At the heart of the project was a unique collaboration between Shudu and her muse, Misty Bailey. Rather than hiding the relationship between virtual character and real-world performer, the campaign openly celebrated it, featuring both side by side. Misty's movement, personality, and presence have played an important role in shaping Shudu's visual identity, making the campaign an early exploration of how virtual humans are often the product of collaboration rather than replacement.
For The Diigitals, the project represented an important evolution in how virtual models could participate in commercial fashion campaigns. Shudu was not presented as a technological novelty but as part of a wider cast, integrated naturally into the visual language of a global fashion brand.
The campaign also highlighted broader conversations emerging within fashion around digital identity, representation, and the growing role of CGI within creative production. By placing a virtual model and her muse together within the same campaign, ellesse helped reveal the human creativity that exists behind every digital character.
The result was a forward-thinking fashion campaign that blended sport, culture, technology, and storytelling, demonstrating how virtual and physical talent can coexist to create new forms of representation and brand communication.
As one of Shudu's earliest major commercial campaigns, My Style, My Rules remains a landmark moment in the journey of virtual fashion, helping introduce digital models to a wider global audience while celebrating the people who help bring them to life.
ellesse SS19
FEB|2019 - My Style, My Rules
Created for ellesse's Spring/Summer 2019 campaign, My Style, My Rules brought together virtual and physical talent in a bold celebration of individuality, self-expression, and the evolving future of fashion imagery.
The campaign marked a significant milestone for The Diigitals, featuring Shudu in her first major sportswear campaign and one of the earliest examples of a global fashion brand embracing a virtual model within a mainstream advertising campaign.
Set against a backdrop of vibrant colours, nostalgic 90s-inspired styling, and contemporary streetwear influences, the campaign explored the idea that personal style is an extension of identity. Alongside stunt performer Harry Gallagher and style influencer Magnus Ronning, Shudu appeared as part of a diverse cast selected to represent confidence, individuality, and creative self-expression.