Surprise, designers!!! It is I, iiiFlames, at your service for this week’s challenge feedback. Kudos to everyone! You turned out some amazing looks in this challenge.
However, I’m going to give it to you straight: the judges were disappointed this week. Real life always takes precedence over Gaia, but this round (and the cycle in general) required numerous extensions that could have been addressed sooner, had they not been requested at the last minute. Our time as crew is as valuable as yours, and when you keep us in the dark, waiting for things without communication, it feels, at some point, disrespectful.
We are reasonable people; so don't hesitate to let us know what is going on, and we're always willing to work with you to find a solution. But if we have to reach out to you to find out there’s a problem? We are less inclined to be forgiving of things.
We just want communication, people!
With all that said, here's your feedback for Challenge #5:
nenone — Bobbi • This is the best entry we've seen from you, and the highest scoring look in the overall competition so far. Every single judge agrees that this is the best Bobbi has ever looked. You took an unexpected character for your model, and matched every detail of your chosen icon down to a T. • Really, the only critique that you received was about your background choice. Some judges thought that there were better options to more closely match your reference, but even then, it doesn't diminish your entry's perfection.
John — Moxie • You also received a near-perfect score from the judges. Top marks for your creativity in choosing Megara for Moxie. You matched your entry with your reference flawlessly! This entry is nothing short of amazing. • The judges collectively agreed that the headband should've been more gold than brown, and there were some minor nitpicks of some background details. Even with all that said, you still served.
kaekie — Willow • It was well worth the judges' time to wait so long for your entry, because this is a masterpiece. Your mastery of layering needs to be studied! And Marianne could not have been a better icon for you to choose for Willow. • Some judges thought that there were better elf ear options and colour choices to match better with Marianne's ears and colour scheme, but those were more minor nitpicks than anything.
Endless Endeavors — Jae • All the judges agreed that Kiki was the perfect choice for Jae. You know your way around Jae's features, and it shows. Your model looks animated, and the atmosphere of your entry feels lively. • Seeing that others made sure to catch every detail of their chosen icon, the judges wished you hadn't omitted some of the details on Kiki's already simplistic design, such as her sleeves and red shoes.
immortaljelly — Vanity • Vanity makes a lovely Moana, and you captured her look quite well. It was a smart move on your end to do Moana in her 2nd movie, seeing as we've seen so many renditions of her in her first outfit. • The judges had mixed reaction to your detailing choices, such as Moana's chicken companion, and her sarong. Some loved them, and some didn't. But they collectively agreed that they weren't into the static arm and leg mods.
lucifer eats pizza — Tamara • We did not expect Ms. Frizzle for Tamara, but the judges agreed that Tamara suits the icon of your choice. They adore the classroom setting you built for her, as well as the outfit. Tamara looks cute. • The judges clocked you for having the same lizard as Soggy, and for the lizard suited Soggy's entry better. There were lizards that better resembled Liz. Some judges also wanted just a tad more from your description.
SoggykittenART — Olivia • Olivia as Rapunzel was such a cute choice. The judges admire your background choice, as well as the lizard item. He looks like Pascal. And while it doesn't factor into scoring, sharing a version of Olivia's hair cut off? Genius. • Though loved, the judges expressed that the background is carrying the look more than Olivia's outfit. Given how simple her outfit is here, adding details that took place in the movie--maybe some flowers to reference her iconic braid--would've amped up your Rapunzel entry.
torimani — Mathilde • The judges love that you took an unexpected route for Mathilde and chose Kim Possible as your icon. Mathilde looks so much like Kim. You did well in capturing Kim's vibe with your model. • The judges collectively agreed that the first version of your entry that was posted overshadowed its final counterpart. Some were put off by the mismatched blacks in the shirt and sleeves.
xXAcid_FreeXx — Emerson • We love to see a big girl representation, and even more so that you chose Rose Quartz as your icon. Emerson resembles her so much, and you did well in encapsulating her. • The main issue that all judges saw was that you used multiple poses of the same item--which was a cosplay item of your icon of choice. As a result, it significantly hurt your points for creativity.
Eziara — Delilah • You did a solid job in transforming Delilah into Bloom. Every judge immediately knew who Delilah was. She looks so much like Bloom, so hats off to you, Eziara. • All the judges agreed that Delilah's outfit resembles Bloom's less after reviewing your reference. The colour scheme, shoe choice, and skirt fabric do not match, and overall, your outfit of choice, compared to Bloom's other looks, felt lacking.
nyphente — Sunny • We appreciate you asking for an extension. • However, if you want to remain in this competition, you're going to have to pull off all three looks. This challenge and the double header. Don't waste this shot, or it will be your last.
