The photo I chose to post today, which is in contrast to the last one I posted on Instagram, is about what I am thinking of as retro-reality. In this photo I have my two feet firmly planted on the ground, I am sitting in front of an actual brick and mortar retail store and in my bag are recycled clothes. I am dressed in worn and old jeans, comfortable sneakers and a beat up trench. The photo has no filters and no retouching at all. I have little or no make-up on.
I have a subscription to a site that shares fashion campaigns and films as one of my sources of inspiration. Today as I was scrolling down I literally came across a campaign that made me want to recoil in horror. I was so distracted by this feeling I could not even concentrate on the clothes. They are wiped from my memory.
The cause of this emotional disruption was the pre-fall look book offered up from Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini. who decided to feature, alongside human models, the CGI (Computer Generated Image) influencer Noonoouri, who has 215,000 Instagram followers. Why are we having computer generated models and influencers when we still have not reached a point where real human women of every imaginable type are included and represented in fashion? Let’s finish one project before we start another here. If we can’t achieve true inclusion in real life how can we promote it through CGI’s? But this rationalization did not feel like a good fit with the feeling.
My extreme response puzzled me, I just could not physically bear to look at it and I am generally okay with technological advances. I had a professor during my doctoral studies who had written a book predicting and talking about how humans would part by part become robots over time and human functions would in fact be taken over. I myself have a piece of technology in my body that replaces an organic body part: my hip. I think of my professor frequently these days as I am watching commercials where robots do your vacuuming and your voice can ask another voice to start your laundry, turn on the oven or scare intruders away. I am both intrigued and horrified.
So as this disturbing feeling lingered I decided to start looking into it, starting with googling CGI and soon found the explanation. Almost 100 years ago, psychologists came up with something that they named “the uncanny”. This is what they called an experience that seems familiar yet foreign at the same time. Apparently this causes some kind of brain confusion which culminates in feelings of fear and/or repulsion. Not thought to be a real priority there was not much further study into this phenomenon until now when the many human things we are familiar with, like voices, gestures, appearance and behaviors are being replicated through animation and by robotic engineers.
Apparently, as my reaction shows, this has become problematic for those in this field and other fields wishing to use and evolve this kind of technology. Somewhere in-between humans and old-fashioned cartoons these new forms seem to evoke very uneasy feelings when they closer and closer to humanness and then fall into what is called an “uncanny valley”. Prior to that point as they become more human we like them. Scientists are currently working very hard on this problem because they want these forms to be pleasing to us. There are a few hypotheses out there to explain the valley but no real answers as of yet.
I have one of my own. Maybe it is a very primal survival instinct that species that are about to get extinct start having. Let’s ask the Amur Leopard.
So I am really, really curious what’s your reaction when you click on the lookbook?
My reaction is annoyed. Looks like a Bratz doll.
I didn’t feel repulsed but I greatly dislike the look of Noonoori. The juxtaposition of the infantile form ( big head small body, yes like a Bratz doll) with an adult human is unsettling. I wouldn’t view again.
Yes it evokes a very weird feeling that I’m a little uneasy about. It is probably our future…. I’ll miss humanity
Resa
Hi, I recommend that like, Lyn, we look deeper into ourselves trying to understand the feelings, particularly if they are negative..
Have you red Yuval Noah Harrari “21 lessons…”? If not, I thoroughly recommend reading it. It will advance your thinking and feelings about this very topic: imminent blend of humans and robots.
Personally, like Resa, I will miss humans (it’s a figure of speech, I will long be dead before Bladerunner 2049 vision becomes a reality).
But because I’m high wired for optimism, I believe that humanity will adapt for a little while before becoming almost extinct. And that my friends, will actually be good for this planet. It’ll allow it to heal, as in biology, all systems if hugely out of balance ( like our planet is quickly becoming due to human actions), return back to a point of homeostasis.
B
Thanks for such an eloquent and optimistic response. I too remain hopeful and am taking on the challenge to try and remain human in the world of social media.
Just discovered you via Kate Spade ad. I think you look great. People are just too opinionated these days. I think of it as self expression or art. BFD people…
It is a novelty and not to be taken seriously. I do not in any way identify. The clothing does not have the ability to invoke curiosity or emotion when displayed on a “doll.” It is the human essence and creativity that is expressed in your photos that I admire.
Creepy! Another way to save money and put humans out of work.
Absolutely loathe it !
Estamos dando paso a cosas que nos indican que, nos alejamos de la prioridad de este mundo ; VIDA. Los seres vivos son los que forman este mundo. Los avances de forma que sustituyen a todo lo VIVO, significa destruccion total del planeta.
