland 5G Centre. Ann Marie and the three applied artists used VR headsets from Applied Arts Scotland’s DISTANCE Project as they were all involved in this immersive project in 2021/22.

Future immersive fashion experience?

HiddenFloors is a digital construct for the immersive fashion show viewing experience, where the clothes and accessories were digitally and virtually created. The pairs had the amazing support and help from Fashion Interrupted’s for the more techie side. The designers there rendered the avatars as models and their bespoke garments to simulate the reality of how fabric flows with the models’ movement on their virtual runway. MV Brown worked with the four fashion designers and four applied artists to create the each avatar’s make-up.

HiddenFloors: Future immersive exhibition experience?

This image shows one of the HiddenFloors of a virtual V&A Dundee, created for the project's participants to curate and populate with virtual objects such as the giant rotating mobile shown in this image. The mobile pieces are from Ava avatar's floating followers and are suspended from the huge torus form which slowly rotates.

The virtual V&A Dundee building was created by super helpful and supportive Steve Colmer of Lateral North. It does indeed have hidden floors. There are four, each curated by one of the designer/applied artist pairs to describe their journeys throughout this project.

The image shows Ann Marie’s and Megan’s giant revolving mobiles in the Virtual V&A’s Atrium. Go to FrameVR to navigate your way around the four hidden floors.

Here again are links: to the HiddenFloors page on Applied Arts Scotland Website and here on Scotland Re:Design’s website where there are also links to each part of the project. For the main videos scroll down, as one is near the page end. Here are other asset/apps that you can have fun with: put the avatars into your own places, and apply the make-up onto your own face, using AR.

All HiddenFloors participants:

@g.i.l.l.i.a.n.m.a.r.t.i.n, @m_v_brown, @digital.soft.wear, @ciorstaidhmonk, @caitlinclairemiller, @mr_chris_hunt, @lynnesloom, @appliedartsscotland, @almaborealis, @anarkik3ddesign, @carriefertigart, @isolatedheroes, @littleperilstudio, @dreamlandclothing, @aubinjewellery, @joamistudio_, @steve_studio, @lateralnorthscot, @fashioninterrupted_ @scotredesign, @vadundee, The Scotland 5G Centre,

#HiddenFloors #SRD23 #FashionInnovation #DigitalFashion #Scottishdesign #scottishfashion #VADundee #scotredesigned #designdundee #S5GC#TeamS5GC

The next post will be about Ann Marie’s process, with Megan’s input on the garments. The third post will be about Ann Marie’s and Megan’s hidden floor in the virtual V&A Dundee construct.