❝𝕭ehold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.
𝑺end therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒖𝒑𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒊𝒆.❞
𝑯e that feared the word of the 𝕷𝖔𝖗𝖉 among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:
𝑨nd he that regarded not the word of the 𝕷𝖔𝖗𝖉 left his servants and his cattle in the field...
𝕾o there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
𝑨nd the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒔𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒃 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅.
Light Curled Up (Wheat) Zodiac's Eyes on You (Herse's Heterochromia) Everybody Nose (Skintone B) Briar Rose Petal (true loves kiss) Blonde Brow Basics (Confused brow) Inclusive Edgy Pride (Eyeshadow) Lady Unicorn (Unicorn Dust) Across Blush (Lavender) Revenge of the Thieves My Little Garden Lively Flowerless Bloom (Patch) Cloudy Rainy Day (Steady rain) Cold Hard Hitter (Mound) Cathartic Lost Unmurin (Mist) Foggy Eye of Mourning (Light Pillar Overlay) Kingly Sparkle Hunters (Background) Classic Cyberpunk Landscapes (Lights) Starry Landscapes (Comets)
The Jelly New Moon (Moon Beams) Pixie (Dust Cloud) Inari's Beads (yuki) La Belle Chanteuse (First Snow) Snow Queen of the North (Ice Crown) Glacial Polar Tear (Shooting Star) In the Ice (Illuminierung) Sparkling Glaze (Frost Tipped Ears) Fallen Wish Major (earring) Enchanted Dupioni Regalia (Necklace) Candied Back2k (Collar) Melty Skate Date (competition arms) Dew Drop (Droplet Top) Elegant Veil (Billowy Skirt) Frigid Empress of Ice (Bustier) Candied Kaguyahime (Legs B) Fragrant Fragment (breath) Silent Lonely Traveler (Singing) I am Magically Sparkly (Pink)
🔺▲△▴△▲🔺
𝓦hat a challenge! Olivia went through several wardrobe changes before we achieved this final look.
I enjoy designing Biblical character avatars and Christian-themed scenics, yet this assignment felt different – less comforting, more formidable. From the start, I knew I wanted to stay true to the plague’s Biblical origin, grounding the concept in something instantly readable. At first, “hailstorm” sounded like a lucky draw, but I soon realized how unexpectedly difficult this would be.
I didn’t want to make Olivia another ice queen. I considered portraying her as an angel summoning the storm, but that approach lacked the impact I was after. Instead, I chose to make her the storm itself.
Behind her, the pyramids anchor the scene in Egypt as she unleashes icy devastation upon the fields. The green foliage provides contrast and helps the viewer recognize the farmland she’s destroying. Strategic layering helped us attain a grounded look that draws all these elements together.
To evoke motion and chaos, I combined opposing direction lines in the foreground; the comet streaks from Starry Landscapes worked perfectly as pelting hail. The lights from Classic Cyberpunk Landscapes were the the final touch – the chef's kiss that turned falling water into weighted, destructive spheres of ice.
Her lavender blush and angled brows lend Olivia a more intimidating, almost divine wrath – an expression worthy of a storm-bringer. Each piece of her ensemble was chosen to create a luminous, crystalline effect, as if she is clothed in shimmering ice.
The legs were the hardest decision. I tested several options that fit visually, but none had the sense of movement I wanted. These bent legs finally achieved that illusion – she appears to stride forward through the storm, her form echoing the sweep of her own windswept skirt.
Her luminous halo gives giant-hail ball energy as she commands this storm where to fall.
The Luxurious Getaway stockings can be tricky to layer, since they sometimes overlay draped fabric in an unnatural fashion – adding the Morpheus belt brought the ensemble together and solved this issue neatly.
I've always wanted to use the Royal Throne, and this was it! Olivia sits poised in her seat of luxury, ready to enjoy a leisurely evening with you – while elegantly managing to make light use of her pocketbook. Cheers! 🍷⊹
Challenge #6: We’re Cursed (3 Days of Darkness) Title: Dark Whispers Status: Complete
Dark Whispers When the sun died, darkness awakened something new.
When a catastrophic storm plunges the world into darkness, Emerson thinks she’s just waiting out another blackout. But when the sun fails to rise and the darkness starts to move, she realizes that the storm wasn’t a natural phenomenon- it was a release. Something ancient has crossed back into the world, and it’s whispering through the dark for her name…
The process:
For this week, I thought a lot about how darkness and Emerson can co-exist. Her features are very bright, and I didn’t want to swallow her in dark clothes or some black/monotone space where her hair would feel unnatural. And per the judges request, this theme also needed to be spooky.
