UAL VP/XR for textiles and dress: Infrastructural development
Lead Research Organisation:
University of the Arts London
Department Name: London College of Fashion
Abstract
University of the Arts London's London College of Fashion (UAL LCF) will be housed at the new East Bank campus (2023). UAL at East Bank will form part of a new powerhouse for research, innovation, creativity and learning through a novel collaboration between world-leading universities, cultural bodies, and local communities.
UAL's new campus will provide a specialist VP/XR Lab facility for collaborative research, industry-partnered R&D, PGR study, and ECR opportunities. UAL, via its Fashion Textiles and Technology Institute (FTTI) at East Bank, will create capacity for innovative, transdisciplinary, practice-led research in VP/XR textiles and dress.
To address this specialist field, the university will convene a unique range of technical craft and digital expertise across UAL's constituent Colleges, Institutes and Research Centres, also including the Creative Computing Institute (CCI), the Centre of Fashion Curation, the Performing Dress Lab, the Fashion and Innovation Agency (FIA), and the London College of Communication (LCC). The specialist VP/XR laboratory will drive forward an ambitious research agenda, and build capacity to meet wide ranging sector needs, supporting significant growth potential for the UK's creative and cultural economy.
UAL VP/XR facilities will:
Provide prototyping opportunities, to identify textiles and dress research that will build HEI and industry capability through collaboration and skills development.
Expand current research expertise, defining processes to question, and ensure technical craft and digital practices.
Grow future capacity through PGR provision and novel PG course design, in technical craft and digital skills.
Connect to a new generation of students, embedding UAL's reputation for practical application and industry-ready study.
Establish provision using integrated support, with training provided for existing UAL technical teams.
The opportunity to enable digital access to historical textile and dress archives, and potentially monetise these assets as they move into screen and real-time spaces is as yet unrealised. Cultural institutions such as the V&A and RSC are seeking to explore new opportunities to create novel content and monetise existing assets via:
Virtual depiction of heritage textiles and dress and new experiences for visitors (e.g. enabling the virtual 'try-on' garments and costume)
Heritage/and archive-informed clothed characters in hybrid live performances
Aesthetically enhanced depictions of the moving clothed body in immersive and live performance environments, gaming, screen, and wider cultural and commercial contexts
Digital archival dress and costume as a form of personal expression in the virtual world
Creation of textile and dress-based non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Exploration of these possibilities will create new markets for the creative and cultural sectors, driving the build of skills to serve them. However, UK-wide research-led capacity and skills in this field are limited, hindering access and advanced development beyond traditionally associated practices and disciplines, which UAL VP/XR facilities will address.
UAL's new campus will provide a specialist VP/XR Lab facility for collaborative research, industry-partnered R&D, PGR study, and ECR opportunities. UAL, via its Fashion Textiles and Technology Institute (FTTI) at East Bank, will create capacity for innovative, transdisciplinary, practice-led research in VP/XR textiles and dress.
To address this specialist field, the university will convene a unique range of technical craft and digital expertise across UAL's constituent Colleges, Institutes and Research Centres, also including the Creative Computing Institute (CCI), the Centre of Fashion Curation, the Performing Dress Lab, the Fashion and Innovation Agency (FIA), and the London College of Communication (LCC). The specialist VP/XR laboratory will drive forward an ambitious research agenda, and build capacity to meet wide ranging sector needs, supporting significant growth potential for the UK's creative and cultural economy.
UAL VP/XR facilities will:
Provide prototyping opportunities, to identify textiles and dress research that will build HEI and industry capability through collaboration and skills development.
Expand current research expertise, defining processes to question, and ensure technical craft and digital practices.
Grow future capacity through PGR provision and novel PG course design, in technical craft and digital skills.
Connect to a new generation of students, embedding UAL's reputation for practical application and industry-ready study.
Establish provision using integrated support, with training provided for existing UAL technical teams.
