Hidden Floors

Exploring the future of fashion through digital innovation

Project Overview

Hidden Floors was an innovative digital fashion project exploring how technology can transform the way audiences experience fashion, heritage, and creative storytelling.

Developed by SR:D in collaboration with the Scotland 5G Centre, the project investigated new ways to showcase Scottish fashion beyond traditional exhibitions and events, creating opportunities for designers to connect with audiences in more immersive and accessible ways.

The project culminated in a virtual exhibition hosted by the V&A Dundee, bringing together fashion, textiles and digital innovation to explore how emerging technologies can support the future of Scotland's creative industries.

The Challenge

Fashion exhibitions and runway shows have traditionally relied on physical spaces, limiting who can experience them and how audiences engage with designers and their work.

Hidden Floors explored the question:

How can emerging technologies help make fashion more accessible, engaging and connected?

The project sought to investigate new approaches to digital storytelling, allowing audiences to explore fashion in innovative ways while creating new possibilities for designers to present their work beyond geographical boundaries.

The Collaboration

Hidden Floors was developed through collaboration between SR:D, the Scotland 5G Centre and creative partners across Scotland's fashion and technology sectors.

By bringing together expertise from fashion, textiles, digital innovation, and audience development, the project demonstrated the potential of cross-sector collaboration in creating new experiences for creative industries.

The partnership provided a platform to test, develop and showcase how emerging technologies can support Scotland's designers and cultural organisations. Read on for more information about our partner on this project,

Applied Arts Scotland

APPLIED ARTS SCOTLAND IS A MEMBERSHIP ORGANISATION RUN ‘BY MAKERS FOR MAKERS‘ IN SCOTLAND. WE NURTURE THE CREATIVE HEART AND SOUL OF MAKING PRACTICE, CELEBRATE EXPERTISE, AND FACILITATE PRACTICAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

Lynne Hocking is the Chair of Applied Arts Scotland, a professional maker, and freelance project facilitator with a particular interest in the intersection between physical and digital making processes and supporting multi-disciplinary collaboration; and leads the DISTANCE Project on behalf of Applied Arts Scotland.

Lateral North

Lateral North are a multi-disciplinary design-led organisation who creatively tell stories, and offer unique skills; from graphic and website design to photography and photogrammetry; from filmmaking and the creation of immersive virtual worlds to community engagement and education toolkits.

Lateral North has delivered unique projects for communities, organisations, institutions, politicians and governments throughout Scotland and beyond.

Steve Colmer is Head of Digital Creativity at Lateral North, and he specialises in new immersive technology such as Augmented and Virtual Reality. He has over 20 years experience in the digital industry and has led projects such as the British Museum’s first VR experience and he partnered with Applied Arts Scotland on the DISTANCE project teaching makers to create and collaborate in VR.

Fashion Interrupted

Fashion Interrupted is a Glasgow-based collective exploring new ways of working in fashion through immersive collaboration. Pushing beyond the limits of physical materials, with an aim to showcase the work of artists and makers in new and innovative ways, Fashion Interrupted expands the possibilities of fashion through digital representation and experiential design.

Founded by designer and creative producer Ciorstaidh Monk as a research platform to explore emerging innovations in fashion, Fashion Interrupted is an evolving collective including artist and designer Gillian Martin, fashion educator and designer, Emma Clifton and make-up and performance artist Madeleine Brown.

The Scotland 5G Centre

The Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) is the national centre for accelerating the deployment and adoption of 5G connectivity in Scotland’s Industry and Public Sectors.

Funded by the Scottish Government, S5GC provides a wide range of expert, impartial and transparent services free to Scottish-based private and public sector organisations of all sizes.

The Centre offers businesses a unique opportunity to test their products, services and solutions, risk-free, in a secure environment and to use the Private 5G testbed facilities located nationwide. The Centre provides impartial and expert advice - tailored to each business’s needs, working alongside them on their digital journey and identifying 5G solutions that can help their business.

V&A Dundee    

V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum. Designed by Kengo Kuma, the museum is at the centre of Dundee’s reimagined waterfront and is part of the V&A family of museums that celebrate creativity in all its forms from across centuries, for everyone.  

V&A Dundee features world-class exhibitions alongside the permanent Scottish Design Galleries, and a changing programme of commissions, events and activities.  

The new museum was created by Design Dundee Ltd with the support of its founding partners: the Victoria and Albert Museum, Dundee City Council, the University of Dundee, Abertay University and Scottish Enterprise.   

V&A Dundee is open 10.00 to 17.00 every day.  

@VADundee  

Project pairings

A key element of Hidden Floors was a series of creative partnerships that connected Dundee-based fashion designers with makers and creative practitioners from across Scotland using high-speed 5G connectivity. Each pairing explored a shared theme, combining different disciplines to investigate how digital collaboration can inspire new approaches to design, craftsmanship and innovation.

Ann Marie Shillito × Megan McKay
Explored the theme of Connection, drawing parallels between technological circuits and natural microorganisms. Their collaboration investigated how form, shape and pattern can express the relationship between technology and the natural world.

Jolene Mackie × Aubin
Brought together knitwear and jewellery design, exploring the physical and conceptual connections between the two disciplines. Their work experimented with scale, colour and form while reflecting the distinctive identities of both designers.

Samantha McCoach × Maija Tammi
Focused on size inclusivity and co-design, developing a modular digital collection that allowed the wearer to influence the final garment. Combining knitwear with sequin embellishment, the collaboration explored more personalised and accessible approaches to fashion design.

Ruby Slevin × Carrie Gardiner
Investigated the relationship between sustainability, the natural environment and material innovation through oversized silhouettes and the use of unconventional materials, creating bold contemporary interpretations inspired by nature.

We would like to thank Dundee City Council, Tay Cities Region Deal, The Scotland 5G Centre, UNESCO City of Design: Dundee, Shelter Scotland, and V&A Dundee for their support #SRD23 #designdundee #ShelterScotland #vadundee