Diversity in Avatars: challenges and perspectives in representing bodies in digital fashion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5965/1982615x19482026e0001Keywords:
digital fashion, diversity, human scanningAbstract
The present research aims to analyze the representation of human body diversity in avatars of 3D modeling systems designed for the fashion market, emphasizing the inclusion of different ethnicities and body types. Based on a traditional literature review, it adopts the methodology of visual message analysis proposed by Sanches (2017; 2012) to examine social media publications, such as Instagram and LinkedIn, using a qualitative and descriptive approach. The analysis of the results highlights the growing popularity of 3D fashion, the perspective of color-blind intersectionality, and digital exclusion resulting from the lack of representativity in available avatars. Furthermore, the predominance of Eurocentric beauty standards is observed in the construction of these avatars, with limited diversity in terms of skin color and physical features. Finally, the research emphasizes the urgent need for greater inclusion and plural representation in digital fashion, suggesting that designers and 3D artists adopt practices that better reflect the diversity of contemporary society.
Downloads
References
[TC]2. Homepage. Disponível em: http://www.tc2.com. Acesso em: 26 jun. 2024.
AIRES, Aliana Barbosa. De gorda à plus size: a produção biopolítica do corpo nas culturas do consumo entre Brasil e EUA. 2019. Dissertação (Mestrado em Comunicação e Práticas de Consumo) – Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing, São Paulo, 2019. Disponível em: https://bdtd.ibict.br/vufind/Record/ESPM_231b08314b81eb3fb4a9a1e3547402ff. Acesso em: 5 jul. 2024.
ARNHEIM, Rudolf. Arte e percepção visual: uma psicologia da visão criadora. Tradução de Ivonne Terezinha de Faria. Revisão técnica de Leandro de Carvalho. São Paulo: WMF Martins Fontes, 2018.
ALVES, Fernando de Araújo. Pipeline de construção técnico-artística de um personagem tridimensional para game em 3ª pessoa. 2021. 98 f. Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Graduação em Sistemas e Mídias Digitais) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2021.
ALMALKI, Manal; GRAY, Kathleen; MARTIN-SANCHEZ, Fernando. Development and validation of a taxonomy for characterizing measurements in health self-quantification. Journal of Medical Internet Research, v. 19, n. 11, p. e378, 2017.
CARBADO, Devon W. Colorblind intersectionality. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, v. 38, n. 4, p. 811-845, 2013.
CARRERA, Fernanda; TORQUATO, Chalini. Diversitywashing: as marcas e suas (in)coerências expressivas. Comunicação, Mídia e Consumo, v. 17, n. 48, 2020.
CLO VIRTUAL FASHION INC. Confira todos os novos recursos do 2024.1. LinkedIn, 2024. Disponível em: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/clo-virtual-fashion-inc-_now-your-avatars-can-look-just-as-realistic-activity-7222224096724422656-AQG4. Acesso em: 10 jul. 2024.
DE OLIVEIRA SILVA, Michel; LONDERO, Rodolfo Rorato. Imagens que consumimos, imagens que nos consomem: afetações do corpo na era da virtualidade. Discursos Fotográficos, v. 11, n. 18, p. 13-33, 2015.
DONDIS, Donis Anthony. Sintaxe da linguagem visual. 3. ed. Tradução de Jefferson Luiz Camargo. Revisão técnica de João Carmino. São Paulo: WMF Martins Fontes, 2015.
GUEVARRA, Ezra Thess Mendoza. Modeling and animation using Blender: Blender 2.80: the rise of Eevee. Apress, 2019.
INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE GEOGRAFIA E ESTATÍSTICA – IBGE. Censo 2022. [S. l.: s. n.], 2022. Disponível em: https://censo2022.ibge.gov.br/sobre/conhecendo-o-brasil.html. Acesso em: 5 jul. 2022.
IDREES, Sadia; GILL, Simeon; VIGNALI, Gianpaolo. Mobile 3D body scanning applications: a review of contact-free AI body measuring solutions for apparel. The Journal of The Textile Institute, p. 1-12, 2023.
LACERDA, Nara. Mulheres pretas ocupam 11% das vagas no setor de tecnologia, mostra relatório. Brasil de Fato, São Paulo, 16 mar. 2022. Disponível em: https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2022/03/16/mulheres-pretas-ocupam-11-das-vagas-no-setor-de-tecnologia-mostra-relatorio. Acesso em: 20 jul. 2024.