The opportunity to enable digital access to historical textile and dress archives, and potentially monetise these assets as they move into screen and real-time spaces is as yet unrealised. Cultural institutions such as the V&A and RSC are seeking to explore new opportunities to create novel content and monetise existing assets via:
Virtual depiction of heritage textiles and dress and new experiences for visitors (e.g. enabling the virtual 'try-on' garments and costume)
Heritage/and archive-informed clothed characters in hybrid live performances
Aesthetically enhanced depictions of the moving clothed body in immersive and live performance environments, gaming, screen, and wider cultural and commercial contexts
Digital archival dress and costume as a form of personal expression in the virtual world
Creation of textile and dress-based non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Exploration of these possibilities will create new markets for the creative and cultural sectors, driving the build of skills to serve them. However, UK-wide research-led capacity and skills in this field are limited, hindering access and advanced development beyond traditionally associated practices and disciplines, which UAL VP/XR facilities will address.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Jane Harris (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
| Title | Sony/xFilm production |
| Description | Sony and xFilm collaborated on a confidential feature film production, which was staged and produced in the UAL XR Lab for Textiles and Dress on a trial commercial basis. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Impact | When the film is released (25/26), the Lab will be credited and the technical set-up will be shared more widely, showcasing the unique virtual production offering which has been made possible because of the CResCa award. |
| Title | World's first Crystal LED VERONA installation at the University of the Arts London |
| Description | Case study film commissioned and produced by SONY, made by ImageNova, to showcase the first installation globally of the Crystal LED VERONA technology in a Higher Education Institution. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | As a result of publicising the technology through the film, SONY is in the process of signing deals with other Universities (e.g. Norwich University of the Arts) to complete similar installations, furthering their business in the HE sector. |
| URL | https://pro.sony/en_NO/education/education-insight/ual-verona-virtual-production-case-study |
| Description | All equipment for the first of its kind, state-of-the-art specialist VP facility for textiles and dress has been purchased and delivered within the timeframe permitted by the award. Installation is in progress, and the finalised facility will be operational by mid-April, at which point testing and calibration will take place. Following this, a series of prototyping exercises, workshops and events will take place as launch a consolidated programme of specialist research and development based with the the VP Lab. A detailed yet adaptive research agenda has been established for the next 3-5 years, with individual bid development underway with a view to starting funded research work as soon as possible, with our first major project earmarked for early 2025. |
| Exploitation Route | In the first instance, the facility will be available to UAL's academic and specialist technical communities, in partnership with the Fashion, Textile and Technology Institute. Key industry partners and aligned HEI's will also collaborate with us to explore core and associated research priorities. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Culture Heritage Museums and Collections Retail |
| Description | Royal Anniversary Trust CreaTech summit |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The publication of the policy paper and its uptake in Government departments and NGOs such as CHEAD and NSEAD is evidence of much-needed impact in the creative sector and beyond. New policy influencing curriculum is due to be set in Spring 2025. |
| URL | https://royalanniversarytrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CreaTech-Report.pdf |
| Description | XR Lab partnership |
| Organisation | Brompton Bicycle |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | UAL - provided physical space, infrastructure, expertise and research/technical specification capability, as well as 3 x 1FTE roles: XR Lab Manager, XR Lab Project Manager, Senior R&D Fellow in Textile and Dress. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SONY - provided LED panel technology Lux Machina - creation of virtual production system technology Brompton Technology - provider of processors for the LEDs in the Sony panels Kinly - managed procurement and fit-out of the Lab PSCo Virtual Production - subcontractor for part of the system installation |
| Impact | The UAL FTTI XR Lab was delivered within the timeframe and budget required. The collaboration involves disciplines including virtual production, filmmaking, textile design, heritage, and computer science. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | XR Lab partnership |
