Written by our Design Assistant, Olivia Thaggard
Jessica Goodyear for CLO3D
Two years ago, I could not begin to tell you the first thing about fashion design, better yet 3D fashion design. I started as a Communications major in college with absolutely no experience in fashion or design and somehow, I’m ending my college career as a Fashion Business major.
As a Fashion Business major, I was required to take a 3D Fashion Design and Technology course. I was very nervous about this because, to be honest, I never felt like an artsy type of person, which I thought you had to be in order to do fashion design. This course required a subscription to a 3D design software and after some research, I chose to make my subscription with a well-known program called Clo3D.
I learned through the modules in the course about this 3D design application, along with the multiple other programs that are used by businesses in the fashion industry all over the world. Before taking this course, I didn’t even consider that there are careers for this in the fashion industry. This software, along with others just like it, provide a 3D simulation feature that allows the designer to virtually bring their 2D sketch to life.
I had only dabbled lightly with fashion sketches before using this software on Adobe Illustrator and Procreate. However, a 3D program is a completely different ball game. This software requires you to create the pattern for each piece of garment, sew each pattern together properly, and make sure each piece is measured to fit the avatar correctly. Of course, there are various sizes and looks to the avatars so that can be customizable. Once the garment is created on the 2D pattern window, it is time to see what was once a sketch come to life through a 3D simulation.
CLO Virtual Fashion
Not only does this software allow you to create a garment, or a whole look, for the avatar, but there are options for presenting the look as well. The animation feature allows the avatar to walk down a runway and strike a pose. I ended this course with more knowledge about pattern making and sewing virtually, than I ever thought I would have known about physical pattern making and sewing.
Programs such as Clo3D, Browzwear, Marvelous Designer, Sculpteo, etc, are so much more than just fashion design software's. While none of these applications are new to the fashion industry, these last few years have proven the relevance that 3D fashion design has to the fashion industry.
We watched as brands created 3D fashion shows and other brands used 3D fashion for marketing purposes. I remember watching these things happen, for what I thought was the first time, and I became even more in awe of the fashion industry than I was before.
GCDS SS 2021
It feels empowering to be a part of something that is the future of the fashion industry. Although I never felt artsy enough to work in fashion design, working with 3D fashion design has taught me that you don’t have to be a creative genius, if you’re putting your vision and your dream into motion (literally and virtually), you are successful.