Who hasn’t seen amazing “works of art” and bizarre creative experiments created with Midjourney on their social networks this summer? Whether it’s a Frida Kahlo-style fashion collection or a fusion of Denzel Washington and Kratos, the new Artificial Intelligence program for images seems to have virtually infinite potential. It only takes a few seconds to create your own unpublished and original work of art.
The software is able to create complex illustrations starting from simple sentences: it is the artificial intelligence that “combines” words and images, mixing millions of illustrations and photos online. The final result varies depending on the keywords that are entered, passing from Japanese manga to images worthy of the best horror.
Midjourney, dubbed “the engine of the imagination”, was created by David Holz, founder of Leap Motion, the most advanced hand-tracking technology in the world. But do you know where Holz comes from? Not from Meta, not from Google, not from third millennium platforms. David Holz comes from Mars. In fact, after his degree in mathematics and physics, he began his career as a researcher at NASA working for years on LiDAR, the program dedicated to missions to Mars and atmospheric sciences.
If we are faced with a monster, a technological miracle or just a soap bubble, time (but perhaps also man) will tell us. What we do know is that this virtual creature is dividing public opinion in two, especially after the first prize of the art competition organised by the Colorado State Fair was awarded to “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial”, a work by Jason Allen made with Midjourney.
Do you support those who think that Midjourney can be an incredible ally and an empowerment tool for artists, illustrators, stylists, art directors and all those who work in the world of the image or those who experience it as the destroyer of human art and creativity?
Fashion has a serious image problem – it’s one of the most polluting industries in the world responsible for 10% of global CO2 emissions. If brands want to stay relevant, they may need to move away from encouraging people to consume more and instead persuade them to consume better.
While some brands like Patagonia incorporate their sustainability credentials into their products, the Scandinavian fashion brand Samsøe Samsøe has launched a collection that comes with Resell Tags stitched into each piece. The tags are QR codes that contain various bits of data about the item, such as the colour, model, fabric and size, making reselling each item a painless process. Scanning the QR code creates an ad for the piece of clothing on Instagram and Facebook marketplaces, with all the relevant product details automatically filled in.
“This item is made to be resold” is written on the label. The Resell Tag represents a functional tool that allows its consumers to make a difference in the environment. In addition to positioning itself as a sustainable brand, the resell tag implicitly communicates the quality of its products to its customers: so high that it can pass from hand to hand.
The second-hand market now called “delicately worn clothing resale” is booming: with a value of $36 billion in 2021, it is expected to grow 11 times faster than traditional retail. The resale of used items that seems to be one of the best response to the environment crisis involving two players. Brands that have to design only garments capable of lasting over time, consumers who must sell only garments “used with love.”
Gucci and metaverse are now an incredibly successful combination. After the “Gucci Garden” project, now the luxury brand has decided to secure a permanent presence on Roblox.
Thus was born Gucci Town, a small virtual city that expresses the vision of the creative director Alessandro Michele. In this space in the metaverse, everything is planned according to the values ​​and aesthetics of the Maison with a series of spaces used for activities that allow visitors to interact with the brand. There is the Mini Game Heights, from which you can access an arena of games totally inspired by Gucci and there is the Creative Corner, where users can admire exhibitions of well-known artists and in turn create works of art.
But the heart of the city is the Vault Plaza, inspired by the Vault, the brand’s experimental concept store. And nearby is the inevitable Gucci Shop, the boutique where visitors can buy digital items, to collect or to wear to their avatars. But Gucci is not limited to clothes and launches a truly daring challenge. What’s the first thing that stops making sense in a virtual world? The scent.
Gucci Flora is the House’s first fragrance in the metaverse. It is the first Gucci beauty product to appear in the popular Roblox game with a special avatar: the multi-platinum selling recording artist Miley Cyrus. She is ready to guide a new expression of the scent with an immersive, virtual takeover.
The Bundy Mixer has just ended, marking a new era of fantasy sport. The Bundy Mixer, launched in August 2022 by the Australian Bundaberg Rum, is a seven-week game where the participants select three NRL (National Rugby League) players and three NRLW (National Women’s Rugby League) players each week to have fun with people and to win great weekly prizes.
Observing the rapidly rising stars of the women’s rugby league, Bundaberg Rum approached the NRL adding a refreshing take to NRL Fantasy. It’s the first time in the Fantasy Game that fans nationwide were finally able to pick the best of the best, not just the best of the blokes.
Marketing Manager Jodi McLeod said she understood the wide appeal of the fantasy game and was keen to break down perceptions by levelling the playing field. “At Bundy we want to champion the profiles of the women’s game, highlight the capabilities of the female players and influence Aussies to engage in the game and assist us in our pursuit to create equal space for everyone in sport.”
The Bundy Mixer is a way to elevate the profiles of the Women Rugby Players by championing their individual talent and abilities. A new model of the game that has been very successful in rugby, and which will probably be exported to the fantasy championships of all sports. From football to volleyball, from basketball to water polo, creating a mixed team is not only step towards gender equality, but it makes the game much more challenging and fun.