LIM, Hye-won; JAFARI, Raheleh. Exploration in 3D body scanning mobile applications. In: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference in Emotion and Sensibility: Convergence of AI and Emotional Science. Korean Society for Emotion and Sensibility, 2021.
MELE, Cristina et al. The phygital transformation: a systematic review and a research agenda. Italian Journal of Marketing, v. 2023, n. 3, p. 323-349, 2023.
MESSINGER, Paul R. et al. On the relationship between my avatar and myself. Journal for Virtual Worlds Research, v. 1, n. 2, 2008.
NOVAES, Luiza et al. Design de personagens e tecnologias digitais: exploração de processos colaborativos de desenvolvimento. Diálogo com a Economia Criativa, v. 6, n. 18, p. 8-31, 2021.
NOVELLI, Daniela. A branquidade em Vogue (Paris e Brasil): imagens da violência simbólica no século XXI. 2014. Tese (Doutorado em Ciências Humanas) – Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 2014. Disponível em: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/30400535.pdf. Acesso em: 5 jul. 2024.
OLIVEIRA, Sandra Ramalho. Imagem também se lê. São Paulo: Edições Rosari, 2007.
OLIVEIRA, José Luis Amaral de Carvalho de. Digital human models: conceito, aplicabilidade e tecnologias. 2013. 102 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Artes e Design) – Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 2013.
OLIVEIRA, Lucas Amaral; MATURANO, Nathan Mendes; PIRES, Daniel Facciolo. PHOTOFACER3D: um protótipo de software para criação de um modelo de rosto 3D com reconhecimento facial. Revista Eletrônica de Sistemas de Informação e Gestão Tecnológica, v. 13, n. 1, 2023.
PANTANO, Eleonora; NACCARATO, Giuseppe. Entertainment in retailing: the influences of advanced technologies. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, v. 17, n. 3, p. 200-204, 2010.
PEREIRA, Ana Claudia J. Pensamento social e político do movimento de mulheres negras: o lugar de ialodês, orixás e empregadas domésticas em projetos de justiça social. 2016. Tese (Doutorado em Ciência Política) – Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 2016. Disponível em: https://www.bdtd.uerj.br:8443/handle/1/12449. Acesso em: 5 jul. 2024.
PUHL, Paula Regina; RAUBER, Luis Henrique. A representação de corpos digitais na promoção de moda: estudo das avatares Rennata e Pink. Brazilian Creative Industries Journal, v. 3, n. 2, p. 107-120, 2023.
SANCHES, Maria Celeste de Fátima. Moda e projeto: estratégias metodológicas em design. São Paulo: Estação das Letras e Cores, 2017.
SANCHES, Maria Celeste de Fátima. Projetando o intangível: as ferramentas da linguagem visual no design de moda. In: MARTINS, Roberto Franco Fraga; LINDEN, Júlio César S. (org.). Pelos caminhos do design: metodologia de projeto. Londrina: EDUEL, 2012. p. 395-410.
SIMMONS, Karla P.; ISTOOK, Cynthia L. Body measurement techniques: comparing 3D body-scanning and anthropometric methods for apparel applications. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, v. 7, n. 3, p. 306-332, 2003.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Macivaldo Santana dos Santos, Daniela Novelli, Walter Dutra da Silveira Neto, Lucas da Rosa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
When submitting an article for publication in ModaPalavra e-periodico, the author (s) agree (s) with the following terms:
- Authors maintain the copyright in their manuscripts and grant the journal the right of first publication, with work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International, which allows sharing the work with the acknowledgment of authorship and the initial publication in the journal without payment ;
- Authors may use the same results in other publications after the first publication, provided that they indicate ModaPalavra e-journal as the original publication medium;
- Authors are authorized to take additional contracts, separately, only after the original publication in ModaPalavra e-journal, provided they indicate ModaPalavra e-journal as the original publication medium;
- Authors are allowed and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (eg in institutional repositories or on their personal page), only after the editorial process and the first publication, provided they indicate ModaPalavra e-journal as the original publication medium;
- To indicate ModaPalavra e-journal as the original publication medium, authors should use the following text template: "This article was originally published by ModaPalavra e-periodical, under a CC BY NC license, in its volume [insert volume] number [insert number] in the year of [insert year], and can be accessed at: http://www.revistas.udesc.br/index.php/modapalavra/ ";
- The opinions expressed in the articles are the author’s sole responsibility, not necessarily reflecting the journal’s opinion. The publication of any material that is owned and held in copyright by a third party, including – but not limited to - articles, photos or drawings was previously authorized by their representatives to be published in ModaPalavra e-journal.
