Meet Alena Akhmadullina at Dress-X
Alena Akhmadullina clothes are now live at Dress-X. Before the launch, we talked to the famous Russian designer on how she creates her digital clothes and how her vast experience in traditional fashion helps her in this new domain.
Tell us briefly about the brand.
Alena Akhamadullina is a Russian-based brand founded in 2001, existing both in the physical and digital worlds.
Our digital clothing is renowned for its brightness and uniqueness. Each piece from our collection is inspired by Russian culture, traditional clothes and techniques reinvented in a modern way. By using all these we highlight the aesthetics of modern tsarevnas - women that are beautiful, special, and intelligent.
What are the signature features of the collection?
The virtual 3D capsule includes our most recognizable silhouettes - for example, this dress with voluminous sleeves and a flared skirt - and complemented with a brand statement signs in the form of a kokoshnik and cross-stitch embroidery, on which we are closely working in the new collections. Textures mostly resemble traditional materials, such as silk, eco-leather, latex, and transparent plastics.
Some of your pieces represent the digital couture segment. What does digital couture mean for you?
If we talk about what couture is in the traditional sense, then it is a unique handmade piece, and most often dresses for going out. Accordingly, in digital this will also be a dress with some unique complex details that require the highest qualifications of a 3D designer.
Your pieces are composed of many tiny, but well-thought-out elements. Is it easier to create such clothes in a digital format than in real life?
The creation of virtual clothes is a very time-consuming process, comparable in time to making real items. The process of designing virtual clothes itself is very special for a pret-a-porter designer like me, as I cannot work with the fabrics in the way I am used to. 3D products are assembled in exactly the same way using patterns that are different for all sizes. But a 3D designer makes such a cross-stitch embroidery on a dress stitch by stitch, as in manual work.
How much time does it take to create a digital piece and how many people from your team are in charge of this process?
First of all, it starts with a sketch drawn with a pencil, which is then digitized and colored on a computer. Then we turn it into a technical sketch, according to which patterns are made - without them it is impossible to make 3D clothes. Then, from the designer the patterns are transferred to the 3D designer in digital form in a special program, and in another program the designer finally puts them on the avatar and colors it. In total, creating a 3D look takes from 2 to 5 days.
What products would you like to create in digital? Which ones, in your opinion, will be in special demand?
I am convinced that the creation of virtual clothing in the near future will become one of the main activities of the fashion houses. Of course most desirable will be those that look spectacular on photos, which are bright and catchy, since 3D clothing is now used mainly for content and social networks.
What is the future of digital clothing? And what are its possible applications in the future?
In the nearest future most of our life will be spent online, where digital humans or our virtual incarnations will buy digital clothes for themselves and live the life of their owner's dreams. They will be able to fulfil their dreams of home, travel, clothing, and lifestyle. Watch the movie ‘Ready Player One’ - it tells exactly about our future. There are also great use cases for digital fashion clothing for the online games, where gamers already spend real money on their virtual avatars. I am convinced that the creation of virtual clothing will become one of the main activities of fashion.
Shop Alena Akhmadullina at Dress-X.