Founded by digital artist Catty Taylor in 2019 as a response to the lack of representation for womxn working in 3D and animation, Digi-Gxl is a platform that champions womxn, trans people, intersex, and non-binary digital designers in what is still a cis male-dominated industry. The platform, which functions as both an agency and a “global community and support network”, represents 250 members across the world, ranging from recent graduates to those at the top of their field.

“Through being a part of the community, many members have said they’ve improved in self-confidence, as well as gaining great work opportunities and expanding their portfolio with exciting clients and commercial projects,” says Taylor. Since Digi-Gxl launched, members have had the opportunity to design digital garments and displays for Maison Margiela, Chloé, Raf Simons, and Rick Owens, as well as Selfridges’ first fully 3D & digital campaign, The New Order. Earlier this year, the group also partnered with The Institute of Coding to host tech-related workshops for womxn between the ages of 16 and 18, with the aim of getting more womxn involved and excited about tech.

Offering a safe and inclusive space for womxn of their industry to exchange skills and ideas, Digi Gxl is paving the way for marginalised gender identities to thrive in the tech sector by amplifying their voices and, ultimately, giving them CTRL.

How is your work unique to you, or informed by your perspective, experiences, or identity?

Catty Taylor: Our work is unique to us because we are a group of 250 individuals who have the ability to cover an extensive range of specialisms and softwares within the 3D and tech field; from creative coding, animation, creative direction, virtual and augmented reality.

What issues or causes are you passionate about and why?

Catty Taylor: We are passionate about inclusivity for our members, people being paid fairly and treated with respect within the industry, eradicating femmephobia from all systems of being and thought, and being relevant role models to young womxn who aspire to work within tech-related roles. 

“We are passionate about being relevant role models to young womxn who aspire to work within tech-related roles” – Catty Taylor, Digi-Gxl

What creative or philanthropic project would you work on with a grant from the Dazed 100 Ideas Fund?

Catty Taylor: There are many things we would love to do, including the creation and development of an open-source and horizontal forum where our members can share and access vital information and advice: creative, technical and business.

(Once lockdown ends) we’d also like to collaborate with queer and inclusive club nights to put on immersive show experiences. To promote ourselves as a global community, we would have multiple parties happening on the same evening within different countries. There would be 3D visuals and animations from our members and a livestream showing the other parties happening at the same time – partying together globally. We would also love to hold more workshops for younger womxn.

Image composite of Digi-Gxl members created by @pppanik