Emboss and Deboss, in a dreamlike trance
Found themselves in a strange circumstance
In a world where the rules had no chance
And reality was just a fleeting dance
Emboss, the master of raised relief
Asked Deboss, "do you know the thief
Who stole my power and caused my grief
Leaving me flat, without any belief?"
Deboss, the master of sunken art
Replied, "I know not of this part
But let us not dwell on a broken heart
And instead, let us make a brand new start."
They wandered through a world surreal
Where up was down and the ground would peel
And nothing was quite as it did feel
And the stars would dance, their fate to seal
Emboss said, "I am lost without my skill
Without my power, my soul is ill"
Deboss replied, "But look around, we fill
This world with wonder, and that is our thrill"
And so, they journeyed on and on
In a world where right and wrong were gone
And where the surreal was the new norm
And they found their power in the art of form.
Atelier Blancmange + ChatGPT
Among the 133 designers included in the first Artificial Intelligence Fashion Week 23 (AIFW23), there is an international collective called Atelier Blancmange.
Their collection is entitled "Emboss/Deboss" and features a selection of gender-neutral sporty and casual garments and accessories (sneakers, rubber boots, bags, sunglasses, hats, headbands and jewelry) characterized by visually catching three-dimensional effects calling to mind sculptures and bas reliefs.
Their press release mentions as inspiration "a mix of Classical, Renaissance, Mannerist, Baroque and Neoclassical sculptures, but also the 50th anniversary of the birth of Hip Hop and the architectures of a pristine and futuristic temple located in an alternative multiverse".
The gender-neutral collection revolves around two palettes, a brighter one with shades such as canary yellow, royal blue, crimson red and emerald green, and a softer pastel palette, with wisteria, mint green and flamingo, bubblegum and hot pink.
The collective used Midjourney (v5) to design the garments and accessories and pushed the system to create three-dimensional surfaces, conjuring up the illusion of depth on fabrics and developing something that Artificial Intelligence doesn't have, a tactile dimension through engraved and raised surfaces and textiles.
Atelier Blancmange also used Artificial Intelligence to generate a poetic yet playful text – a multi-sensory symbolic dialogue between two characters, Emboss and Deboss – to accompany the collection, created in collaboration with ChatGPT.
Drifting in a topsy-turvy world that has gone surreal and where no rights or wrongs exist anymore, the unlikely duo engage in an entertaining game of opposites, toying with dualities in spatial concepts (above and under / inside and outside), states of perception (material and immaterial / tangible and intangible / digital and physical) and cognitive architectures (human and artificial). In their imaginative journey there is a positively optimistic message: stars do not always align in our lives, but beauty can still be created. Or found.
Where does the name of the collective name come from?
Atelier Blancmange: The name of our international collective is inspired by the alien Blancmange from Planet Skyron in the infamous Monty Python sketch.
What prompted (pun unintended) you to take part in the AIFW event?
AB: Many of us are interested in exploring new and innovative ways of designing and producing clothing. When we heard about the fashion competition, we knew that it was an opportunity for us to share our vision with a wider audience and maybe network with other designers and industry professionals.
Where does the inspiration for your collection come from?
AB: We had a series of images in mind: as stated in our press release, we used a mix of Classical, Renaissance, Mannerist, Baroque and Neoclassical sculptures. Rather than fashion designs we also had in mind architectural costumes such as the ones for Gioachino Rossini's Semiramide, directed by Pier Luigi Pizzi in 1980, that derive from the engravings in Masquerade à la Grecque by French architect Ennemond-Alexandre Petitot. While creating the collection we were listening to a lot of Hip Hop, in particular Tierra Whack, and keeping firmly in mind the 50th anniversary of the birth of the genre, and that was an inspiration for the sporty yet cool looks. Colour-wise we wanted to recreate the exuberance of album covers such as De La Soul's groundbreaking 1989 album "3 Feet High and Rising" and the joy of playing with Lego sets in vibrant shades. For the runway show ambiance and moods we had in mind the pink sets (remember Pinky's villa, with tone on tone statues and his pink coffin?) in What a Way To Go directed by J. Lee Thompson and the architectures of a pristine and futuristic temple located in an alternative multiverse (think Everything Everywhere All at Once).
What kind of prompts did you use to create it? For example, did you feed the Midjourney Bot with any pre-existing images?
AB: No, we didn't, because our aim was seeing if we could recreate our moods and feelings using only a verbal prompt. We live in a very visual world, but our collective is in love with words. We eventually managed to recreate what we had in mind by changing the position of specific words, playing around with terms from the semantic field of art and referencing sculptures and the embossed/debossed techniques.
What inspired the ChatGPT dialogue?