Good timing for this topic as these days, in Las Vegas, there is a big Consumer Electronics Show going on where the newest gadgets, technologies are on display. I was just watching this morning a reporting about a bionic bike that can be commanded through eye blinks. It kind of made me think that we, as humans, are creating these really clever devices so we can become more and more unskilled and unfit even for the most mundane tasks.
Fashion world seems to be a really tough one, where the competition is so steep and the survival fight is desperate. I don’t have to tell you this, I believe you’ve already got a good glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes. Many brands, desperate for survival, employ all kinds of shock therapy stunts to gain traction with the consumers. I’m sure that we all remember Moschino’s dry cleaning bag dress on the runway a couple of years ago…$900 if I recall well. That was another shocker. I believe this was the reason why Philosophy of LS brought Noonoori into their video. It looked to me like a big dress up doll. The good thing is that Noonoori can’t get those poses with legs spread out as a human does, so I don’t think it can be used extensively to attract human buyers?
I never ponder about whether art imitates life or life imitates art. The imitation, in my humble opinion, goes both ways, depending upon the goal, perception and perceived credibility of the influencer who presents it. Personally, I see the look book as a distress cry to all humanity.
All things in moderation….technology has given us some incredible inventions that have changed lives for the better. But when we continually choose technology over or instead of human connection, we are taking it to an extreme that eventually will mean the demise of human existence as we know it. And what of love? Can virtual relationships replace the real thing? Isn’t the connection to the photo of the woman who wears the fashion just as important as the fashion itself? Or, perhaps, more important? Do people remember the fashion as well as they remember the person who wore it?
I will never understand the choice of looking at cell phones and iPads over spending one-on-one time with another person. I see it every day. When was it less appreciated for the gift it is? Perhaps I was given an advantage by being born when I was? I was able to play outside for hours, visit with relatives and friends who interacted with one another the entire time we were together. I experienced friendship, family, community, love and support. I also remember connecting with the people I met throughout my day in a way that is different now. It is becoming less and less frequent.
George Orwell’s 1984 told a story years prior to my birth about the loss of individuality, personal connections and living a somewhat robotic experience void of all love, happiness, creativity and passion. Foreshadowing?
Do we really want disconnection, social isolation and anomie? We all have choices. Can we turn it all around and choose what feels good (and right to us) rather than what has come to be "the norm?" Are we being conditioned to be separate? Will there be a social consequence to technology? I would like to leave a legacy of hope, love and connection. The look book seems to me to be the opposite vision.
"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone. We find it together." -Thomas Morton
Thank you for your wonderful blog and the opportunity to leave my opinion. Your beauty and confidence is apparent with every picture and word….and I can only imagine what you bring to those you meet in person.
Hi I understand your point about inclusiveness with regards to humans prior to sequeing to robots but I also do think there is a place for robots , I for one having benefited for robotic fibroid removal . At the same time I have an uncanny response to seeing robotic models or robotic human like dolls ! Btw love ur fashion Sense I keep telling my friends as well as students that there is no dichotomy between being a smart professor and the love of fashion!! Go ahead lady , it is good to see!!
I found the images in the lookbook jarring, unattractive and unappealing…not even worthy of the uncanny valley.
It’s a survival rat race. Not only in clothing world, but in every sphere of life. The speed and greed in which trends are transitioning from one to another is unbearable and attention seekers and/or money makers are desperately launching anything that will keep them alive longer even for a split second. Hence, all the bizzare creations and inventions. Humans are hung up on the brief adrenalin rush instead on the genuine, lasting, steady good feeling. Just because we are afraid of extinction doesn’t mean we don’t exist and won’t until our time is up indeed. Fear is only reasonable if our life is in a dire jeopardy. Otherwise it’s ficticious, notoriously conditioned by our own blown up insecurities and false sense of prestigue we think we must achive to impress the herd. The problem is attachment. Ppl are terrified of isolation as this will make others forget about us. But if we deattach and free ourselves of others irrelevant opinions of us, we become as unique as we really are, which ultimately keeps us in style w/o anyone’s approval.
It’s all about loving ourselves n our sacred peace vs. constantly comparing and mad chasing after others to meet the standards. Life is really simple, we complicate too much. It’s way more beautiful when we are nobody’s bitch, but our own master and a trend-setter.
His point of view coincides with a particularly rich moment and experience of my life, through genuine relationships, without masks and without a desire for acceptance that affects the true being. Do you have any space in which you write? a blog for example? Excuse me, I do not write in English. I sent my message in a Google translation.
