Pioneering digital artists Anita Fontaine and Geoffrey Lillemon, AKA Champagne Valentine, showcase their interactive lookbook for Edun’s new Storytellers and Liars collection in this exclusive short film. The second outing from the brand’s designer Sharon Wauchob, the range explores the new meanings that stories take on as they are passed down through generations, a concept reflected in the juxtaposed prints, textures and colors. Champagne Valentine built on this enigmatic theme in the interactive design by using opaquely layered watercolor effects and idyllic, earthy imagery to conjure up a folkloric online realm for the Edun customer. Previously working on websites, apps, installations and animations for the likes of Tate Modern and Diesel, the duo imbue their digital handiwork with a human touch that resonates with Edun’s commitments to sustainable fashion through trade and community-building initiatives in Africa. NOWNESS spoke to Fontaine and Lillemon about digital storytelling. 

How does the interactive lookbook you designed relate to Edun’s brand message?
We are inspired by Edun’s mission to create a new ethical consumer—but one who wears beautifully designed clothing. The collection has a nomadic feel to it and we thought about “digital space” as a destination where these sorts of gypsies hang out—these people who live on the edge and are not afraid of the future. 

Did the designs of the garments influence the aesthetic of the site? 
Absolutely. We wanted to create hyper-real natural worlds; a sort of utopia that the people who will wear this collection could inhabit. 

What motivated the “scratching” effect that you used to move through the layers of the collection?
We were inspired by the raw textures from the collection and wanted to make the experience feel more organic than digital. We love the effect of being able to scratch through to the truth behind the lies, or vice versa.

How is digital storytelling different from the oral tradition?
We really love this reference to old-school storytelling, the idea that when a story gets retold enough times it becomes a lie. Digital storytelling is about reaching people beyond an actual campfire. But then again the Internet is itself like a strange campfire…