So the best setting for Emerson would be to make her “a final girl” in a horror movie. She needed to be dressed as the “sexy main character”, and her main antagonist was darkness itself. My interpretation of her embodying darkness is that over time, it's slowly overtaking her.
As most horror movies, the main character is usually a good-looking, unassuming normal person. I wanted to convey her as a pretty but sporty kind of person who loves going out and enjoying the sun. Emerson is wearing a crop-top tank top for “the sexy factor”. Her hair and makeup are usually perfect. She has bright yellow shorts and a blue sweater tied around her waist, and matching yellow and pink sneakers. So imagine that in the beginning of this movie, Emerson is dressed bright to create a contrast of what is to come…
The darkness.
In the scriptures mentioning the “3 days of night”, it says “No one could see anyone else or move about for three days...” Emerson has tried (and failed) to leave her house. She can't see in front of her, but she can feel something around her. The darkness has manifested as a monster (Antipathy's Dark Return.)
I chose black leaking eye make up and dark splotches on her arms to convey that the darkness is inky and tangible. It is literally overtaking her. I wanted to show obvious struggle with the torn shirt and dirty, scraped up knees.
I loved Emerson looking straight ahead, touching her face, as if to convey that she can't see what is happening, but she can feel something happening.
When I saw "Slick Fresh Ambition", I had to use it for the background. With the books and angle of the window, it helped everything come alive. The ground is covered in shadows literally seeping up from the floor, which helped create dimension, and feel like the dark is a physical being that can move and manipulate Emerson.
I tried my best to layer each filter and light intentionally, trying to draw the eye to Emerson first, realizing something is wrong, and start looking at the details behind her.
Challenge #7: All On Red Title: ✿ Late Night Invitation ✿ Status: Complete
This challenge felt hard at the beginning, because Emerson has pastel hair, which usually doesn't go well with red. Furthermore, the more pinkish reds in Gaia's inventory looked more pink than red when they were put on Emerson.
I decided to throw caution to the wind and embraced the crimson tones with black and gold. The way I built the outfit felt like playing ping pong- I was going back and forth with the background and accessories, building the look slowly.
I started with the background of Sainte Ciel, which was red and slightly purple toned to provide contrast and compliment Emerson's skintone. I then looked for couches and found the Crimson Sidereal Sovereign, which layered nicely.
After these pieces, using crimson as my guide, I put the Aerial Beseecher on top of the Resolute Lonely Traveler shirt to create a dress. The black details around the hem made me look and find the gloves, which had flirty black ribbons near her shoulders.
I then wanted Emerson sitting, and knew that A Fresh Perspective would be perfect. I had bought it earlier in the day for my own avatar and immediately went to put it on Emerson. It seemed like a cheaper item because it's usually for the specialty skintones like "Grombie" and "Oniki."
The headband was last and took the longest to find, as I'd searched through pages of headbands to find the right style.
As a final decision, I added the tea set to pad out the setting and make Emerson look less isolated in the frame.
She's sending a late invitation, and she hopes you'll join her for tea.
In the swell of a rising tide, waters darkening and furling inwards... In the bottomless pit of sacrifice and war... The plague most feared settles across the land.
It comes without warning, unmoving yet restless... There comes a high price to be paid... For the curse is not one nor the other...
Water to Blood. Blood to Water.
Unshed tears are ripped from the body... Blood is forced outwards and vanishes into the unending maw... The Plague takes all, gives nothing back.
With Challenge #6 and focusing on the plague of turning water to blood, I wanted to create the darkest/most menacing look I could with Bobbi this week, which is also the opposite side of the spectrum of looks I have done for her.
Aiming for the dark/horror element was a different challenge for me, because I feel like Bobbi is just an adorable bright little jellybean. I realized early on that as much as her outfit would be crucial to the overall look, I would need to also focus on the way I could play with makeup and other elements with Bobbi's face and hair to mute that brightness about her.
I was inspired to approach the look from two fronts: I wanted this to be a gradient look, having the background going from stormy, murky water to blood, and to weave into the outfit the appearance of water running down to blood.
An idea I also wanted to incorporate with the look was an idea that this plague was not just about turning water to blood, but taking both water & blood from the human body as this form of ultimate sacrifice, with Bobbi positioned as the harbinger of this plague.
How the Look was Built:
Bobbi's face and hair took me the longest to put together. I went in by layering two veils (using the veil from Necromansea over the face and the veil from Muted Matrimony of Blood to cover the back), as I wanted Bobbi's face & hair to still be visible and yet look like her head is under water. I used the vericose vein (purple and red layered together) option from Masquerade to create this sense of water/blood pulsing through the face. I used air bubbles from Undersea Diver to imitate water droplets leaving the body through her eyes.
