I've had the opportunity to watch a recent fashion week in SL. I took some footage of some shows and below you can watch the last show, before the final one.
There are several aspects to consider here: I've stated over and over again that it's my true belief that the closer to RL, the better a fashion event will be inworld - obviously considering SL limitations.
In RL, all new collections from many designers are released in fashion weeks all over the world, for the first time.
In SL, there have been fashion weeks since the time Modavia was still an active modeling agency. They used to do their fashion weeks at the same time as NYC Fashion week - around September, at least, I had the opportunity of watching them two years in a row.
Then Avenue did two fashion weeks as well, within a year period.
This latest fashion week I watched was a wreck. Total flop.
What I saw was an agency that is screaming to the entire SL modeling and fashion scene - we are here, we are alive, we never stop.
Eventually, in this urge to show themselves as a very active agency, the results could be seen, not only in this latest fashion week, but also in the previous one this same agency organized.
Both sets were terrible, in my opinion.
This latest one was some kind of cathedral. What is the problem with a cathedral as a fashion set for a fashion week? In itself, none.
However, the way the building was texturized took all the attention away from the clothes. After all, thinking from the perspective of a designer, you would want your collection to shine. It was visually impossible. All colors, details, materials were outshined by the whole building's textures. No matter what those models wore, the outfits didn't shine at all.
In the audience area, the place was packed with logos of all designers represented in this 'fashion week', piled up without any consideration of space and basic aesthethics.
Then, the performance of some models on the runway brought me back to why I decided in 2009 to create a quite opinionated blog. How is it possible that after all these years, models keep repeating the same mistakes, over and over again?
Again, I observe this craving for 'fame', instead of working models, like a regular job, just as it is in RL. What is most unfortunate is that the more ´famous´ the model is, the worst she performs on the runway. I have to say that the male models I watched did a very good job, though.
This time, there were situations that we simply cannot blame on lag or other circumstances; circumstances depending only on SL viewers.
Pose repetition - it's not lag.
Arms up and pointing - it's not lag.
Empty runway for about five minutes (!!!) - that is not lag!
As soon as you have the opportunity to watch the video of the whole show, you'll see what I mean. This show took about an hour (!!!) in a fashion week! The runway was empty several times and that's not lag. It only speaks of the poor organization of this ´fashion event´.
I did my best to edit the video in real time. You will be able to see time go by and nobody on the runway at least on two different occasions.
As usual, I write my comments on the video. It was very sad to watch this show, situations repeating themselves, after all the years I've been writing this blog.
There are no names in the video. I name no models.
Just watch, if you have the time and the patience.
I have the complete footage of the final show of this 'fashion week', too. I just wondered for some time if it was worth it to spend my time editing it. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth it.
If you didn't watch the final show of this 'fashion event', in the end, they brought to the runway all the staff that was backstage, naming who did what.
I was flabbergasted! That isn't important! Only in SL this seems to be accepted as a 'regular thing to do' after a fashion show!
Every fashion week for real, by the end of the show , will bring to the runway THE DESIGNER! Not the staff that was backstage! I mean, was this for real?
Have you ever seen a real life fashion show where they actually bring out the show manager - yes, the guy who is wearing a headset and sending models out? All backstage people, in a real life fashion show - especially the stylists that are prepping models - are wearing a hearing device that will allow them to listen to what the manager is saying and how much time they have to completely set up a model, ready to go out!
Then, models go out and in the end the designer goes out too.
But not here, no! Let's bring up all the agency's staff! Sad, truly sad to have such a distorted vision of what a fashion show really is! It's not about the agency! It's about the DESIGNERS!
Here's the video, forgive some of my slippy fingers ( yes, typos) sometimes on the comments.
I've been informed there are more 'fashion weeks' coming up in SL.
One of them will have all shows at 10am SLT. All shows? Do they mean that they will have several shows, during a whole week ( that's why these are called Fashion Weeks), in several locations - meaning several shows each day, always at 10am?
Or do they mean they will do a fashion week with ONE show per day? THAT is NOT a fashion week. It won't be!
Another modeling agency in SL in desperate need to show some activity? Looks like it!
3 comments:
I could not agree more... I always say to my students this simple fact: can not be done in RL? Can not be done in SL Period! and yes the so called "Divas" most be the ones to be perfect in every way but sadly it is not that way in many cases (Many others still doing a great job) and the next generation of models is watching and they are a very bad example for them because if they see top models doing that then it can be done right?. I think hat if you are tire of modeling not to give your 100% and totally respect the designers and the agency and you don´t care any more, well stop modeling let people remember you as your were that perfect model and not this sad terrible model you've become And yes true also is that some egos lately go above quality. But hey there are people in the fashion industry doing great things as well :)
Regards,
POnchituti Boucher
Much appreciated for your comment Ponchituti.
I try my best to capture moments in SL modeling that I find not to be good. Unfortunately, these moments or events have a huge exposure, so many new models think that some things are okay to do on a runway - even if this is SL. Not true.
And you're right. There are SL models and agencies doing a great job. For me, it's all about quality, quality, quality.
Again, I thank you for your input on this.
First of all, I would like to thank you all the comments you make here. I am agree with almost everything. And as one of the models who has taken part in this show, I want to specify some things, which maybe could prevent that the whole fault relapses into the model.
There were very strict directives for estylings, in the a lot of cases requested by the own designer or the direction of the styling responsables of the show, especially with the use of hair and makeup without mattering if it were favouring or not to the avatar as it happens in RL. I think it was done trying to do as in a RL fashion show, the problem here is that the tatoos for makeups are made with the taste and phisognomy of the creator and it change complete the models original look (like lips and eyeshadows). And the hair... the same hair does not look the same in one or other avatar.
Poses. This is the very hardest part of all. There were one or two persons checking stylings and poses. In my case, they eliminated many of the poses that I had chosen for these outfits because the person who was checking or had the idea of that possing means to be simply, sure, boring, without grace or attitude, or the responsable was continuing with the procedure of the former school of the prohibition of use of determined pose fierce. Even they made me the comment of which they need to "uniform" all, this way those models that knew about posing, had to lower her level not to stand out on others.
I do not try to eliminate my faults, but there was a part of the show where I lost completly the catwalk, the poses even manual, were not working, freezing the animation to half a way, or being activated the ones I used in previous stylings. My viewer, my connection, the lag my infamy or everything toguether. I do not know, but recognize after seeing the video that this one has not been my better work and thanks again for indicate my mistakes, I will try not to fall in the same for next shows.
Now one thing that hurts me. You said "Is she a SL model? Or a pretty avatar? I bet you'll find many faces like this one. Nothing stands out in her face. Just get the same skin and every girl will look like her". I have to say: Yes, I am a model, and think I am a good model. I was using a hair that does not fit me, I was using the makupe the demanded me to use. I know a lot of avatars that use the same skin, and don't know any other that looks like I do. I don't care saying that I use the skin RIA from Belleza. Please could you show me at least one avatar which use the same skin and looks like I do? (you can check my real look in https://www.facebook.com/euridice.qork)
Thanks again for your comments.
Euridice Qork
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