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Melbourne artist Eyes of Bel is looking to the future of fashion with her new digital collection, ‘Influx’

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Nektaria-Eleni Skoufatoglou

WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT

“Influx was inspired by duality… I feel like two people so much of the time.”

Since the age of online doll dress-up games (and even before that), the fashion industry has been utilising technology to bring physical designs to the virtual realm. Providing answers to the increasingly pressing questions of overconsumption, dwindling resources and excess waste, digital fashion provides a more sustainable clothing alternative.

Queer hyper-pop artist Bel (aka Eyes of Bel) found herself in the metaverse during Melbourne’s 2020 lockdown, playing her first-ever virtual show for the Decentraland festival. Intrigued by her experience, she wanted to fuse her two great loves – music and fashion – in a digital fashion collection.


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Made in partnership with digital fashion retailer Dress X and a set of talented Australian creatives, Influx is Bel’s foray into the world of metaverse fashion. The trilogy of virtual pieces pays homage to her experimental aesthetic, brought to life in pixels of lilac, vibrant orange and rust. Below, she speaks on her experience creating Influx.

For those who aren’t familiar, can you explain the concept behind DressX and digital wearables?

 

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A post shared by Eyes of Bel (@eyesofbel)


Digital fashion is an exciting and innovative pivot the fashion industry is currently undertaking. The concept provides a sustainable alternative to the mass production of physical fashion and the ramifications of such an (at times) wasteful industry. It was first introduced to me a couple of years back when I was doing some work in the metaverse with a company called Decentraland.

[It was for] a virtual music festival during the pandemic. As a musician/artist who has an extensive background in fashion, I was transfixed. I was humbled by how little I knew and how much I wanted to learn. As an alternative to physical merchandise, I wanted to provide something more than just the generic band tee or tote bag. It’s incredible to see huge brands like Alexander McQueen, Versace, Adidas, Balenciaga and many more embrace this fast-moving industry with their own digital collections.

Dress X is like other high-end fashion retailers (Ssense or Farfetch), with the only difference being it stocks digital collections. You can wear these pieces in your pictures, videos, TikToks and even Zoom calls. I believe this industry will soon transform cinema and beyond. It took me a while to grasp the idea – particularly as someone who embraces fashion so comprehensively and personally – but I saw its potential and wanted to be a part of it.

What was the inspiration behind Influx?

Influx was inspired by duality – the duality I feel personally but also the meaning behind the word. I feel like two people so much of the time. My artist persona is mysterious, aloof, complex and introspective. Outside of my art, I’m a serious marshmallow! Whenever people meet me, they’re shocked. I’m a huge nerd and goofball, not this intimidating thing they see online.

I love this duality; it gives me the ability to step away from my artistry when I need time to simply ‘be’. The meaning behind Influx describes how I feel most of the time. To feel so much power and self-belief while simultaneously feeling overwhelmed and small is a strange dichotomy I live with every day. Naturally, this first collection was named after this notion.

What was the process like in creating your digital pieces for Influx?

 

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A post shared by Eyes of Bel (@eyesofbel)


These garments were initially created in the physical form by two talented female friends, Agnes Choi and Rachel Song. They were made for the stage for me and my band members. I still very much plan to use them this way when I start playing shows [again]. The process was beautiful and organic. The three of us worked together on every detail from colour palettes to structure and I learned so much from both.

This collection is comprised of a trilogy of pieces. No details or thoughts were spared. All garments feature my custom ‘Eyes of Bel’ symbol and logo. I couldn’t be happier with the result and I can’t wait to develop as a designer as well as a musician. Since these pieces existed first in the physical world, turning them into detailed digital garments took time and precision from me and the Dress X team.

I pushed myself beyond what I thought was I capable of. I’d also like to mention the campaign shoot for this collection wouldn’t have been possible without the wonderful crew of humans who helped me shoot it. Since I art directed and styled the shoot, I really relied on my friends to help me bring it together and I’m so grateful for their contribution to Influx.

How does fashion tie into your identity as an artist?

From the beginning of my journey, I’ve said that for me personally, music doesn’t feel complete without visuals. In many ways, fashion has saved my life, as well as music. The tools I possess in this field and the obsession I’ve had with transformation, growth and beauty have allowed me to bring to life the visions inside my head without relying on anyone else to do the job.

Fashion has allowed me to come into my own with maturity and self-assurance. I hope to always be a student of art and [to] use what I learn to build a world where music, art and fashion come together in ways only I can dream of.

Browse the Influx collection here.

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