Fashion advertising and campaigning are arguably headed towards a digital future. More and more luxury brands worldwide are testing out the advantages of utilising CGI characters and 3D compositional backdrops over live models and unpredictable real-life settings. “It avoids the problems of in-real-life productions,” says Gloom. It also allows labels the complete control over the brand image.
Total control over one’s image might also be the reason for the emergence of virtual influencers, the paradox which plays a key role in Gloom’s prevailing visual exploration of the construction of identities. “I think different purposes of the use of virtual identities can bring different effects in real life,” the artist says, “But still, we can never tell if a real person’s experiences are true or fake either, so the sense of belonging and influences they seem to have could also be virtual.”
Having collaborated with Grimes on her Buffalo Zine cover – featuring the musician’s digital alter ego, WarNymph –, Ruby Gloom muses about her earlier stages of career, themes behind her 3D creations, the virtualisation of experiences and the inevitability of the digital future.