AB: As we said we love words and we wanted to add an AI element also to our text, and a bit of drama as well. We wanted to craft a compelling narrative that could capture people's attention and the key themes and influences behind the collection. Fashion storytelling is fascinating since it creates a story that resonates with people. Personifying the two techniques behind the collection allowed us to come up with an imaginative dialogue that plays with dualities and dichotomies, but also offers people a positively optimistic message.
How long did it take you to create the collection?
AB: It was a bit of a long learning process. We started experimenting with AI text-to-image systems in December and began investigating the potential of AI in fashion between January and February. We were accepted to take part in the first AIFW in March, after submitting 5 images of another collection. We kept on developing that one for 4 weeks, but felt the system was limited especially when it came to generating Black models and curvy / plus size models, so our runway seemed to lack diversity. While working on this first collection, we decided to experiment also with a new three-dimensional and sculptural inspiration. Eventually Midjourney v5 was released: as the new version generated a wider range of models on and off the runway and seemed to interpret in better ways our sculptural inspiration, we decided to scrap everything and start from scratch again, so in the end it took us 6-7 weeks to come up with the final collection.
How many designs did you include in the collection?
AB: We did thirty images showing the designs on models, then another thirty images with close-ups of the accessories. As extras we designed close-ups of textiles, street styles, guests sitting in the front row, models in the backstage and moodboards. So we recreated a complete "fashion show" package.
Which were the most difficult aspects of creating such a collection?
AB: Probably editing down the hundreds of images we generated and coming up with a coherent and cohesive collection. We also wanted the light to interact with different surfaces, creating intriguing visual effects and that was challenging as well. Aside from that, the front row images were a bit tricky as Midjourney wasn't responding well to our prompts to include statues sitting in the front row, but kept on generating hybrid creatures, half human and half statue. It was bizarre and a bit disturbing, but we got there eventually!
Are you happy about how it turned out and which is your favorite look?
AB: It was a long process, with a lot of trials and errors, but eventually we got what we wanted and we're definitely happy about it. We like each look for different reasons, some of us prefer the palette in brighter and more vivid colours and others the gothic pastel palette, but we really like all the designs.
What do you think about the other collections included in the AIFW23?
AB: It's simply amazing how each and every participant came up with their own vision and dream! The bar is high, so we wish all of them the best in the competition and with their future as well.
In which ways do you think that AI can benefit the fashion industry?
AB: AIFW23 offers a platform to demonstrate just some of the potential of AI in the fashion industry. The applications of Artificial Intelligence are endless: guess AI will become an essential tool for many designers and the most powerful fashion houses will also have their own AI departments soon (well, many of them already have them…). It can be used to create prints, generate quick ideas for a moodboard or allow a designer to conceptualise a collection before working on it, but it could also be employed to create new and innovative blends of items from a fashion archive. AI can also help designers to optimize their production processes and predict market trends. For example, AI can be used to analyze data from past production runs to identify areas where improvements can be made. This can help designers to reduce waste, streamline their manufacturing processes, and increase the overall quality of their products. Another way that AI can benefit fashion designers is by helping them to predict market trends. By analyzing large amounts of data from social media, search engines, and other sources, AI can help designers to identify which styles and colors are likely to be popular in the future.
And in which ways you'd like to use AI in connection with fashion?
AB: We aren't that interested in using AI to create a collection that looks real or that looks totally unreal and fantastic. We believe indeed that AI applications should be used to experiment futuristic options and innovative tailoring and textile interventions that may then be translated into reality.
Do you think AI will revolutionise the fashion industry?
AB: Artificial Intelligence is poised to revolutionize numerous industries, ranging from design and fashion to art and architecture. However, it will have the most significant impact on the fields of science and medicine.
Are you worried about copyright issues and Artificial Intelligence generated images in fashion?
AB: As Artificial Intelligence gains momentum, the issue of copyright is emerging as a crucial consideration. We firmly believe that despite the system's unpredictability, the generated image is a product of the prompt, and there is originality in the output created through AI. At present we are not concerned about copyrights in connection with AIFW23 as our primary objective was to participate in the event for enjoyment and learning, which we successfully achieved.
Would you be interested in converting your AI collection into an actual collection?
AB: Sure, and we have investigated the possibilities to do so. One of the methods to materialize the collection in real life would be fleece with silicone embossing or screen printing with puff additives to create a faux embossed effect. Other innovative techniques may also be explored to create such effects, like three dimensional thermowelding. Accessories could instead be produced with silicone, rubber, leather and 3D printing.
What plans do you have for the future?
AB: We feel that with "Emboss/Deboss" we have embarked on an experimental journey and wish to continue exploring AI systems. We view this as merely the beginning of our adventure, and we aim to push the boundaries further, not only in fashion design but also in the realm of architectural spaces.
You can check out Atelier Blancmange's collection for AI Fashion Week 23 on the platform's dedicated app and vote for your favourite designer from a mobile device after registering your mobile phone number.