NOW
Prototyping
insight
Prototype no. 1 evolves from the insight that the fashion industry rarely portrays what the average society looks like, ads frequently show either super skinny bodies or plus-size models, without including what lies in the middle. This leads to the fact that many interviewees do not feel represented by fashion brands, and find it difficult to imagine how garments fit their body types.
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Reminding that Synthetic Media is at the core of this project, how could I have addressed this issue by involving this technology? Face swapping, naturally.
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In this context, using the Deepfake technology also represents an ideal trick to raise debates, issues, and discussions because of its controversial nature.
creation
Prototype no. 1
DEEPFAKES
I created a video that shows a fashion advert displayed onto a billboard. In this fashion advert, we first see a random model, but in a second moment, the same advert changes. Instead of the model, interviewees start seeing their own faces on it.
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How did I make the deepfakes?
Since I enjoy overcomplicating my life, I decided to create deepfake videos from scratch using a software called DeepfaceLab. The whole procedure lasted between one / two months, as I had to understand and learn the process behind it, which is quite time-consuming.
While I was creating the deepfakes, the resolution of some input videos was not good enough, compromising the final result. For this reason, in a few cases, I had to use a mobile application (Reface) to create an acceptable outcome, working with images instead of videos.
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The section On Machine Learning and Deepfakes contains an explanation of the procedure to create deepfakes from zero, together with some theoretical references about Machine Learning.
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Here are some versions of Prototype no. 1:
WATCH \
Prototype no. 2
The second prototype takes Prototype no. 1 to a further level. Not only does it aim at realistically representing the average society, but it also tackles the fact that interviewees often imagine themselves in the situations shown in such adverts.
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As A. said: "I really like fashion adverts when they are set in nice locations because it's easier for me to imagine myself in those kinds of settings".
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The prototype is a simple storyboard that gives context to the fashion ads we see outdoors. It does this by adding elements that are part of our lives: situations, people, places, habits, attitudes, and passions.
OBSERVE \
2. encountering the ad
1. walking
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the ad
Prototype no. 3
SYNTHETIC MEDIA + MR
Prototype no. 3 isn't about billboards or bus stop ads, it focuses on the surrounding spaces.
It studies the integration between Synthetic Media and Mixed Reality technologies to transform our perception of what's around us. It also includes concepts that fall within Digital Fashion.
insight
It evolves from Prototype no. 2, and its purpose is to add stories behind the advertised garments, conveying how it feels to wear them in a more immersive way.
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creation
The prototype consists of an audio track that guides interviewees through voice. To personalise the experience, for each participant I created a different version according to their personal tastes in fashion & music, by also considering the social groups they associate themselves with.
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In the audio track, I am assuming it's London Fashion Week, and the interviewees are wandering around the city. Suddenly, they encounter a mysterious venue that catches their attention. To access this space and join the experience, visitors would give their consent for the collection and re-elaboration of personal information for advertising purposes.
If they accept, magic happens soon. They immerse themselves in this synthetic reality where the unreal takes part in the physical world.
LISTEN \
I wish to clarify that if the prototypes happened in real life, the personalised advert / experience would be accessible by the only person the campaign is addressed to. Interviewees also remarked on this concept during Phase 02 Interviews, manifesting their preference of keeping the experience exclusively for themselves, as they would feel more in control over their privacy.
It may come across as implausible nowadays, but technologies that allow one-to-one personalisation to happen outdoors exist already, and some other alternatives are under development.
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More about it in section One-to-one personalisation.