Shudu Gram World’s First Digital Supermodel
The Fascinating World Of Instagram's Virtual Celebrities
Think about that born-adult-wearing jewelry on her and makeup. Now she becomes an influencer and starts wearing clothes... What's next gram-DNA-born humanoid?
Gorgeous, popular, sought-after by brands... but these models on Instagram aren't real. They're digitally created. And to a lot of people, that doesn't matter at all.
In April 2017, an image of an unknown model on Instagram set off an online global hunt for her identity. With her long limbs and flawless dark skin, she immediately attracted followers. Who was this mysterious beauty who called herself Shudu?
Inspired by a Barbie doll called Princess of South Africa; Shudu is the creation of London-based photographer Cameron-James Wilson. “ She is not a real model unfortunately, but she represents a lot of the real models today”. He continued to explain that “…intent is not to fool or trick anyone,…but rather to be a beacon of inspiring beauty and creativity.” Using a 3D modelling program, he explained how it takes him several days to come up with one single shot where Shudu is doing some pose or another.
Back in time, but not so far, Louis Vuitton's creative director Ghesquière initiated this fashion trend in 2016 by tapping an anime character, Final Fantasy's female heroine, Lightning, for its Spring/Summer ad campaign. Lightning appeared on billboards alongside models Rianne Van Rompaey, Sarah Brannon, Jean Campbell, Fernanda Ly, Doona Bae, and Jayden Smith. Lightning illustrates a perfect representation of "a global, heroic woman for a world where social networks and communications are now seamlessly woven into our life" and "the symbol of new pictorial processes, one that heralds a new era of expression."
Prada, for instance with its Fall/Winter 2018 partnership with “the mysterious cyber model” lilmiquela, which included an Instagram sensation for this “made money by designing for and working with brands” by Brud. Los Angeles-based Brud specialises in "problem-solvers in robotics, artificial intelligence and their applications to media businesses" has been linked to lilmiquela, who boasts 880k Instagram followers, a top song on Spotify, merch and articles about her in publications ranging from Nylon to Vogue.
The luxury brands rely on influencer marketing and given various advances in technology, which make it increasingly difficult to distinguish the real from the fake when navigating the cyberspace, it looks like companies would be tempted to create influencers of their own by relying on a lucrative marketing method of the computer generated versions of influencers who will work non-stop and could travel at the speed of studio faster than at the speed of light.
Could you imagine a world where “celebrity,” like so many other jobs we consider essentially human, could be automated! This shouldn't be a surprise! Remember Tom Raider and all their other peers from animes to mangas.
Is this a premise that influencers' jobs could very easily be replaced by robots and digital-generated avatar without friends and relatives in the real world?
For instance Shudu is building her own platform now - like a real human "As more people started to follow Shudu, she was quickly becoming an influencer, despite Wilson’s (the designer & creator) artistic intentions".
"If you think about social media, Instagram isn’t you. It’s just a digital version of you." – Justin Rezvani
"A digital supermodel brings a whole new dimension to the way a company can market its products. It’s a very cool idea." – Tameka Small
"The human aspect of influencer marketing is the key to it. I don’t know how you can replicate that." – Giordano Contestabile
Read More on Shudu.gram, ilmiquela, LV anime model:
The Fascinating World Of Instagram's Virtual Celebrities
Computer Generated Model Oustounds Internet
How a photographer fooled Instagram with a digitally generated 'supermodel'
Introducing Shudu; The World’s First Digital Supermodel!
Instagram's Virtual Influencers are Making Real Money, Bringing Real Benefits
What's human? Instagram's faux influencers gain real followers Miquela Sousa is what every Instagram influencer aspires to be — but she's not a real person.
(Credit IG: Cameron-James Wilson) for images from Shudu.gram: http://bit.ly/2q9lGh3
(Credit IG: Brud) for images from lilmiquela: http://bit.ly/2q9Jr8C
(Credit: Louis Vuitton) for images from Google: http://bit.ly/2H4XENM
