Being a Diva in Second Life: More Than Style, It's an Attitude
Being a Diva in Second Life: More Than Style, It's an Attitude
In the expansive
and creative universe of Second Life, where pixels become dreams and identities
take new forms, being a diva is much more than wearing a flawless skin or the
latest virtual fashion release. Being a diva is about presence, an essence that
commands attention with elegance, personality, and power.
It’s about
crafting an image that speaks for itself. It’s turning your avatar into an
expression of style, strength, and authenticity. A Second Life Diva is a model,
stylist, artist, blogger — or all of the above. She knows the trends but isn’t
afraid to break the rules. She doesn’t follow fashion: she creates fashion.
More than
beauty, a diva carries history. Years (or intense months) of runway shows,
contests, editorials, photo exhibitions, and brand collaborations. Every look
has meaning. Every pose is a statement. She inspires not only with what she
wears but with what she represents: a woman who takes up space, reinvents
herself, and always shines.
When Being a
Diva Was a Leap of Faith… and Still, We Sparkled.
There was a time
— between 2009 and 2011 — when buying lindens was a real investment. Not
everyone had access to international credit cards, and simply enrolling in a
modeling course (which cost around 13,000 lindens) was a statement of
commitment to the dream. Having that certificate wasn’t just about prestige —
it was your ticket to apply for the most coveted fashion competitions on the
grid.
But nothing came easy. Runway poses were scarce, and there were no walking HUDs
like we have today. Mastering the runway took skill, creativity, and most of
all, resilience.
Sponsors? Only
the boldest, most persistent — and talented — would earn the honor of wearing
an exclusive designer gown for the finals. Language barriers were real. And the
virtual community itself could be tough.
So, we started
blogging. What people now call “influencing” was, for us, a way to survive — to
show our art, gain respect, and maybe earn that essential item for the next
competition. Our blogs were our living portfolios.
We had to be
creative, elegant, daring. No copying. No being "just another one."
The hardest competition was with us — fighting the fear of not being good
enough, of becoming too predictable.
And along the
way, we watched brands come and go. We said goodbye to dear friends — some left
the grid, others this life. But all of them left something behind. Inspiration.
Strength. A silent push to keep going.
Photo 1 (top center): Who doesn't remember the revolution of finally having shadows in SL? I was mesmerized. Here, wearing a beautiful dress by Kunglers – September 2010. Photo 2 (top left): My very first blog post, back in August 2011, wearing a dress from one of the most famous brands at the time among beauty and fashion competitions: Angel Dessous. Photo 3 (botton left): Miss Azul contest — and that’s when I discovered I wanted to learn how to model... Spring 2010. Photo 4 (botton right): The realization of a dream — winning a fashion and beauty competition is incredibly challenging. I was finally a Miss! In this vibrant SL fashion world, I had one more check on my list — and my first exclusive gowns! Azul and Kunglers were perfect partners on this journey and have stayed with me all these years. I'm so grateful for their trust in me! (Winning photo in 2011, taken by none other than Strawberry Singh — now Strawberry Linden!) Photo 5 (top right): The first major upgrade to our avatars: mesh hands and feet, like those from SLink! And suddenly, rings and heels looked amazing!!! Somewhere around 2014...
Technology
advanced every year and in 2012, the first mesh clothing changed everything. Then came mesh hands and
feet — Slink brought us grace and detail. In 2014, the first mesh body from
Maitreya launched, and we waited in long lines to buy it. Were texture-based
clothes doomed? Group chats debated this fiercely.
In 2015, Catwa and Lelutka released the first mesh heads. In 2016, Bento technology changed the game forever. Lelutka introduced Simone. OMG! She’s almost 10 years old — and it feels like yesterday.
Photo 6 (top left): Mesh clothing. Now we could finally wear skirts without using prims to "close the gap" in the middle! And handbags with hand poses! The detailing was beginning! Somewhere in 2015... Photo 7 (bottom right): My last photo wearing a system skin from League (I loved that skin brand!) and layers — but already with a mesh body. Hair by Dura Hair — the Asian creators always nailed perfect hairstyles! Somewhere in 2016... Photo 8 (top center): My first mesh head — Catwa Gwen, in March 2016. I thought it was so cool, and I kept trying to find a skin that felt more like “me”... It wasn’t easy to adapt to the head HUDs, full of tiny details... Photo 9 (top right): Testing my first LeLutka head (Stella), in December 2016 — and I was amazed by how user-friendly the HUD was. A love story began… and I loved it even more because League was already adapting their skins to mesh heads! Photo 10 (bottom left): Just mesmerized by the shine and lighting effects of the BlackDragon viewer... a glimpse into the future in 2018...
SL became a playground of possibilities. Hair bases improved. Hair gained movement. Rings, necklaces, earrings — everything adapted to the new bodies. Our aesthetic evolved — without losing its bohemian soul. Improvements to the viewers, such as the possibilities of responsive lighting in BlackDragon, as well as being able to edit the body structure for perfect poses.
Then, at the end of 2019 and into 2020, the past came back dressed in future tech: Bakes on Mesh (BOM) brought back layer-based skins, now refined, reimagined, and ready for the new age.
A Collective
Space of Memories and Legacy.
This blog is
more than a fashion showcase — it’s a living archive of our history. A
collective space, created by divas and for divas, where each shared experience
is a vital piece in the mosaic of what the fashion scene in Second Life has
become.
Each week, one
of us will share a memory piece, reliving not only her most brilliant moments
but also the behind-the-scenes, the struggles, the growth, and the deep
connections that shaped her journey.
We’ll honor
iconic brands, visionary designers, unforgettable models, influential bloggers,
and personalities who helped shape the virtual fashion industry. There’s room
for everything: the looks that made us shine, the competitions that kept us up
at night, the awkward moments that are now funny stories, and the runway shows
that moved us to tears.
The Past is
Inspiration. The Present is Celebration. The Future is Ours.
Welcome to our world!
Here, you’ll laugh, cry, remember, and feel inspired. You’ll discover untold stories — and recognize your own in every line.
Leave a comment.
Share with others. Come back often.
And if you, too,
are a diva in SL… get ready — this stage is yours as well.
With love,
Jeanie.
Firstly, congrats on starting this wonderful collection of early SL models where many like myself can finally learn from, especially about its early years when being creative wasn't enough, but rather, ingenuity and originality were still the standard requirements for styling that could only come from, as you mentioned, its 'golden age' 2008-2010 ❤
ReplyDeleteSecondly I already love your first post 'it's more than style...' as I too remember those fierce group debates over mesh sizes and if creators had the right or influence in how we wore their clothes due to its rigging etc, as well as limited walks/poses (before Dahriel 's Possessions came along and became every model's prayer answered). Your walk through SL fashion years and its evolution has truly brought some great memories for me as much as it also inspired me. Tysm for generously sharing that ❤
And thirdly I feel as if I really do get to have a 'second chance' to learn from what I call the 'SL greats of modeling' (and why I'm thrilled to have already signed up to taking Naar 's training especially). Ty for staying in SL after so many years and wanting to share your stories and antidotes ❤
Thank you very much Emeline, for sharing with us your thoughts and your beautiful words of encouragement to our project. We have many ideas that we hope to share little by little on the blog and achieve that connection that you speak of the modeling world of yesterday with today, as everything in life left an apprenticeship that is an honor for us to share with newer models, who today are building another part of the history of this beautiful occupation in Second Life. We hope to see you here often and to share many activities and experiences with you! Hugs to you! ❤❤❤
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