by helene.goedl -

20 | Designing A Digital Fashion Garment – The Final Project

For my final project, I decided to draft a pattern for pants in CLO3D. I am following a tutorial for the basic shape and will modify the garment according to my design preferences.

Preparing the Avatar

To begin the process, I decided to modify one of the default avatars from the CLO library to my own measurements. This was relatively easy and it’s a quick method to get a fairly accurate representation of your body in the digital space. However, the problem with this method is that body proportions vary greatly from person to person and the distribution of certain measurements creates a very different base shape of the body. Even though CLO allows you to input a lot of specific measurements, such as knee, leg and calf circumference, it does still calculate the spaces between the input custom measurements automatically, resulting in certain idiosyncratic body shapes to be lost in the process. For example, the difference between my high and low hip measurement is quite substantial and creates a dip at the hip area but there is no way (that I could find) to represent the shape between those two measurements inside the avatar editor. So to get a very accurate representation of your own body, you would have to make a custom model from scratch and load it into the program. For this project, I decided to go with the approximately correct model achieved by modifying the default avatar.

Drafting the Pattern

After the Avatar was prepared, I started developing the pants pattern according to this tutorial. 

First, I had to calculate some measurements as listed below.

Pants measurements

Avatar:
Hip: 97 cm  (31.2in)
Half hip: 48,5 cm (19in)
Waist: 65 cm (25.6in)
Outseam: 95cm (37.4in)
Inseam: 75cm (29.5in)
Knees: 18in
Ankles: 13.75in

Measurement Percentages (of half hip in inches):
21% 3.99in
55% 10.45in
47% 8.93in
10% 1.9in
20% 3.8in

Math:
Front Waist: 25.6 / 4 + .375 = 6.775
Back Waist: 25.6 / 4 – .375 = 6.025
Front Knee: 18 / 2 +.75 = 9.75
Front Ankle: 13.75 / 2 – .375 = 6.5
Back Ankle: 13.75 / 2 + .375 = 7.25 

The pattern drafting process was very similar to the analog process on paper and gave me lots of flashbacks to pattern drafting class. Especially when following an instruction with different measurements, there can be some confusing moments in the process and my lack of practice over the last years definitely showed while I was developing the pattern. 

Following the tutorial was a very helpful way of getting familiar with all the tools in the 2D Pattern drafting window. Some of them I found to be less intuitive than I originally thought while going though them in the overview tutorial series. For example, the curving tools don’t respond in the way that I would expect and the way I know these types of tools from other programs, so they were challenging to use in the drafting process. 

At the end, I did manage to construct the pattern and I could move on to arranging the pieces on the avatar and sew and simulate the garment.

Fit Issues, Modifications and Fabric Choices 

I tried to correct this issue by re-measuring the inseam of my avatar, going back to the pattern in the 2D window and comparing the measurement to the inseam on the pattern. By gradually editing the curvature and approximating it to the inseam measurements, I managed to somewhat resolve the issue, although the result was still not perfect. 

After sewing, I noticed some significant bunching  issues around the crotch area, a typical issue in pant patterns.

After I was mostly happy with the base pattern, I started modifying it by changing the leg shape, adding a waistband and a zipper. I also experimented with the fabric options from the CLO library and settled on a black woven cotton fabric for the final pant model. 

Sewing Issues and Draping

After I made my modifications, I simulated the sewing again and ran into some issues, especially resulting from new pattern pieces on the waistband and zipper fly that where supposed to be sewn over top of each other. As you can see in the screen capture below, the program was confused as to how to arrange the overlapping seam lines and unfortunately, I was not yet able to find a solution for this issue. Another problem I had was with the developing of the waistband, which was not included in the pattern pieces from my original pattern so I had to develop it myself and as mentioned before, my lack of practice showed once again. The waistband could be improved, especially in the curvature on the side seams.

After the sewing, I draped the garment on the avatar, which was fun but also confusing sometimes, because the mesh of the avatar sometimes interacts strangely with the mesh of the garment model.

When I was happy with the draping, I took the garment model into the final processing step in CLO.

Animation, Render and Import into Blender

As a final step in CLO I took the model into the animation workspace. This workspace is quite easy to use and intuitive for anyone who has used a similar 3D program before.

I chose a preset walk cycle from the CLO library, which worked very well and smooth. For the final render, I went with the invisible avatar render. I exported the model, including the walk cycle animation as an alembic (.abc) file. I then loaded the model into Blender, where I had some issues with the fabric of the model not translating well from CLO. Because I wasn’t able to find the cause of the issue, I decided to use a similar cotton fabric material from Blenderkit for the pants model. Finally, I created a little scene, animated some camera movement and rendered the model with Cycles.

