In a world where we don’t know what the future holds, especially in the changing world of the fashion industry, Hanifa’s 3D digital fashion show has paved the way for a new fashion game and set the pace for the future of the runway.
For many, holding your first runway show at New York Fashion Week, is huge. This year Anifa Mvuemba, founder of fashion label Hanifa, was looking forward to doing just that. But when the coronavirus pandemic spoiled those plans, she came up with a new way to unveil her latest designs to the world.
Anifa has been using 3D mock-ups for a while to convey ideas to her team during sample-making. She discussed in an interview that she was intrigued by the realistic 3D animation that began to appear in movies and she was curious about how it could be applied to fashion. During the pandemic, she found she had more time to play with the 3D technology herself, this gave her the idea of creating an entire 3D fashion show.
Recently she held a virtual fashion show streamed over on Instagram Live. As tens of thousands of Hanifa’s quarter of a million followers tuned in, each garment appeared in 3D, worn by invisible models strutting across a catwalk. The garments hugging every curve and showcasing every detail against a crisp black backdrop.
From a colorful backless ribbed dress representing the colour of the Congo flag. To a curve-hugging maxi dress completed with detailed pockets and side ruching. To the finale’s floor length silk gown emblazoned with grassy hills and rivers, every piece told a story.
“I want these pieces to tell a story of meaning. I want them to remind us to be intentional about what we create. Not for clout or for Instagram likes, but for the sake of meaning what we say by storytelling through our designs,” Anifa said in an interview.
During the Instagram showcase, comments of praise continued to pour in, with one commenting “This brand is at the forefront of innovation. The designs are so beautiful and full of detail. And the motivation behind it is even more inspiring. The creativity and talent really jumped out.”
While another commented “At a loss for words. You guys just rocked the industry in so many ways. The designs NEED to be on my body, someway, somehow and so as a conclusion, TAKE ALL MY MONEY ? Congrats ???”
Shortly after the show, screen recordings quickly made their way to Twitter and went viral. The show was later dubbed “innovative,” “game-changing,” and “history-making” by viewers.
As the fashion industry continues to navigate in the coming months and digital shows potentially become more common. In addition to creating a possible blueprint for the future of fashion and fashion shows, Hanifa’s virtual 3D fashion show also displays how the use of 3D models and technologies can offer a different way for consumers to access clothing. This is an exciting time for fashion.
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