USI and Microsoft collaborating for digital fashion

A collaborative project between Microsoft Switzerland and Università della Svizzera italiana (USI: University of Italian Switzerland) is seeking to help improve the professional appearance of participants in video conference calls for work. To this end, the second-year Master’s students on the Digital Fashion Communication course will be developing digital filters, according to a press release issued by USI. 

These digital filters for make-up, clothes, jewelry and accessories, which the video conference call participants would ordinarily wear in the office, would all be available at the click of a mouse.

There are also plans to offer an option to adapt the “digital home décor”, i.e. the design of the home working environment, by the use of appropriate background images to reflect the professional context as effectively as possible. In this way, the aim of using these filters is not to “look different, but to look as we usually do at work”, the press release explains.

During the spring semester 2021, students will be involved in the development of ideas and solutions. They will then have the chance to present their final projects to Microsoft.

The partnership between USI and Microsoft is part of the LifestyleTech Competence Center based in the canton of Ticino. Its aim is to strengthen research and development in the field of digital fashion as well as promoting collaborations between partners. In particular, the focus is on affording young talents an opportunity to work on innovative projects with global companies.