Final Product

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed the process of getting familiar with CLO3D. During the initial phase of learning the basic functions of the program, I had the impression that it would be quite easy to work out the final project. However, while working on my final piece, I realized which functions of the program are still not as clear to me as I thought and which features I need more practice with. Additionally, I learned that there are other methods of developing pattern in CLO, as I have seen some tutorials where users cut out and drape on the 3D model in a more free-form approach. This is something I would like to try out in future projects, because I realized while developing the pattern in the „traditional“ way, that my knowledge on pattern development is quite rusty and I need to either brush up on it or find other methods for reaching a good end product. Another aspect I would like to work more on in the future is the fabric export and modification options because I had some issues with this in my final project.

Overall, I will definitely keep learning more about CLO and hopefully get better and figure out solutions to probelms I was not able to fix this time around.

by helene.goedl -

19 | Designing A Digital Fashion Garment – CLO3D Tutorials and Program Review

After completing the full introduction tutorial series on CLO3D’s official YouTube channel, I want to share my thoughts on the program and the series of tutorials before I talk about making my own garment in my final blogpost. 

Overall, my experience with learning the program through the tutorials is very positive. Not only is the tutorial series very comprehensive and easy to follow, they also provide free practice files and update the videos regularly to reflect updates in the program. The topics are well selected and well paced in the structure of the tutorial series and everything you might need to get started with the program is covered in the videos.
In the unlikely case that the tutorial series doesn’t cover a function you specifically need, CLO also frequently posts tutorials and videos on their channel covering specialty topics and new updates of the program. Additionally, there is a community forum on the CLO website where you can ask any questions that might come up as you use the program.

My final impression of the program so far is that it is an extremely well thought out tool for professional designers. CLO includes many thoughtful functions and modification options which show that it is a program catering to a demographic of professionals. It incorporates many industry standards, from international sizing options, diverse avatars to Pantone color selections.

I would recommend picking up this program to anyone who wants to add a tool to their repertoire of fashion design tools. As for people without a background in fashion design, I think the program is well enough explained to be picket up by novices, but they might struggle with some functions and applications. 

In my next and final blogpost, I’m excited to report on the process of designing my first custom design piece in CLO3D. 

by helene.goedl -

17 | Designing A Digital Fashion Garment – Cloth Simulation in CLO3D

In the tutorial series of the CLO3D software on YouTube, there is a dedicated tutorial all about the basics of the cloth simulation function and the particle distance setting in CLO. Having used other 3D software before, I am familiar with the terminology of these settings, but until now, I have not yet fully understood how they work and what exactly they mean for cloth simulation. 

The CLO3D tutorial is limited to the basic simulation settings offered inside CLO and only briefly explained what particle distance does in the garment settings. But even this small explanation is already very helpful in understanding the purpose of the setting. 

One aspect of CLO that is interesting to mention in contrast to other 3D programs is that the standard mesh construction uses triangular shapes rather than square or rectangular mesh. This is because the triangular shapes are better suited to creating fabric that is meant to drape over the body. CLO offers the function of changing this setting but it is advised to keep it at the triangular setting for optimal performance. 

Another point that is addressed in the tutorial is the issue of collision. Since 3D objects are constructed of mesh, they can entangle and pass through each other, which is important to know when draping garments in CLO. 

Finally, CLO offers several simulation settings that each have their different pros and cons for different use cases. The settings can affect the accuracy of the garment draping as it is being simulated.  

by helene.goedl -

14 | Designing A Digital Fashion Garment – Understanding Pattern Pieces, Pattern Layouts and Pattern to Garment Relationships

In the previous blogpost, we discussed the preset avatar options and settings and the avatar editor in CLO3D and their implications for 3D body representation in digital fashion design. In this post, we will turn to the two-dimensional side of fashion design – the pattern. We will take a look at how the pattern is laid out in CLO3D, how the pattern representation relates to the garment pieces and how CLO helps to understand the relationship between 2D and 3D representation.  

In dressmaking education, learning how to construct patterns and how to translate design sketches into a pattern and how that pattern and its pieces relate to the finished garment are some of the most challenging skills to learn. It takes a while to understand the relationships and logic between the two-dimensional pattern and how the curves and darts translate to the fit of the garment on the body. 

