Size Matters... A lot!

Ingenue Campese

Ingenue Campese is one of Second Life's pearls. She is a creator and a merchant both in world and on Second Life's Market Place on the Web and she is a busy bee! Through mutual friends she came to know Birdland and Showgirls and Burlesque and, before we knew it, she was designing Moulin Rouge's wardrobe on one of the show producers' (Blysse Biondi) directions.

She also designed an exclusive give away formal set, Gown and Tuxedo, for the members of the Venue Group. Both will be available at Birdland soon and all you have to do is join the group to get yours!

Such an amazing woman and such an incredible talent deserve a note, and this interview is my way of saying thank you for all she and her partner, Dixie Barbosa (Dix), have done and continue doing for us, as members of Showgirls and Burlesque and Birdland's friends. We met at her new store, on Riverchapel (see links below!), the day she was moving from the previous location and talked for a few minutes. Here is the interview.

Ingenue and Alma at Size Matters new store

Alma Fushikizoh: First of all and again, thank you for your amazing work for Moulin Rouge, I'll never get tired of thanking you and we can never repay you all you did for us. However, I can try and let people know about you and Size Matters, so let me start by asking you how long as this been going on?
Ingenue Campese: I enjoyed making those costumes for you (smiles). It was a challenge for me, and that is how I thrive. I've had Size Matters for 7 months I think. I started creating for Petites and then Micro Mesh avatars. Prior to Size Matters I designed Formal Gowns way back in the dawn of Second Life (smiles).

Alma Fushikizoh: What made you go from regular size formal wear to the Petite world and all these awesome gadgets you have available? Have you been a Petite for long? What is the attraction for you?
Ingenue Campese: Well this could be a long winded answer, haha. I found Petites when I came back to Second Life from an almost 3 year break. I discovered them just after I decided to open a new apparel shop a year ago. My original goal was to design formal gowns and get into all the new mesh goodies. But after a few disappointing mesh purchases (I don't create my own meshes) I decided maybe that wasn't the route for me. I found the mesh avatars used the same templates as the Linden Labs ones and found the textures to look beautiful on them compared to the blurries of large avatars Even though we are tiny (smiles), haha!

The interview was a break on another busy bee's day

Alma Fushikizoh: I know! Tell me about your work process, without revealing any trade secrets, of course. How do you get your ideas and how long does it take you from drawing board to store shelf...?
Ingenue Campese: Well these days I would say 98% of the items in my shop came from requests and the other 2% just because I wanted something to wear. So most of my ideas come from other people. My work process is highly scattered, at any time I have at least 10 works in progress. Currently I would say there is about 20 items half finished in my inventory waiting to see a store shelf. An item can take me anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks. Depending on the detail and my focus, ha!

 Some of Inge's ingenious items, soon for big people too

Alma Fushikizoh: I love in world stores and I am so glad you are keeping yours. I know this very day you are transferring your items to a new store, from a previous space, and thank you for doing this interview today! I find the convenience of the Web SL Market Place fascinating, but to me, being able to walk into a real store and touch the objects and try them out on the spot is still the best way to shop. In a time where many go the Market Place way exclusively, what made you keep your in world store open?
Ingenue Campese: I find the same thing, I enjoy shopping in-world. I often find the Market Place a bit overwhelming. I like to use it as a shopping guide. Dix and I also decided we would like to open an event area and small mall for other Micro creators. So the one stop shopping for the Micro People is very handy. Many of the creators here sell items for regular sized avatars as well. I am actually in the process of converting my entire inventory to regular sizes that will be included in the purchases.

 Our view during the conversation: Riverchapel

Alma Fushikizoh: So this whole Mall is yours and Dix's?
Ingenue Campese: Yes, we built this initially for a place that Dix could DJ at, and then we built the mall on the outside.

Alma Fushikizoh: That is amazing, Inge. Dix is so talented and he worked with us on some of the tech side of Moulin Rouge as well, many of the poses and set scripts on the show being his creation and/or adaptation. He is also a cool DJ. How long have you been together and what is his involvement with Size Matters?
Ingenue Campese: Ha! I won't argue with you there! He is very talented and the love of my life! We met in 2007 right here in SL. We knew each other for a year, then decided it was time to take this to RL. I lived in the states and he in The Netherlands. We were 99.9% sure we were RL and not just SL. So I went to The Netherlands to meet him. We dated long distance for a year, taking trips to each others countries and then at one point we said, OK time to pick a country! I have been living in The Netherlands for 3.5 years now (smiles). His involvement in Size Matters a TON of encouragement and keeping me sane and making sure I don't take on too many projects!

 The Riverchapel Mall at sunset

Alma Fushikizoh: Let me trace back something you said that is worth a follow up... You mentioned you are working on normal sized versions of all your petite items and that you will include them in the orders. How does that work exactly?
Ingenue Campese: Well I am trying an experiment really. Most people have sections of their shop, one for Micros, one for Regular Sized avatars, and so on. In my products when you purchase them, there will be items for Regular Sized avatars your regular clothing layers that you are used to using, Magic Rings that can be used on the [11] Design Micro Avatars and other compatible small avies. And in some case I have even included Lola: Tango Appliers. Sorry boys I didn't include them for your clothing (smiles). So we will see how it works out, I like people to have value for what they purchase, and I know a lot of people wish to have a small avatar that looks like their Regular sized one. So now they don't need to purchase two separate items.

 A talented woman and a good friend

Alma Fushikizoh: Well Ingenue, I know you are very busy so I just want to thank you again for being so helpful and most of all a friend, and also let me say that I have worked with some creators in SL, both as a producer and as a model and you are one of the finest when it comes to custom work. Your ability to grasp the client's idea and turn it into a real thing is one of your strongest qualities. Thank you so much for your time and I hope to have you as Showgirls Costume Designer for many years to come!
Ingenue Campese: Alma thank you! that is the best compliment anyone has ever given me. I really enjoy bringing people's visions to life. Your show was the most fun project I have done to date. I can never really repay YOU for that experience. So thank you for letting me be a part of it (smiles).

Ingenue Campese's Size Matters can be found in world at Riverchapel (click here for SLURL) and on the Web at the SL Market Place (click here for the store page).