In this week’s Our Take, we profile Ireland’s takeover of fashion weeks across the world. The latest AI has the creative industry shook. Again. Dopamine hits are affecting our levels of distraction. And Gen Z is sent back to nature.
The Devil Wears Aran
The age of Éire is here in fashion with Irish designers turning up in some of the world’s top fashion weeks.
In London, Sinead Dwyer’s collection ‘Assembly’ conveyed a joyful affirmation of the body. Robyn Lynch honoured her roots and the Irish dance routines of her childhood.
Simone Rocha, following her appearance in Paris Fashion Week as guest designer for Jean Paul Gaultier, presented the final piece of her triptych, entitled ‘The Wake’, which drew inspiration from Queen Victoria’s mourning dress.
Future household names Megan McGuigan and Ríon Hannora took to Copenhagen Fashion Week in collaboration with the Irish embassy on St. Brigid’s Day to showcase Irish design.
These designers are telling the story of our culture through fabric, and bringing Irish methods of lacing and knitting to the international scene. Irish fashion is firmly on the map runway.
Cultural Canapés
The Honest Broker’s State of Culture 2024 report highlights how culture is undergoing a massive shift as our attention levels leave us consuming bite sized pieces of content.
From 30-second cooking reels to the addictive hook of a new song washing over our feeds, we are getting quick fixes of art, entertainment and culture with the swipe of a screen.
The piece explains why modern culture-vultures crave these quick dopamine injections, driving the demand for bite-sized entertainment and art. We think of it as canapés of culture—the perfect size to try (but you can also discreetly spit it out into a napkin if it’s not for you).
On social media, where information is abundant, attention is limited and precious. As consumers navigating this dopamine-driven dystopia, we must balance indulging in quick distractions and immersing ourselves in the richness of genuine cultural experiences.
So maybe it’s time to turn away from clip 18 of a 32-part movie on TikTok and go and watch the whole damn movie?
Sora AI – does reality need a software update?
You should’ve seen the look on our videographer’s face when he saw Sora AI’s launch….
“My. Career. Is. F***ed.”, he cried
He is not alone. Sora AI is Open AI’s “new generation model that produces videos from text prompts”. Although it is not the first text-to-video model on the market, its launch has put AI back in the spotlight due to the exceptional detail and quality of its videos.
Sure, the videos aren’t perfect –they’ve got that classic AI charm, with wonky hand movements and physics that make you question reality, but we can already imagine what this technology will be capable of in the future, hence the desperate wails of videographers, filmmakers, and animators all around the world.
But before we bend the knee to the AI overlords, imagine a world where Sora AI actually helps you? The software can turn napkin scribbles into visual renders in the pre-production stage in a cost-effective way.
In the post-production stage, this technology can help CGI and VFX departments work more efficiently, avoiding repetitive and mundane tasks –looking at you dreadful green screen spill!
However, the angst looming over the creative community is palpable. Since last year, there has been a significant number of layoffs around the world, and everyone is pointing fingers at AI. And of course, Sora AI just increases the public’s fear of AI becoming the engine of misinformation and disinformation online!
Sora AI is a prototype and will not be available to the public in the near future. So rest easy photographers, animators, filmmakers and videographers – you still get to keep your careers. At least for now.
Nature is calling… Gen Z
Agency for Nature’s Valentine’s campaign pined for Gen Z to branch out and explore nature.
Research has shown that 77% of people aged 18-35 in the UK want to connect more to nature. With widespread urbanisation and so much of our lives spent in digital spaces, this is no surprise.
Connecting with Earth is something we are naturally wired for as humans, but spending so much time scrolling and getting stuck in algorithmic loops gets in the way of stopping to smell the roses – quite literally!
Cultural references to nature in music, film, and books dropped 63% between 1950 and 2010. Nature was the OG muse – now, she’s been left on read.
The campaign artwork plays into Gen Z’s rejection of hustle culture and the glorification of labour.
From bed-rotting to self-care days, Gen Z is becoming known as the generation who doesn’t play about their rest, and this campaign invites Gen Z to return to nature. May the forest be with you! 🌳