Baftas 2020: Maya Jama wears world's first 5G-powered augmented reality dress on red carpet

Innovative gown took British designer Richard Malone 250 hours to complete

Maya Jama has debuted the world’s first 5G-powered augmented reality dress.

On Sunday night, the television presenter arrived at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards in typical glamorous fashion, opting for a floor-length powder blue gown that featured a high-neck design and delicate drapery across the bodice.

But, while the Radio 1 star’s dress appeared just like any other to the human eye it was actually created using state of the art digital technology that helped it transform before the eyes of the crowds of film and fashion fans.

“I love making a fun entrance, but this will be off the scale!” Jama said ahead of the awards show.

The custom-made AR dress was designed by London-based fashion designer Richard Malone, who is well-known for creating unique sculptural pieces and for his pioneering work in fabric innovation.

The dress, which took 250 hours to complete and was hand sewn with more than 100,000 stitches, featured a total of six layers and contained more than 12 full body-length wires and 18 sensor bulbs.

The sensors were tracked using EE’s 5G network which allowed Jama to interact with the design when using a smartphone.

The innovative dress was created by British designer Richard Malone (EE)

The presenter demonstrated how the dress could transform on the Baftas red carpet as she posed in front of a giant screen which showed the dress shifting into an entirely new creation featuring a teal-green bodice and stretches of fabric that formed a sprawling skirt.

The gown also redefined red carpet dressing in other ways. When designing the ensemble, Malone made sure to adhere to Baftas new sustainable dress code which called on guests to either re-wear something they already own or opt for items made using eco-friendly materials.

Maya Jama debuted the world’s first 5G-powered augmented reality dress on the Baftas red carpet (Baftas/EE)

The innovative design was crafted from ethically sourced fabric including recycled, regenerative ocean waste, recycled wool and wadding from ex-factory waste.

Speaking of the dress, Malone said that he thrives of the design challenges that come with creating something new.

Jama's dress transformed into an entirely new creation using augmented reality (Baftas/EE)

“My work is generally all about the human touch - we're a small team in my atelier, working by hand - and this project has allowed me to integrate technology into my work in a completely new way,” he explained.

See our roundup of the best dressed guests at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards here.