Hologram Me!

Captivating the attention of people is a hard and stimulating work expecially if someone wants to talk to the superglamorous generation who has luxury in its DNA.

Fashion designers know about this: the effort they put and the talents they gather for the preparation of their 10 minutes catwalk, are all focused on producing intense emotions for their lucky audience. In this direction theatrical displays are transforming catwalks into stage sets and new technologies are finding their chance to be known worldwide. One of the lastest fashion shows by Alexander McQueen saw the image of supermodel Kate Moss emerge in a holographic installation inside a giant glass pyramid. The scene reminded me the main sequence of “The Illusionist“, where a fascinating Edward Norton, impersonating a magician in turn-of-the-20th-century Vienna, summons the spirit of his beloved Sophie. His charismatic gaze made people crazy and watching the movie you realize how important was for audience of that time to believe that his powers weren’t illusions. Nowadays the power of illusions is even more important than power in itself.

We find a similar magical effect in the Diesel catwalk for Spring/Summer Collection 2008: an immersion in the bioluminescent world of giant mechanic cephalopods, futuristic aquanauts and mysterious galactic polips walking with real and holographic models.

Recently a broader audience had the chance to be engaged by holographic technology because a giant water screen-based 3D hologram was set up in Tokyo Bay to advertise the Japanese premiere of the movie about the Loch Ness monster, “The Water Horse“. A set of water jets synchronized with light projections created the amazing illusion of a 15m Nessie emerging from the sea. Can’t wait for the next experiment…