Watch Kobe Bryant throw a three-pointer on AR clothes
A British designer brings clothing to life through augmented reality. This is what it looks like when designs suddenly move on AR clothes.
The Beatles, Amazon, Adidas, Billie Eilish, Disney. These are just a few brands and artists who have already collaborated with Doddz. Andy "Doddz" Evans started out as a street artist and is now a sought-after augmented reality designer. However, you can only see his "Interactive Fashion" if you scan the AR clothes with your smartphone beforehand.
Augmented reality brings clothing to life
About five years ago, Andy Evans, known as "Doddz," wanted to go in a different direction artistically and began experimenting with new technologies. The choice quickly fell on augmented reality.
"It made sense that there wouldn’t be much AR art as it’s still very much in its infancy. As soon as I experimented with Augmented Reality, the reaction was significantly different (in a good way) than all previous attempts, so I doubled down, and here we are," the artist explained in an interview.
When the T-shirt logo suddenly plays basketball
Many of his AR designs for social media are based on Meta's Spark AR, which uses marker tracking to allow 3D effects to be incorporated into 2D content. Unlike fashion label Carlings' AR Instagram shirts, which feature a static logo design on a white shirt, Doddz's AR clothing is interactive.
The design starts moving as soon as you scan it with your smartphone. A Star Wars-inspired fighter on the back of a track jacket suddenly starts waving a laser sword around. A basketball player on the back of a sweater starts shooting hoops.
3D artists conquer the fashion and advertising industry
3D artists like Doddz are becoming increasingly important to the fashion and luxury industries. Brands like L'Oréal and Louis Vuitton want to conquer the metaverse and need to break new ground to do so. L'Oréal has been investing in AR apps for years and acquired startup Modiface in 2018.
Asmita Dubey, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at L'Oréal, wants to prepare the brand for the metaverse together with animators, 3D artists, and software engineers.
"We’re thinking about immersive experiences. We know that we will go from 2D to 3D beauty, so what does that look like? And from there we’re looking at virtual influence, avatars, products and collectibles. We’re exploring all of that to understand the new visual codes, the new ways people see beauty," Dubey said.
AR artist sees augmented reality on the rise
Evans partners his company with many major brands in sports, fashion, and tech. He designs entire AR campaigns for Sony, Twitch, and the Coachella Festival.
For him, augmented reality is one of the central technologies of the next few years. According to the 28-year-old designer, AR headsets could soon replace smartphones, provided they become lighter, more comfortable, and more durable.
"Mobile devices have taken us as far as they can and staring at the screen feels unnatural, disconnecting from the surroundings. AR allows you to do everything a phone does and more, and you’re now connected back to an enhanced version of your environment," Doddz said.
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