With the rapid progress of AI technology, the fusion of fashion and traditional culture has brought endless exciting innovations. Recently, “The Magic Ship of the Orient”, created by Associate Professor Wu Liang from the Department of Visual Communication and the Visual Multimedia Team at Donghua University, clinched four gold awards for fashion, animation, art & design, and motion graphics in the video category of the MUSE Creative Awards.
“The Magic Ship of the Orient” made its debut as part of the “FASHION FROM THE ORIENT” multimedia fashion show at the 2023 World Design Capital Conference (WDCC). The creative team boldly reconstructed a metaverse-style show staging with elements of traditional oriental culture. They composed a massive spacecraft, the “The Magic Ship of the Orient” using Chinese folding fans, pipa (a plucked string instrument), and engines, showcasing dynamic scroll paintings of One Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains, the myth of phoenixes, the gardents of Jiangnan, Shikumen architecture, and contemporary Shanghai.
The creative team employed 3D animation, AIGC, and naked-eye 3D technology to craft a scene that seamlessly blends the real with the virtual, marrying futuristic and retro themes while integrating sound, light, visuals, and performance into a holistic and innovative design expression, bringing into full play the concept of “sensory domain” in a cutting-edge artistic extravaganza for audiences both online and offline.
Though “The Magic Ship of the Orient” presented to the audience lasts merely 2 minutes and 40 seconds, its creation process was fraught with challenges. Wu Liang’s team had to overcome the fusion dilemma between AI technology and runway performances, ensuring that AI’s integration into the stage setting not only preserved the unique charm of traditional culture but also delivered a fresh visual experience. After numerous adjustments and finr-tuning, the team finally struck the optimal balance. Wu Liang remarked that the application of AI technology in the fashion industry is just the beginning, and there is much more effort needed to leverage AI’s advantages while respecting traditional culture. The team is committed to further exploring the integration of modern AI technology with traditional culture, promising to bring more surprises to the fashion world and rejuvenate traditional culture with new vitality in this modern era.
