Paris, France – 28 February, 2022: Stage11, the Paris based technology startup building the future of entertainment for the metaverse, showcased today its ongoing collaboration with the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM).
The IFM Master of Arts Students Graduate Show, which opened Paris Fashion Week®, incorporated real and virtual dimensions and for the first time, the thirteen students of the accessory major designed a digital shoe or bag to complement their physical collection.
“This collaboration with Stage11 is altogether new, unique and highly relevant today, as the metaverse and digital designs become part of fashion’s future. This was a very stimulating experience for our students and our faculty.” said Xavier Romatet, Dean of IFM.
“Our collaboration with IFM was a natural connection for our brand vision. The worlds of music and fashion are so intertwined, with one informing and shaping the other through culture. As the fashion industry continues to explore what its future looks like, the metaverse, digital experiences and ultimately, digital goods will be a part of that and the next generation of designers will be the leaders in the space. We are very excited for Stage11 to be a part of shaping the future of fashion,” said Gregory Dhonner, Co-Founder & Director of Business Development.
Olivier Ozoux, Stage11’s Chief Technology Officer, mentored the students, holding regular workshops about how the virtual world can set their imaginations free, unbounded by physical constraints. He helped them understand how digital natives will use virtual fashion to express their identity in the digital space, and how digital clothing will contribute to the future of fashion, preparing the talents of tomorrow for new professions, yet to be created.
“We worked closely with the students to build on their collection concepts, allowing them to develop an accessory that would only exist solely within the digital world. These students can shape the 3D realm of tomorrow which is why our partnership with the IFM is so exciting – these students are the future. Through Stage11 we were able to provide them with the educational tools, resources and platform to explore digital design and metaverse experiences which will certainly change the future of the fashion industry,” said Olivier Ozoux, Stage11 Chief Technology Officer.
Stage11 guided the students throughout their digital design journey, transforming their original sketches into fully realized digital creations all varying dramatically in aesthetic and theme. While many students were inspired by their own personal stories, others decided to focus on experimenting with textures and shapes within a digital space, building metallic designs which behaved like organic, gelatinous objects. There were deeply conceptual works, such as a bag that can transform into a tent allowing users to hold private conversations in the metaverse.
To showcase the co-created digital accessories, part of the IFM fashion show, Stage11 Art Director, Victor Bonafonte developed four fantastical environments in Unreal Engine 5 inspired by a signature workroom at the institute: one envisioning a space overgrown with trees, another bisected by boulders and a bubbling stream. Other designs are presented in a grungy, science-fiction-inspired environment, while a final room imagines how fashion could be displayed in a space without gravity.
Each student has full ownership of their digital accessory and has the opportunity to mint them as NFTs on any digital marketplace.
Every World’s a Stage
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Press Kit
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IFM Master of Arts Graduate Show Opens Paris Fashion Week®
February 28th 2022 at 04:30 PM CET
Link here
Stage11 X IFM Instagram AR Filter
The Stage11 x IFM Instagram AR filter let’s fashion fans around the world visit a virtual showroom at the Institut Français de la Mode and see first hand the digital accessories created by the Master of Arts Graduate Students for Paris Fashion Week® 2022.
The IG filter is available later during Paris Fashion Week on @stage11live (follow us to be notified!).
About Stage11
Founded in Paris in 2020, Stage11 is a technology startup building the future of entertainment for the metaverse. Reimagining traditional entertainment formats making them more interactive and immersive, unleashing the imagination of artists, brands, creators and fans using cutting edge gamification and mixed reality technology. In our metaverse, the audience becomes players and creators, joining their favourite artists in music experiences that range from entirely virtual events to mixed reality performances overlaid onto the physical world. Within our experiences, fans can unlock interactive NFT collectibles ranging from musical performances to digital fashion, virtual items and mixed-reality filters.
Stage11 has headquarters in Paris and Los Angeles to support a team of 35 spread across 10 countries on 3 continents.
About Institut Français de la Mode
Institut Français de la Mode is a higher education institution, a training center for apprentices, a provider of executive education, and a center of expertise for the fashion industry. It provides undergraduate and graduate programs in fashion design, management and craftsmanship.
Institut Français de la Mode is a member of HESAM Université, of the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles and of the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI). It is supported by the French Ministry of Economy. It is recognized by the French Ministry of Higher Education.