With Bobbi's eye makeup, I layered together the Liseran color of the item Eyebags to deepen under her eyes, and used the smokey eye from Mysterious Captain with the Hop Off My Dark Carrot eyeshadow.
For the outfit itself, I thought about how water will bead up and roll down a surface, taking that as inspiration with the beading/necklaces used (even adding darker beads to her hair). I wanted to take the beading element as far down as was natural to flow into the blood element at the bottom.
I structured the top part of the look into four layers: the base layer is the Sauvignon Decant corset, then the Queen Chetuel draping blouse, and layered over with the Divine Ruby Crystal tabard. I incorporated the Bloodbath option from Sapphire Dinner date to create more of that impression of water running toward, and used the Defender's Pauldrons on the shoulders, because I wasn't fond of the sleeveless look and it also helped blend more of the outfit in with the background.
The bottom is actually three different items, as I wanted to create that cascade into blood look. I used the dress from Valinor's Cherry blessing, layered over the cover from Thea Sleepy One and Only, and the red skirt from Flightless Legs. The Sacrificial Offering arms seemed the best fit to how I wanted the gradient to come across.
As a last touch, I wanted to add in a few lighter elements to the background, playing with the storminess of the water to add in a few pieces of light to nod to Bobbi's hair color and to make it more synchronous with her base features
I ended up really enjoying exploring this new look with Bobbi, and ultimately I just appreciate tackling a challenge with her.
For ONE NIGHT, and ONE NIGHT ONLY, the world-famous Radio-City Rockettes bring to you the finest expression of dance and pageantry in their renditon of the Moulin Rouge's El Tango de Roxanne!
gaia_stargaia_starStarring the up & coming starlette, Bobbi Sinclair! gaia_stargaia_star
With Challenge #7, and when I think of Bobbi & the color red, immediately I started hearing different musicals in my head. Chicago, Moulin Rouge, Cabaret, etc. In my mind, when contemplating how to go about creating a fabulous red outfit on a budget, the theater comes to mind for me. I have so many friends who pursued theatre in college who also know how to turn pennies into a stunning, inexpensive costume.
Another idea also came to mind, and I decided to fuse a musical/costume-based inspiration with the wonderful dances performed by the Radio City Rockettes. I'm a New York girl, born and raised (upstate, not NYC directly). When I was a teenager, I got the chance to see the Rockettes Christmas performance. The sparkle, the precision of their movements... it's really amazing to watch so many dancers move with total synchronicity.
gaia_star
For Bobbi's look, keeping in mind theatric flair and the costumes worn by the Rockettes, I was inspired to look at some of the excellent options available in the Gold Shops, so I could create an affordable basis for the outfit by using the Ice Champion Red Glitter dress and then create depth on top of that sparkle by using the raspberry shade of the Morpheus belt, and then layer over the neckline (to imitate a sequin pattern) the Lyra's Melody necklace. I wanted to necklace color to also bring the color of Bobbi's hair into the outfit.
I found the Red Tropical Dancer Headband was a great addition to give that added bit of drama to Bobbi's hair, while not breaking the bank so that I could delve into what I knew would probably be the more expensive part of the overall look: the arms/legs, and background.
When looking at more solid color options vs. fishnets, I ended up deciding that the fishnet look (the gloves and tights mirroring each other) felt more authentic to the grittiness and glam of the Moulin Rouge element of the look.
The background was a challenge for me in terms of keeping to the limit of 50,000p. I went with the Reve curtain & flooring, and I liked that chandelier in red was within budget that could layer in nicely between the curtain elements. I had enough in the budget to finish off Bobbi's look with a warm, sparkly eyeshadow to give her adorable face that bit of brightness and earrings that mimic the shine off of the chandelier as she takes to the stage for her debut number.
Omitted items (nose + base features)
Aria's Holy Invocation (lips) 845p Inquisitive Mona (Hair) 931p Here’s Looking At You Love (Honey) 13,038p His Midnight Reign (Nose v.1) 46,361p Skintone C Body Dye 30,079p
Item List: Total = 48,570p
Reve Rouille (closed curtain) 1,244p
Ice Champion Red Glitter Dress 1p
Red Tropical Dancer Headband 1p
Ruby Vault (famed ruby decor) 483p
Lyra's Melody (Necklace) 21p
Blushing Fluffi Bunni (Legs c) 4,033p
Rusty Madame Guillotine (you're in trouble) 3,342p
Luxurious Seductive Night (Romantic Bedroom) 4,041p
Morpheus' Belt (Raspberry) 14,254p
Olde Worlde Floor 11,426p
Solar Starset (eye shadow) 5,736p
Prince of Royal Roses (Gold earrings) 3,988p
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 9:45 am
Designer: lucifer eats pizza Challenge: #6 We're Cursed (curse of boils) Model: Tamara Progress: Finished Oct 26th
· About ·
I would say this challenge was made for me, but even with it being a horror challenge (yay!) this one was tricky! There aren't many boil items on Gaia (i wonder why, teehee), but I knew there were zits and acne and things I could work with. I also immediately thought of the Dead by Daylight character Adiris "The Plague" who is supposed to be an ancient Babylonian who was serving in a church during a (fictional) plague. I have always wanted to cosplay this character, so I was excited to do something inspired by her.
