PHOTO Magazine Paris | Cover Editorial
NOV|2018 - Shudu on the Cover of France's Leading Photography Magazine
In 2018, Shudu appeared on the cover of PHOTO Magazine Paris, becoming one of the first virtual models to be featured by one of Europe's most respected photography publications.
At a time when digital humans were still largely unknown outside of fashion and technology circles, the feature explored the creative process behind Shudu's creation and the growing relationship between photography, CGI, and digital art. Rather than focusing solely on fashion, the article examined how emerging technologies were beginning to reshape the future of image-making.
The cover story featured an interview with The Diigitals founder Cameron-James Wilson, discussing his transition from fashion photographer to digital artist and the development of Shudu as a virtual model. The conversation explored themes of realism, creativity, representation, and the evolving boundaries between physical and digital worlds.
For PHOTO Magazine, Shudu represented a new form of visual storytelling. Created using 3D software but informed by traditional photographic principles such as lighting, composition, and beauty, her images challenged conventional ideas of what photography could become in an increasingly digital age.
The feature arrived during a pivotal year for Shudu, following major collaborations with brands such as Fenty Beauty and Balmain. As international attention around virtual models continued to grow, the cover helped introduce the concept to a wider audience of photographers, artists, and creative professionals.
Today, the PHOTO Magazine cover remains an important milestone in The Diigitals' history, marking one of the earliest moments that a leading photography publication recognised virtual humans not simply as a technological experiment, but as a new creative medium capable of expanding the future of fashion and photography.