| Organisation | LUX |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | UAL - provided physical space, infrastructure, expertise and research/technical specification capability, as well as 3 x 1FTE roles: XR Lab Manager, XR Lab Project Manager, Senior R&D Fellow in Textile and Dress. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SONY - provided LED panel technology Lux Machina - creation of virtual production system technology Brompton Technology - provider of processors for the LEDs in the Sony panels Kinly - managed procurement and fit-out of the Lab PSCo Virtual Production - subcontractor for part of the system installation |
| Impact | The UAL FTTI XR Lab was delivered within the timeframe and budget required. The collaboration involves disciplines including virtual production, filmmaking, textile design, heritage, and computer science. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | XR Lab partnership |
| Organisation | SONY |
| Country | Japan |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | UAL - provided physical space, infrastructure, expertise and research/technical specification capability, as well as 3 x 1FTE roles: XR Lab Manager, XR Lab Project Manager, Senior R&D Fellow in Textile and Dress. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SONY - provided LED panel technology Lux Machina - creation of virtual production system technology Brompton Technology - provider of processors for the LEDs in the Sony panels Kinly - managed procurement and fit-out of the Lab PSCo Virtual Production - subcontractor for part of the system installation |
| Impact | The UAL FTTI XR Lab was delivered within the timeframe and budget required. The collaboration involves disciplines including virtual production, filmmaking, textile design, heritage, and computer science. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Title | XR Lab - SONY VERONA volume |
| Description | The XR Lab comprises a flexible VP stage with incredible quality, unbelievable low reflectance, and flexibility designed explicitly for working with textiles and dress. Hardware includes Sony VERONA panels in 1.5mm and 2.3mm pixel pitch, including Deeper Blacks and Anti-Reflection Surface Technology, the refresh rates up to 7680Hz allowing for high-speed filming. Software includes Virtual Production Tool Set for pre-visualizing scenes and creative concepts, including the Virtual VENICE for Unreal Engine. |
| Type Of Technology | Physical Model/Kit |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | Commercial production opportunities are now being realised in the form of contracted R&D |
| URL | https://pro.sony/en_RO/education/education-insight/ual-verona-virtual-production-case-study |
| Description | Expert Panel session at The Future is Now, October 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The panel was titled 'Debunking myths around AI: what skills do the next generation need?' and was a discussion with an audience of approximately 100 industry, HE and third sector professionals interested in developing future skills in the creative industries, especially in the context of the legacy of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://hereeast.com/news/the-future-is-now/ |
| Description | Making Sustainable Change with Investment in Future Fashion, Textiles & Technology event hosted by UAL FTTI at Plexal |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | 'Making Sustainable Change with Investment in Future Fashion, Textiles & Technology' was hosted in July 2024 at Plexal, East London, by UAL FTTI. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Participation in AHRC CResCa event at Guildhall School of Music & Drama |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Professor Jane Harris presented on the XR Lab at UAL FTTI, and the groundbreaking nature of the facilities funded by CResCa. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Thames Estuary Growth Board membership board meeting, December 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Professor Harris is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board (formerly the Thames Estuary Production Corridor) and contributed to their December 2024 meeting. Meetings will continue throughout 2025, to meet a strategic policy agenda for the growth of the creative industries in the Thames Estuary region. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://thamesestuary.org.uk/ |
| Description | UAL Press Release for world-leading Virtual Production lab |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Official UAL press release announcing funding for a specialist Virtual Production (VP) and XR Lab facility, awarded via its Fashion Textiles and Technology Institute (FTTI). The press release was public-facing, reaching practitioners, related industry and academic communities, funders, students and wider practitioner communities. The press release outlined the lab's focus on creating capacity for innovative, transdisciplinary practice-led research in VP/XR textiles and dress, as well as potential areas for research development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/press-office/stories/ual-announces-the-development-of-world-leading... |
| Description | XR Network+ Roadshow hosting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | UAL hosted a delegation/roadshow for the EPSRC XR Network+ project (PI Murphy) where the Lab's facilities were showcased. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |