Making digital fashion for the Met Gala

Here’s my take on this year’s theme 😁

May 10, 2024

Hi Fun Gs,

As many of you may know, the first Monday in May is a big deal in the physical fashion world - it’s the Met Gala! I was so inspired by what I saw worn at the event earlier this week that I just had to make a digital version.

This year’s Met Gala theme was the Garden of Time. Adding my signature spin to this concept, I wanted to combine my Chinese heritage with the digital piece I created. I began collecting inspiration from Chinese Hanfus and different avant-garde inspirations to get my creative juices flowing.

Building this particular look definitely took up some time. I ended up going through a ton of iterations to find the one I liked. The thing that annoyed me the most was the bundling and draping of the digital fabric because it kept intersecting with the avatar’s feet or the other layers of fabric when I tried simulating.

But, I got there in the end. Next, it was texturing time and this is when I got really excited. This part of the process is always super fun for me as I get to create custom patterns and finishes.

In the end, I went with a transparent texture because I wanted the drapes to have an element of grandeur but not completely overshadow the Qipao dress underneath. From a material perspective, I wanted the piece to stand out since the mesh is not only transparent but also slightly metallic. This combination catches light reflection beautifully which you can see in the next image where I have lit the scene.

Here, I decorated the shoulder section with floral patterns to encapsulate the “garden” aspect of the Met Gala theme. I then drew interweaving graphic lines which speaks to the “time” element of the event’s theme.

When I say lighting is key, I mean it. Studio lighting will instantly transform your garment from average to exceptional. Plus, it sets the mood for the atmosphere and vibe you are trying to give off when someone interacts with your piece.

I actually made this all in one day which is … pretty insane. Usually, I like to take my time and add detail but the excitement in me just couldn’t be contained once I got this idea in my head. Did you think I managed to get the theme right?

Here’s the design process (I’m aiming to edit a full process video on YouTube soon):

stephyfung