I have listed my responses to a variety of issues others have asked me relating to the virtual fashion project.

Elaine Polvinen aka: Finn 1 Flintlock?

1. Why virtual reality for Fashion education?
   Virtual reality as a pre-production tool is an emerging reality in the fashion world. This type of total software system, for example the Optitex™ system integrates garment design, surface design, fit, construction and 3D virtual presentation – before a real prototype is made.
2. Where did you hear about Second Life?
   My first knowledge of the existence of a public virtual reality application like Second L Ife? was a Wall Street Journal ONLINE article in the fall of 2006 titled Now, Virtual Fashion, by Andrew Lavallee relating to a Virtual Fashion Designer that was creating fashions in Second Life and earning a living selling them. Then I watched an interview on CBS NEWS with a virtual designer.
3. What is the virtual reality project?
   The Second Life Fashion project is a series of projects designed to introduce fashion students to the concept of virtual reality as it relates to fashion. It will provide a transition for fashion students from 2D to 3D design and development. It was integrated into the last severn weeks of an existing Fashion CAD course.
4. Who is sponsoring the virtual reality project?
   This virtual fashion project is part of a larger campus-wide introduction, research and exploration (sponsored by the Research Foundation of SUNY Buffalo State) initiated in January 2007 to discover the educational potential that a virtual educational island setting in Second Life.
5. What virtual reality applications are used?
   The initial phase of the virtual reality project consisted primarily of introduction to fashion educational concepts in Second Life. In addition to Second Life, students were introduced to Virtual Fashion PRO®. The second phase of this project in the fall of 2007 will integrated the Poser application®.
6. How will this virtual reality project help fashion students professionally?
   This 3D virtual reality project in Second Life and Virtual Fashion applications will prepare students for the impending changeover into the 3D integrated pre-production integrated package that is currently emerging in the industry.
7. How can it positively impact higher education for fashion technology?
   In addition to providing an ideal simulation for a variety of fashion education concepts, virtual reality research for fashion education can potentially pave the way for exploration into the possibilities of development of long distance student and faculty collaborations on an international level. Virtual reality is an ideal mechanism for international collaborations.
8. What is the background of the instructor with virtual reality applications?
   I have developed new coursework and taught CAD/CAM off-the-shelf and industrial applications for fashion/textile higher education for the past seventeen years. During that time I have not worked with 3D applications. My first experience in a virtual reality setting was at the end of January 2006 when I signed on to Second Life.
9. What are some of the assignments student experience with this initial project?
   In this initial project fashion students research virtual fashion designers that have developed fashion design businesses in SL. Fashion students also develop and see their own surface and garment designs in 3 dimensional reality in SL, develop their presentation skills in 3D, learn how to prepare and sell virtual goods in SL, and develop a final fashion presentation and/or exhibition in SL.
10. How do students begin the virtual reality project?
    The fashion students began the SL project by learning the basics of creating an avatar [virtual representation of the user], navigating on the ground and in the air, organizing files and changing appearance in Second Life. When they felt more comfortable about the basics they began to make different outfits using the Appearance function.Once they created an outfit they liked they learned how to pose and photograph their fashionable avatar in SL and prepare the posed image for inclusion on a Web page that was created to introduce all the Fashion CAD project student avatars.
11. Once they learned the basic of SL – what do they do?
    They used multiple on-line resources in addition to in-class demos. They created their first t-shirt using Robin Woods t-shirt tutorial as a guide. They also downloaded and used Robin's AV UV SL templates. Their first customized project was placing their design on to a t-shirt that was carefully located on the SL avatar UV map. Students posed and photographed their avatars with the new t-shirts and uploaded the edited images back to SL to create mannequins of their customized shirt that contain the actual virtual t-shirt pictured for other guests to take.
12. Did they reach out beyond their group?
    They did communicate with other visitors in SL. The time limitations of this first virtual project limited the opportunity to work directly with other student groups but they have incorporated Jozef Bajus [DES] fiber design student work into their SL Fashion project. Fiber design student works were prepared and uploaded to SL to be used as surface textures for coordinated apparel outfits fashion students are developing for the SL fashion project. The fiber student textures will be available for other visitors to the Buffalo State Island to use in SL.
13. Do they customize any of the work they create in SL?
    Fashion students were assigned to create sequentially more challenging fashion outfits using their own designs that were created earlier in the class wile learning other applications.
14. What about other virtual reality applications?
    In the last 3 weeks they explored the use of the Virtual Fashion PRO® application to develop additional more complex garment designs.
15. How do students prepare for a virtual fashion show?
    Students avatars wore an animation overrider that contained several poses and a model walk. They practiced on the runway shortly before the video clip was made.
16. Where are the complete videos of the students virtual fashion show in SL?
    SL Virtual Fashion Project Fashion Show collections images & Video Links can bee viewed HERE.
17. How did students create their virtual fashion vendor exhibition in SL?
    Each student teleported to a FREEBE location to pick up Jim Wheeling’s free MGV vendors. They modified the vendors to accommodate their fashion collection and allow users to buy the entire collection for $0L. Each student created a display board positioned above their vendor that contained their brand logo.
18. Where can I see this SL exhibit?
    SL Virtual Fashion Project Fashion Show vendor ehhibit of students first collections can be viewed HERE.
19. Can I see it in SL?
    The Buffalo State island is not quite ready for visitors but will be very soon. When it is ready the SUNY Buffalo State Guest group will be activated to allow any interested parties to join the group to visit the Buffalo State island.
    
20. Where can I see the students final Virtual Fashion PRO® fashion layouts?
    Virtual Fashion PRO Students Work can be viewed HERE.