Tamara is as boil covered as I could manage. I know normally masks are discouraged, but I figured the like nastiest and most obvious spot to get boils would be your face. When they burst, their blood and pus would run into your eyes and mouth and even typing this is making me gag. I figure for this case she's wearing super high quality special fx. I used some items that are not technically boils, but they look like boils when they are layered together (the plant eyes on her face, the zombie bites on her body). I figured that the bandages that she is wearing would be to somewhat cover the open wounds that would be covering her body.
Something that I really wanted to tie in, and has been very relevant in connection with both the Dead by Daylight character I mentioned (Adiris), but also true to the real plagues that have happened, is smoke from incense. Smoke from incense has been, and continues to be, used in healing practices. It is used spiritually, but it is also used practically to reply insects and to clear the air of bad smells. Incense has been used for many thousands of years, having been dated back to as early as 3300-3000 BCE. It is believed to cleanse spiritually, which ties it heavily to healing, but the fact that it is an effective bug repellent (which often carry these diseases as the fleas that carry the plague) shows it does have some amount of practical applications. I tied the smoke into my design by including smoke coming out of Tamara's mouth. I like to imagine that she is holding a burning incense in her mouth (if that weren't going to burn her) almost as if to say "the smoke isn't affecting me so it won't save you". I also included the hanging lanterns in the back because they remind me of a thurible, an item used in some churches (of various denominations) to distribute the incense smoke through the church. It is usually swung while being carried around, which helps to distribute the smoke.
I wanted to tie in the bubonic plague as that is the first thing I think of when I think of boils. Bubonic comes from the word "buboes" which are the swollen and pus-filled lymph nodes associated with the plague. To tie in the plague (without tying in fleas, as I know that's another of the plagues) I included rats. Tamara is wearing a crown of rats (kinda like a crown of thorns, I suppose) which is a rat king. Rat kings happen when a large number of rats become tangled by each others tails. There's not much evidence of how this happens, but they think its possibly connected to the rats being trapped, or confined for long periods of time.
I enjoyed this challenge and was happy to see something horror for Hallowe'en.
Designer: lucifer eats pizza Challenge: #6 All In Red Model: Tamara Progress: Finished Oct 28
· About ·
My starting point for this challenge was getting an idea of what a platinum was. rofl I'm not joking though, because I was mainly heavily on Gaia before the economy collapsed. So k for a thousand was about as high as we had to go back in day. Money was made by grinding games, or having talents/skills you could sell on Gaia. Obviously there were people on Gaia with millions or billions of dollars, but now everyone has in the 10+ figures practically. I haven't done much player to player commerce since my return, and mostly focus on doing runway or designing my avatar.
Once I had figured out how to convert to P, I used my own inventory. Though a lot of my items have inflated, or I've bought newer items, I do own a lot of lower price point items. So pulling a red item base from my inventory was a great place to start. I ended up finding the red wedding dress. I find there are a lot of wedding or wedding adjacent items on Gaia, and typically they are lower price point. So I thought it was a great place to start.
In North America and parts of Europe, the colour white is often associated with weddings, however this is a recent trend, and Queen Victoria popularized white specifically as a wedding colour. Before that, brides typically wore their favourite colours. In other parts of the world, other colours are often used. In parts of Asia, white is associated with death, so obviously not a good choice of dress colour for a bride (no matter how hip and trendy Queen Victoria was....I guess, one of the og influencers) and red is used instead as it indicates vibrance and health.
For my look, Tamara is wearing a typical Western style of wedding outfit (fancy princess dress and veil), but she is all in red. I enjoyed working with this challenge because I think red works well for Tamara.
I do apologize that I don't have huge stamina for writing these descriptions. In previous weeks I have had the feedback that they are not strong, and I think, in part, I don't like sharing a lot (or any) personal details about me in these captions. However, for this week I have included some background research and that has helped to flesh this out a bit more. I will likely keep that in mind for future submissions. Thanks for reading!
