Shudu at the BAFTA Awards | EE
FEB|2019 - The World's First Virtual Red Carpet Stylist
In 2019, The Diigitals brought Shudu to one of the biggest nights in British entertainment, transforming the world's first digital supermodel into a live holographic presence on the BAFTA Awards red carpet.
Created in partnership with EE and virtual human specialists Quantum Capture, the activation pushed the boundaries of fashion, artificial intelligence, and real-time digital production, offering audiences a glimpse into the future of virtual humans long before AI avatars became part of mainstream conversation.
Positioned alongside presenter Laura Whitmore, Shudu greeted celebrities as they arrived at the BAFTA Awards, becoming one of the event's most talked-about attractions. Guests stopped to pose with her holographic form while audiences at home witnessed a unique crossover between digital and physical worlds on one of the UK's most prestigious red carpets.
Alongside the holographic installation, EE helped transform Shudu into an AI-powered fashion assistant, demonstrating the possibilities of emerging 5G technology. Through a custom chatbot experience powered by EE's next-generation network, Shudu could identify celebrity outfits as they appeared on the red carpet and instantly recommend accessible alternatives for viewers at home. The activation showcased how virtual humans could move beyond visual storytelling and become intelligent, interactive digital companions capable of delivering personalised experiences in real time.
The experience extended beyond the red carpet itself. Throughout the evening, Shudu actively shared content across her social media channels, posting updates, stories, and behind-the-scenes moments in real time. This allowed audiences around the world to follow the event through the eyes of a virtual celebrity, further blurring the lines between digital personality, live entertainment, and social media culture.
The project represented a major milestone for The Diigitals and the wider virtual human industry. At a time when digital influencers were still a new concept, Shudu demonstrated how virtual characters could move beyond social media and editorial imagery to participate in live events, interact with audiences, and provide useful digital services.
The BAFTA activation brought together multiple emerging technologies, motion capture, real-time rendering, holographic display, conversational AI, 5G connectivity, and live social media engagement, into a single public-facing experience. More importantly, it showed how virtual humans could become active participants in culture rather than simply digital images on a screen.
Part fashion moment, part technological breakthrough, and part glimpse into the future, Shudu's appearance at the BAFTA Awards remains one of the earliest and most ambitious examples of a virtual human successfully crossing from the digital world into a major live cultural event.
