Fashion Designer Sophie Ott Presents 'Uncanny Valley and Beyond' Collection Exploring Dreamlike Discomfort

Fashion designer Sophie Ott has unveiled her third collection titled 'Uncanny Valley and Beyond,' featured in KALTBLUT. magazine. Ott, currently a Fashion Design student at Fashion Design Institut Düsseldorf who recently completed her fifth semester, created this collection while preparing for a summer internship. The presentation involved photographer Benjamin Püschel, models Louisa Daum and Vladyslava Soboleva, hair and makeup artist Niklas Hiller, and jewelry designer Heinrich Nisse, who crafted custom zipper pullers. Ott's work explores psychological themes through clothing, drawing from concepts like the Uncanny Valley—a theory by Masahiro Mori describing discomfort with near-human replicas—and internet phenomena such as backrooms, which depict eerily familiar yet empty spaces. The collection incorporates dreamcore aesthetics, using nostalgic elements like pastel colors and playful buttons typically found in children's garments. Ott emphasizes craftsmanship and manual skills, noting her interest in how clothing affects self-perception and mood. Key design features include tightly constructed garments that restrict independent removal, symbolizing the feeling of being trapped in a dream, and recurring smiley faces that evoke uncanny sensations. The collection reflects Ott's abstract creative process and collaboration with other artists to enhance thematic elements.