I am so excited to dive into something horror-related. It’s funny to think that I used to be absolutely terrified of anything in the genre... my childhood nemesis was The Ring. But sometime in early high school, I got brave (or reckless) enough to watch a horror film alone, and to my surprise, I loved it. Since then, my appreciation for horror has only deepened, and it’s become my go-to comfort genre (if you can call it that, lol).
For this week’s plaque, Swarm of Flies, I drew inspiration from the 1986 cult classic The Fly. In the film, Seth Brundle (played by Jeff Goldblum) suffers a gruesome scientific accident that fuses his DNA with that of a fly. What follows is a slow, agonizing transformation... horrifying for him, and equally unsettling for the viewer. I wanted to capture that same grotesque beauty by showing Jae mid-transformation, caught between human and insect.
Because Brundle’s metamorphosis is gradual and torturous, I didn’t want Jae to appear fully insectoid. Instead, I imagined her in a partial state of mutation: wings beginning to materialize, human skin stretched and webbed between patches of fly anatomy. To embody the “swarm” concept, I added a more visceral twist: flies emerging from her mouth. (Not in the original film, but deliciously revolting nonetheless.)
In The Fly, Seth remains isolated in his home as the transformation overtakes him, so I chose a domestic background to heighten the tension between the familiar and the horrific. The final detail? A pile of gore at her feet: a nod to the biology of flies themselves, who digest by regurgitating and re-consuming their food.
Jae looks terrifying, and I love how she turned out!
Designer: Endless Endeavors Challenge #7: All On Red Model: Jae Submission Status: Complete
For this challenge, I really appreciate the open-ended nature of the prompt because that really allows me to choose how I would like to decorate Jae. And for this challenge, I wanted to delve into the world of fantasy by turning Jae into The Crimson Arrow. She is an elf princess draped entirely in red, bow in hand, arrow nocked, every motion fluid and predatory. Her crown of roses hints at her regal nature, but the petals trailing in her wake are more than decoration. They are a warning. When you see petals and no flowers, it’s time to run. She strikes with deadly precision, always aiming for the heart, and every arrow finds its mark.
I made a conscious effort to distinguish this piece from my first red entry, Jae the Ruby Envoy, where I took Jae into a more theoretical and original approach to power and storyline. The Crimson Arrow, by contrast, is based on Germanic mythology, where elves "were seen as diminutive, beautiful beings with supernatural powers, often linked to nature and immortality" [source]. I avoided gold entirely to ensure that this look is distinct, focusing entirely on red’s raw power, and operating with the "pricing" constraint was a really fun added challenge that forced me to be more intentional with my choices.
Escapism has always been a lifeline for me, a way to step out of the weight of everyday life and into worlds where imagination reigns and stories unfold with breathtaking possibility. Fantasy and mythology, in particular, have been my refuge, offering characters and realms that feel both infinite and intimately personal. With Jae, I wanted to capture that very love... to give form to the thrill of immersion, the joy of wandering through a world that exists just beyond reality. She embodies that escape, not as a distant idea but as a living, breathing presence, and her beauty is impossible to look away from, a reflection of the wonder that first drew me to the fantastical in the first place.
𝒮𝓉𝑒𝒶𝓁 𝐻𝑒𝓇 𝐿𝑜𝑜𝓀:
TOTAL MARKET VALUE: 48,627p Secret Retreat (Red Wind?) 121p Astra: Rose Breeze (still) 139p Jupiter's Lace (Lacy Gown) 468p Tawnee Port (Bottle Corset) 97p Briar Rose Sangre 136p Chiron the Trapper (Leather Shoulderpads) 5,086p Luxurious Getaway (Makeup) 6,002p Angelic Sweetheart 65p Midnight Rose Huntress 8,187p Merchant Halfling Ears (tone F) 8,423p Skyward Elf Reflection (BG) 16,999p Ornate Dragonboat Festival (Scarf) 2,904p
]Designer: torimani Model: Mathilde Challenge #6: We’re Cursed Title: A Swarm of Warriors Status: Complete!
Description: To preface, thank you judges for allowing me an extension! I think it's the first time I've ever been late with an entry, but I truly was really busy this week lol.
So this challenge was EXTREMELY hard to do. One of the hardest I think I've done this cycle. Mainly, I had problems with the theme itself, or at least my specific chosen entry, which was a swarm of locusts.
Gaia barely has bug items (that aren't either butterfly or spider related), and absolutely none specifically for locusts. I thought about the next best thing. Roaches? Ugh, I hate roaches so much, I'm actually terrified of roaches. And you're telling me I have to deal with making an entry for FLYING roaches, which is basically what locusts are?! It was so difficult. I played around with some of the roach items, but no luck. I tried bug wings, but I think it didn't contrast well in terms of the color and size of the wings which most were fairly small.
