When experts had warned that robots were going to take way our jobs, this might not necessarily have been what they had mind.
During the Milan Fashion Week this year, Dolce & Gabana chose to replace its human models with robotic flying drones. Instead of the usual curvy women, Dolce & Gabana modeled their handbag range through drones that glided effortlessly over the ramp. The ramp had little markings on its sides, much like an airstrip, and the drones hovered down with military precision, showing off their dainty little handbags.
While the proceedings themselves went off without a hitch — the drones suffered from no stage fright, and didn’t record one of the spectacular falls that human models are sadly prone to — there was some pre-preparation required for the futuristic spectacle. The entire audience was required to turn off their Wifi and hotspots, lest their signals cause the drones to go haywire and run amok among the who’s who of Milan. The drones also had handlers, who were dressed in plain white, and walked along the ramp to keep a watchful eye on the flying robots.
While the drones were well received, there’s no reason for models around the world to be worried about the airbone upstarts just yet. The drone show was limited to handbags, and later, real models took to the ramp to show off Dolce & Gabana’s clothing line. But flying drones being used to model handbags should give everyone pause. If models — who’re essentially handy stand-ins for what human beings should ideally look like — can be replaced by little chunks of metal, is any job really safe?