Words by Kimberly Haddad
Garnering over 290K followers across social media and conquering the fashion world with her unwavering cuteness and vibrant digital personality, Noonoouri is the virtual brainchild of Artistic Director Joerg Zuber. An Instagram influencer who has collaborated with luxury brands, including Versace, Giambattista Valli, Louis Vuitton, Dior and more, Noonoouri is changing the way we broadcast our personas across the digital world and has left followers and consumers intrigued by her authentic presence. We spoke to Zuber about his inspiration, creative process and what it takes to be unapologetically Noonoouri.
BASIC: As a fashion addict and social media character, you’ve garnered an impressive fanbase with your carefully-curated fashion and style aesthetic. Tell us about the birth of Noonoouri and what ignited your overall inspiration to create the digital personality.
JOERG: I’ve always wanted to create a digital character, which was playful, fun and entertaining, but on a high-quality level with more in-depth-information about life, style and social topics. A character which is at once clear, that it is not aiming to look like a human, but with a real soul that invites people to see the world from a different angle, from different eyes.
BASIC: Tell us about the overall creative process of developing a single post. We imagine this can take days or weeks to complete, especially when it comes to the animations.
JOERG: So true! One still-post takes us about three days to fulfill as I am setting topics and actual themes, which then come to life when I pick the pose, the right angle, the background from a photo taken by myself or a fully computer–generated one. I am selecting the right brand, the outfit matching the topic, mood and concept. In every post the makeup has to be done by hand and individually different. Same with the hair. The outfit has to be adjusted and tailor-made by a digital hand on her body. And motion takes even longer. Here we need two to six weeks depending on the concept and/or request.
BASIC: Utilizing a digital character to make such a unique impression on the fashion world truly shows a new way of communication. Your content is both authentic and engaging, yet Noonoouri is a virtual character, blurring the lines between the digital and physical worlds. Where do you see technology and its trends going over the next few years?
JOERG: We always tend to deny and refuse to be open to new things and new ways of thinking. I guess this is normal. But the acceptance will rise once people look behind and recognize that Noonoouri is much more than just a fashion doll. She is informative and supportive by raising her voice for the voiceless. She fights for feminism, children, animals and nature. There are endless possibilities to work with her and take advantage of her cuteness, curiosity and her quality. The present is digital and the future will be even more-so. Social media brings people together and however one uses it can be more communicative than anonymous.
BASIC: In a previous interview you spoke about how being a woman is a fashion trend you cannot get enough of. Can you speak to us further about this topic and what being a woman means to you?
JOERG: I try to see the world through the eyes of Noonoouri. I made a lot of experiences with her during the time I tried to find an investor. Most people wanted to change her in many ways, to become more of a sexy-driven personality. But she was, is and will always be, the one I her to be. Of course, for a woman it is still easier to play with many attributes and the many items fashion offers us. But being playful and experimental is very important to me. I am always trying new things, never being the same. It’s constant re-invention.
BASIC: What has been one of Noonoouri’s favorite looks throughout her influencer journey?
JOERG: I would say one of my most favorite posts is the one where she is featured five times in different hairstyles, trying to imitate five supermodels from the 80s. It was photographed by Richard Avedon and she was dressed in Versace. I love this one so much, as this is her in every sense.
BASIC: What has been your greatest challenge in the development of the Noonoouri character?
JOERG: Noonoouri, in each and every post, is an enormous challenge and it will never end. The cuteness and the realness is very hard to achieve and we want people to identify with her and keep a connection with her. We are faced with this challenge daily, trying to keep and underline her uniqueness.
BASIC: Where do you hope to take Noonoouri in the near future?
JOERG: I hope we will make it to China and be successful there, as I feel very much connected to the tradition and the spirit. I see a lot of potential for her as the young generation is very much open to anything new and love to be digital 24/7.