Now, Mathilde's hair seems to be an obstacle with several of the looks I come up with. Her hair is long on one side and obscures some armmods, and obscured part of the wings. So I had to get creative. As I toyed around with looks, I started forming a warrior-like look for her. Instead of being a typical bug, she looks fierce and unwavering. The true definition of a fighter. If there's gonna be a swarm of these things, don't you think they have to look pretty terrifyingly fierce?! I looked up information about locusts, and there have been several huge locust swarms throughout history, one being as recent as 2022 in northern Africa and South Asia! Interesting information.
Also, I had to think about the color of Mathilde's look. Locusts are primarily brown, with hints of green (they are similar to the grasshopper). So I wanted to include all shades of brown in my look, from tan and beige to darker browns, to compliment the locust look. Now, for the wings I had to get creative. I ended up using wings that are more of a grey-ish color, and are not bug wings. Since Mathilde is a warrior, I used wings that complimented this idea, with her having more angled and sharp wings to emphasize that fierceness but the color is still reminiscent of a bug.
Also, there are no "swarm" items, so I had to get creative with the background. I chose a desert background with layers, and the center and the top of the background are a circle/cave to represent the "idea" of a swarm. Not perfect, but definitely makes the swarm idea work, don't you think?!
I tried my absolute best with this entry, and I pray and hope I at least get a decent score with this because this took me a long time to get the ideas fully implicated! Thank you so much for all of the advice, judges!
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 9:28 am
Designer: torimani Model: Mathilde Challenge #7: All on Red Title: Dancing with Roses Status: Complete!
Description:
So this challenge was probably hands down the easiest challenge I’ve done so far in this cycle. I regularly create all-in-one color looks here on Gaia for fun like ALL the time. Heck, I just did one yesterday for runway! So this was a breeze because I already know red items that fit together. However, I wanted a bit of extra “oomph” to my entry, so I incorporated two things that I feel encapsulate the feeling of red - dancing and roses. When you think of elegant dances, you think of someone in a fancy red gown dancing while their hair bounces beautifully. When you think of roses, obviously you think of the color red. So Mathilde here is dancing with roses, a flowery fiesta filled with true elegance.
So coming into this challenge, honestly I felt a bit disappointed because I thought last time I would place a little higher, especially since I thought the other look would go along better with the judges but I guess not. I think I have a habit of second guessing my entries or overthinking them, so this time I didn’t want to do that this time. So I made it, I’m sticking with it, and I’m proud of it either way! (Edit: misread the rules for the challenge, items are now below 50kp haha.)
For the look, I didn’t want to go with crimson red because that’s my go-to when I create any all-in-red looks on my own. I wanted to go with a brighter red this time. Also, I wanted to make a nouveau-style entry, because Art Nouveau is very elegant and perfect for this theme. I chose to do an armmod that encapsulates the line of motion so she looks like she is actually dancing. Then, when building the look, I thought about salsa dancing, since salsa dancers mainly wear red. I wanted to capture that kind of energetic yet subtle salsa-based energy. Also, I thought about how in other Hispanic cultures, there is bullfighting which is a form of motion and performance in a way, so her armmod fabric also captures more Hispanic culture-based elements. The rose crown specifically is something that is popular in Hispanic fashion (see: Frida Kahlo, for instance). Not to mention, Spain specifically has red and gold in their flag, so I wanted to incorporate that influence as well. The gold belt and the roses in the foreground I added as subtle touches for the theme, because I didn’t want the roses to go overboard or overtake her actual dancing.
The price cap for the challenge was interesting, I misread the rules at first (thought it said above 50kp for some reason ahahaha) but even adjusting the pieces for the look was easy because again, I regularly create all-in one color looks often, with both expensive and inexpensive pieces so I still knew how to piece them together. However, I will say when building it, I often found myself slightly over budget (like around 54kp or something) so it was a bit challenging to have to decide which pieces to swap but overall I think it wasn't too bad. The hardest part was finding which belt-type item would help pull the look together!
Overall I’m extremely proud of this look and I’m not changing it so what you get now is what you get period! Hopefully the judges are also happy with this look, but in any case I know that it looks great to me and I’m confident about this look!
Equip List:
Base features/usual facemod/makeup (not included in price point)
Description: This week, for Fallen Livestock, I decided to go with a more metaphorical approach, as unfortunately, most if not all of Gaia’s livestock items look too alive and too happy for the theme!
I got to thinking - what is the scariest part of all of this? The way I see it is, it’s the idea that death is just by your door - patiently waiting for your imminent downfall. The powerlessness and hopelessness that comes with witnessing your livestock dying bit by bit, and the eventual realization that in time to come, it will be your turn. And there’s little you can do to stop it.