This is the reason I regularly check your blog, Lyn. Philosophical exploration of fashion and its spin-offs is fascinating, and I appreciate that you dig deep. I have to agree that the Noonoouri doll looks very much like a visit to the toy counter to me. The face is reminiscent of the overlays that Facebook offers users to place over pictures of their own faces. To me, that FB option is by far the creepiest use of technology, as it takes a real person’s face and modifies it to a doll-like caricature. In that this ersatz person reminds me of those FB shots I’m seeing (especially on the page of a younger friend who is not happy with her looks, I’m sorry to say), I do find the fashion robot look disturbing. Two thoughts about Noonoouri: the doll is diminutive next to the human model, and she is childlike in facial characteristics. I am so weary of "small" being equated with "childlike" that I am automatically suspicious and hostile to this presentation. I can’t imagine an adult woman being attracted to fashion displayed in this way. I guess the question is, what will I feel when they provide us with a "senior" Noonouri? Interesting to ponder.
Me too.
Fascinating topic. My impression of the look book is that Noonoouri is basically a cartoon, so the clothes are cartoons. I don’t see them in any way related to something for a human—for me. I don’t want to give them my attention. The look book doesn’t make me uneasy. It bores me.
goodness how shocking! I agree with your outlook. beautiful humans are all around and we are blessed by a world of such refreshing uniqueness and variety. fashion reflects this and it feels so saddening that the possibility of resorting to a barbie-like impossible faux-being could be easier and more relatable than a real woman. I definitely would pass that ad by (as I did this lookbook) and not feel engaged or lured in to purchase these pieces for myself. I understand the concept of art and provoking thought about technology and the era we live in- and realize I don’t know the backstory so it could be just that in creating awareness- but at the same time feel sad & disappointed for a missed opportunity to represent the true living art and masterpieces that human beings really are. such as you are! thank you for sharing and for being beautifully and unapolagetically uniquely you.
I felt indifferent.
You. on the other hand, are spectacular !
To cast a childlike form in adult situation seems a bit like pandering to predators. The look book is open for anyone – just because it features a women’s clothing collection doesn’t mean that predators won’t be interested. Where else to look? You shop for your delight where it’s found. (Also, if I may say -The human model needs a good meal. Tired of the super skinny clothes hangers.)
The photographs looked absurd to me, and I also found myself uninterested in the clothes because the model wasn’t human. Seemed more like a model for a huMAN (maybe) (probably) looking to dress up their robot.
But the clothing and CGI are only surface symptoms of the way technology is altering reality. What I find creepy are the techno-elites who are pretty much ethically unchecked in using their uber-wealth and power to develop artificial intelligence and other technologies that will radically challenge what it means to be human.
Great post!
Great post, thank you!
I am new to your page, but absolutely love it. As far as Noonoouri, I see her as yet another way to attract the attention of the ‘Gen Whiner’ generation who prefer their electronic ‘companions’ over real human interaction and are satisfied to live with or be supported by their parents and/or grandparents. Your reaction to be REAL after viewing this look-book is exactly the cleansing of the visual palate the I know I needed. There is so much more that could be said of this but suffice it to say that your reaction is refreshing, healthy, and oh-so-craved. You truly KEEP IT REAL and I thank you!!
I have always thought that some designers feature something outrageous so their collection will stand out from the crowd. That gambit certainly got people talking in this instance. Somehow I doubt the actual reaction matches the one they imagined. If the goal is to get people talking about the clothes, well. Instead people are talking about how insulted they feel.
Upon going to the link and seeing the ridiculous “doll”, I must say, I was more struck by the words in the second sentence: “If you’ve never heard of her [Noonoouri], it’s safe to say you’re too old for a good part of this collection.” TOO OLD?! So much for inclusion of all ages, body types, etc. in today’s fashion world. Lip service. And I agree wholeheartedly with the posters who compared “Noonoouri” to a Bratz doll; I cannot bear the Bratz dolls because (besides their aesthetically displeasing appearance) they smack of the mean teenage girl type.
I wasn’t bothered by the CGI image per se. I think it diminished the fashion. I was bothered by much more.
In each slide, with the CGI character, I saw a model and her doll or a doll standing alone. The implications of that imagery is troubling because it reinforces an unfortunate “collective unconscious” about women and gender.
What bothered me most was Ms. Phelps’s statement, “If you’ve never heard of her, it’s safe to say you’re too old for a good part of this collection.” It’s insulting to suggest that there are rules or norms about what a person can or cannot wear based on social identity. I may not be able to afford something or like the way I look in it, but that should be my decision. If others don’t like the way I look, they can look elsewhere.
I’m new to your website and appreciate what you have built.
I agree…it’s the infantile combined with the semi-adult body that’s unsettling, disturbing. I always hated the Bratz dolls and was horrified when my stepdaughter wanted their images to decorate her room. She was 8 at the time. Why is this same imagery used to market grown-up people clothing? Weird to the extreme, and not in a good way.
