LOEPA – Oryx Tempel makes a unique contribution to virtual fashion: playing on her interest in all things cultural, this imaginative designer has created a living museum in which any avatar can try on some of the world’s most traditional and recognisable styles of dress.

“Back when I first started in Second Life, I wanted to experience new things: new cultures, societies, and ideas,” says Tempel. “I found a lot of stuff scattered around, but no central place to look for lots of different ethnic styles.”

“So before I ever learned how to design, I approached several ladies about reselling their clothing in a shop.  They agreed, and in the meantime, I studied GIMP and how to do it myself. I've been able to branch out to many different countries that way. I love it.”

Almost immediately, the International House of Style began to gather a reputation as an ethnic style headquarters.

“Somehow I got this idea that I could make IHOS a ‘living museum’; a collection of ethnic clothing from around the world, especially showcasing some disappearing cultures,” explains Tempel. “I had no idea that there are literally thousands of cultural styles out there. I've done months worth of research!”

The store is divided into regions, such as North American and India, each containing a selection of outfits from featured countries. The collection is growing, but already extensive.

“Obviously I can't make every single style of clothing for each culture, but I try to pick outfits that are instantly identifiable as belonging to that culture,” says Tempel.

The first country to receive Tempel’s virtual attention was Indonesia: “I actually have several antique Balinese batik prints that my mother brought back from her trip there in 1971. They're totally unique and I photographed them in my house.”

Researching each outfit, which is done by searching a range of sources, can take many hours.