When all of your livestock dies due to a deadly plague, you’re not going to die right away. You’d be able to survive for a bit - but it’s not going to last. You are not going to last.
So I decided to portray that - the gloom and doom is shown by the simplistic, black and white background, and the crow eating off of Vanity’s intestines is a nod to scavengers feeding off of carcasses (which will be aplenty, when the livestock dies).
Her outfit is made up of 2 Witchy Aesthetic skirts (layered for the opacity), as well as the Inevitable Bodice. I added a belt item (Chains of the Dead) with skull motifs as well as her exposed guts to strengthen her association with death. I gave her a scythe but chose to not give her a hooded robe because I wasn't going for a 1:1 replication of the grim reaper, and I thought the armmod looked interesting so I didn't want to cover it up.
Vanity is to be feared because of what she represents.
Notes: This was a really interesting theme. I had very little knowledge on the 10 plagues myself prior to the challenge, so I appreciated the opportunity for me to learn new things! But it was really quite the challenge. So much so that I struggled to start at all!
Extras: All deaths can be slow and scary, my interpretation was that seeing livestock in particular, that represents the economic potential/hope of your community, die off was particularly scary as livestock can be viewed as a symbol of self-sustainability.
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 11:36 pm
Designer: immortaljelly Challenge #7: All On Red Status: Complete
Model: Vanity Title: ✨ Strutting in Style ✨
Description: For this challenge, I’ve decided to dress Vanity in streetwear, as I’ve not attempted anything like that for her so far, and many of the entries I saw earlier this week were glamorous and elegant.
Keeping the budget in mind, I opted for pieces that came with multiple components - I liked that the jacket had a fur collar that lets her hair rest nicely on it, but also having metallic zippers that provide a bit of contrast. The bulkier jacket silhouette also contrasts against the slender legmod I chose, which came with belt and shoes. That said, I didn’t use the items as is - I layered a belt from Celero Ex-Machina as the original belt that came with the legmod looked a tad too formal for my liking, and added the choker as a detail for her crop top.
I then used the remaining plat to accessorize and round out her look, adding earphones, a navel piercing, and sunglasses.
If I’m being perfectly honest, there's not really a theme or lore behind this entry, I just sought out to make Vanity a cool ✨baddie✨ and had fun doing it!
Notes: I initially thought this challenge would be a breeze - as I spend a lot of time buying random stuff on the MP, love to find good deals, and often like to utilize cheaper items in my Runway entries. However, as I started actually working on my entry, I realized that it wasn’t as easy as it seems. As I mentioned in the chat thread, I never knew I had expensive tastes until I had to impose a restriction this way!
I chose to do crimson on crimson because to me Vanity’s features can work well with such a palette - there was no need to shy away from bright and deep reds, so I leaned fully into it.
I thought her natural brows suited this look so I didn't opt to use any alternate brows this time round. (That and I ran out of plat sweatdrop) Funnily enough I believe it's the first time I'm actually using her default brows!
Equipped Items List Base Features: Royal Manners - 2,306p Suit Yourself (Hair) - 1,997p clown paint - 23,082p Skintone D Body Dye - 48,978p His Midnight Reign (Nose v.2) - 46,361p
Outfit: Provoked Punch Bunny (Top) 6,174p The Zipper is definitely broken 34,694p Definite Inspector (pants) 40p Moira's Silver Navel Piercing 1p Secret Retreat (Red Babydoll Panties) 207p Librarian Love Me Again (Background) 3,512p Blood Gothic Bat Choker 1p Celero Ex Machina (belt) 459p SLIK Shades 1p Dee and Es Ai (Headphones) 1,721p Total: 46,809p
Extras:
I love glamorous and elegant looks myself and I’ve always thought Vanity’s base features looked regal, but this week I wanted to try something different so this was a step out of my comfort zone. I had decided on streetwear from the get-go and I’m glad I stuck to it even though it felt extra challenging :’ )
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Secret Retreat (Red Wind?) 121p
Astra: Rose Breeze (still) 139p
Jupiter's Lace (Lacy Gown) 468p
Tawnee Port (Bottle Corset) 97p 
Briar Rose Sangre 136p 
Chiron the Trapper (Leather Shoulderpads) 5,086p 
Luxurious Getaway (Makeup) 6,002p
Angelic Sweetheart 65p 
Midnight Rose Huntress 8,187p 
Merchant Halfling Ears (tone F) 8,423p 
Skyward Elf Reflection (BG) 16,999p 
Ornate Dragonboat Festival (Scarf) 2,904p
