Jaden Oh, CEO of CLO Virtual Fashion, has made history as the first Korean entrepreneur and his company the first Korean enterprise to be honored with the Academy’s Scientific and Engineering Award.
During the Scientific and Technical Awards at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on February 23, Oh received an award in the Scientific and Engineering category for his groundbreaking 3D design software, Marvelous Designer.
While Korean actors and directors have won Oscars in the past, Oh is the first Korean to receive the Academy’s Science and Technology Award, which honors the scientists and companies that drive the creation and advancement of movies.
Marvelous Designer, acclaimed in the film, gaming, and VFX sectors, was recognized for its pattern-based digital costume creation, which integrates design and visualization tasks and provides a virtual production environment that resembles reality.
“Guided by Mr. Oh, the team at CLO Virtual Fashion, encompassing engineers, UX designers, and 3D designers, has made substantial contributions to raise the quality of appearance and motion in digital wardrobe creation,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) noted.
“Learning that the Scientific and Technical Award values contributions over tenure makes this recognition particularly meaningful to me,” said Oh, the founder of CLO Virtual Fashion. “Marvelous Designer is the result of the hard work, dedication, and innovation of every team member. We’re grateful to the directors, animators, and designers who chose us.”
Marvelous Designer is used by DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, and others, including Weta FX, the New Zealand studio behind The Lord of the Rings. The company has worked on dozens of films and animations, including Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021), Mulan (2020), John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), and Avengers: Infinity War (2018).
“A decade ago, animations were limited to capes or body-attached costumes. Today, our software enables characters in films to don realistic attire,” said Oh.
“Our vision is not to create the best software, but to create value through costume design content,” he said, ” We’re committed to innovation and exploring new avenues.”
The Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards are divided into three tiers: the Technical Achievement Awards (Academy Certificates), the Scientific and Engineering Awards (Academy Plaques), and the Academy Achievement Award (Oscar). The awards ceremony will take place before the Academy Awards ceremony and the awards will be presented during the main ceremony.
Founded in 2009, CLO Virtual Fashion stands at the forefront of digital apparel solutions worldwide, leading in the seamless digital convergence and integration across the apparel spectrum, from apparel design software to digital asset management and communications to marketplace platforms. The company currently employs 450 people, including more than 100 engineers in 14 locations around the world.
BY NICOLE CHANG, HOONSIK WOO [chang.nicole@koreadaily.com]
