Oscar-winning visual effects company Framestore has created two installations for Somerset House’s forthcoming “Valentino: Master of Couture” exhibition, running between 29th Nov 2012 and 3rd March 2013.

The project was helmed by Framestore’s Interactive Producer Jonny Dixon, Installation Director Robin Carlisle, and Art Director Anthony Gibbs. Thanks to Dixon and Carlisle’s previous success with innovative projects like Ralph Lauren’s 4D building projection, the pair are recognised by the fashion industry as digital pioneers. Hence, Framestore was chosen for the task of heightening the Valentino exhibition experience.

The team’s first brief was to use Valentino's work as the basis for an animation that incorporates the fashion icon’s enduring insignia, the rose. The result is a stunning visual, inspired by Valentino dress designs, projected onto a giant five-metre three-dimensional rose. The projection starts with a photo-real rose that blooms out until it maps onto the surface of the three-dimensional structure. The team has designed an animation that takes us through the ages and some of the iconic designs of Valentino Garavani.

Due to the three-dimensional surface of the structure, two projectors were needed to make sure the imagery reached deep into the rose’s crevices, without creating distortions or shadows. To achieve this proprietary software was developed that could calculate and map simultaneous positions of corresponding pixels from each projector. 

Framestore’s second installation features an atelier table that incorporates an animated timeline of Valentino’s career. The timeline comes alive via collections of images that are projected from above, courtesy of four synched projectors. The projection has been designed and animated so visitors can enjoy the experience from all sides of the table.

Source: Framestore