I think thatvfake anime type model is hideous and terrifying. It’s disgusting that Philosophy has devolved into this simulacrum when were still so fucked up about our acceptance of our flesh and blood bodies and faces. We’re still so terrified to look natural and have blemishes and crooked teeth and have a face with a soul and mind shining out of real eyes. We’re still so terrified of that and now they’re coming up with these fake creatures, It’s really scary and influences women. Right now there are Actual flesh and blood women in Japan and Korea who spend hours putting on all kinds of make up and doing all kinds of things to their faces and wearing contact lenses and using tape and prosthetic noses to look exactly like these anime things that have no soul. That’s what we are devolving into—things with no soul. It’s absurd, didn’t anyone read Simone deBeauvoir or countless followers?
We have work to do, don’t we? I have many young followers on my Instagram and I think they feel relieved that I have wrinkles and am not perfect now it is important that we show models of humanity that are real and authentic.
I am actually a big fan of CGI creativity but that fashion shoot just seemed silly and lazy. Silly as in the CGI head and body of a bland doll in clothing meant for people seems like a silly stunt for 15 minutes of fame. The images became less weird the more you flipped through the ads but it still distracted from the product. And isn’t that what a good ad campaign is supposed to be about? Something that highlights the product and/or makes you think of the line or designer? You could say it’s art but that’s where I think the lazy part comes in. To me there’s no creativity in the bland generic doll images. I would compare it to someone supergluing a store bought naked Barbie to a canvas, flicking red paint at it and then wanting 20k for their “amazing artwork”.
It’s odd, but boring instead of intriguing.
I thought it was creepy. Especially where the photos included a ‘live’ model – actually just writing that, having to specify ‘live’ to denote the human is also creepy. It is fascinating though. I can see this happening more and more but I find that ‘big-eyed’ Japanese anime look very off-putting. Far too child-like, and when you start putting child-like figures in sexy evening wear etc then it feels like something else entirely.
It needs a bit more thought before it seems relatively normal to me.
Agreed,strong images of women are what is important right now.
I am impressed that you feel there is no need for computer generated models when all real women have not been utilized or clothed. I hope to help women around me to embrace their true uniqueness.
Yes just another way to stereotype and categorize and make images of who women should be not who they really are.
So, using a CGI bobblehead will refresh shoulder pads and leg fetish?
I am much more irritated about the bait-and-switch in modern language, though I am certainly old enough to know that “influencer” equals “marketing tool”.
Yes but it can also be used to change something, I am trying to work that out myself.
It seems the harder the makers to create human facsimiles, the more I recoil.
When eventually infirm, I wouldn’t mind a little R2-D2, or comical C3PO to remind me of pills, or access transport–
but when they try to re-create actual humanity it feels quite alienating.
Let others cope with the “uncanny” — I’ll stick with the Roomba… and a cat.
I’d propose that real Creativity is the final divide between humans and machines.
Long live Creativity!
Thank you, Lyn
Hot, different, bold, tired of tradition. Just letting you know who I really am, after all of the years of transitional BS.
As I am, at 62 I have longed to view the real woman inside.
Thank you.
Henry.
I LOVE YOU!! This is so perfect. I’m so glad you brought it up. You have voiced me wonderfully. I’m glad you’re here and glad I looked up your page.
Happy trails, Lady. I’m behind you all the way.
Just a down home southern woman raised on cornbread!
Cynthia
Welcome!
It’s difficult to focus on the purpose of the phots, the clothing. The cgi feels very fetish-y. I think that really takes away from the art, such as high end clothing. Or anything that would be included in Vogue.
I understand why these models are scowling….they’re going to lose their jobs to the…. toy/robot/doll fetish thing. As absurd as all that is, and as fascinating as all the comments are, I must say I like the clothes. ( had to Google noonoouri and the designer)
I did not look at the image, because I have a very strong uncanny valley response. As a small child puppets would cause me distress and in adulthood I find CGI disorienting. Almost as if I cannot figure out which way is up and I am dizzy.
Like you, I find it troubling that a non-sentient image is represented when there are still such lengths to go toward inclusion.
I do agree the image of that doll like figure as a model for actual human clothing is unsettling. Maybe some of our feelings could be coming from an unknown future as artifical intelligence is advancing along with artificial DNA. These creatures may be part of our future. Maybe the introduction is to expose us to this possible future.
If this is the current trend, then the designers would do well to remember that most normal people are going to take from it a far different message than the one the designer wants to elicit.
In fact, it was so weird and gimmicky to me that I couldn’t get past the doll-head effect to ponder the look of the clothes.
Get rid of it. It is distracting. Very distracting.