Interestingly, the practice of drafting two-dimensional patterns comes from the tradition of male tailoring. In women’s dressmaking (also referred to historically as mantua making), tradeswomen would drape a mockup fabric or muslin directly on the clients body to form shapes of the garment rather than constructing a paper pattern first.1 The practice of draping is still in use today. Some fashion designers work exclusively with draping in the design stage, especially for custom pieces, whereas for mass production, the pattern would be translated into a two-dimensional paper pattern. 

After this short excursion into the history of pattern making practices, let’s take a look at the CLO3D interface and how it deals with the sewing pattern.

CLO by default has a workspace layout with two display windows next to each other – one for the avatar and the 3D representation of the garment, one for the 2D sewing pattern. 

In the 3D window, the pattern pieces can be arranged around the three-dimensional body of the avatar, making it easier to understand how the curves of the pattern correspond to the shapes of the body.  Arrangement points can be displayed on the 3D avatar, making the placement of individual pattern pieces easier. 

In the 2D window, the garment pieces are laid out flat and symmetrically arranged. When selected, pattern pieces in the 2D window are highlighted, as well as the corresponding garment piece in the 3D window. This is another immensely helpful feature that helps you understand how the two relate to each other. It is especially useful for more intricate and complicated pattern arrangements and elaborate pattern constructions that are not obviously easy to understand. 

Speaking from my own experience, the CLO arrangement makes it way easier to understand pattern drafting. However, it might be that because I already have the background knowledge of how pattern pieces work, I find it easier to understand the setup of the program than someone with no prior knowledge. But I think this way of learning pattern drafting, or at least using CLO or a similar digital fashion program along with traditional teaching methods to teach pattern drafting could be immensely helpful for people learning the skill.

1Abby Cox, „Alexander McQueen & The Patriarchy Problem in Modern Fashion“ October 20, 2023, online video, 9:58, https://youtube.com/watch?v=OVwhg8LZnlc. 

by leonie.dunke -

14 | Digital Fashion

The OFFF Design Festival in Barcelona offered insights into various design industries and niches. I was particularly impressed by Stephy Fung’s presentation on her work as a Digital Fashion Artist and how she found her way into this specialized field. In this blog post, I will delve into this fascinating topic and provide a brief overview.

What is digital fashion?

Digital Fashion refers to clothing designs created using digital technologies such as computer-aided design (CAD), 3D modelling, and Virtual Reality (VR). These digital garments exist solely in the digital realm and find various applications, including virtual fashion shows, online gaming, social media, and virtual try-on experiences.

What is it used for?

Originally, the idea behind these programs was to save costs on expensive designs. Instead of producing physically, designers could experiment on the computer without consuming material. The digital cut pieces behave like real fabrics, reacting to movement and light, thus providing a realistic representation.

In recent years, the digital fashion industry has grown rapidly, with an increasing number of brands and designers using digital tools to create virtual collections and experiences. Fashion Weeks are held digitally, often in the form of computer games and virtual worlds where avatars are equipped with the latest collections.

What potential does digital fashion have?

Digital fashion allows designers to explore innovative ideas without the limitations of physical materials, production processes, or environmental impacts. It blurs the boundaries between fashion, art, and technology and offers new forms of expression and creativity. Moreover, it has the potential to revolutionise how people buy clothes by offering personalised virtual try-ons and reducing the need for physical inventories.

Can digital fashion make the fashion industry more sustainable?

Digital fashion has the potential to influence the physical fashion industry and promote more sustainable practices, particularly in terms of waste reduction and CO2 reduction through on-demand production. Studies show significantly lower CO2 footprints of digital clothing compared to traditionally manufactured garments.

Stephy Fung

Stephy Fung is a 3D artist based in London. Her work includes 3D motion design and digital fashion. She collaborates with companies to create digital fashion for advertising purposes and sells her art as NFTs online. The purchased pieces can be used on various platforms, including as skins in video games or filters in Snapchat.

Ressources

by helene.goedl -

12 | Designing A Digital Fashion Garment – Getting Started

Today I am starting the journey to designing my first digital fashion garment. The very first step on this journey is – of course – installing the right 3D program. In a previous blog post, I discussed the two current industry standard programs – Marvelous Designer and CLO3D – and compared some of their advantages and disadvantages, their main applications and who primarily uses them for which areas of design. Based on that research and my own background in physical pattern drafting, sewing and traditional analog fashion design, I decided to work with CLO3D. 

The provider offers a student subscription plan as well as a 30 Day free trial which I am starting today (March 6th 2024).  

CLO3D has a very useful pool of learning resources, among them an expansive collection of video tutorials on their own YouTube channel. Their “Beginner’s Guide to CLO” playlist will be the first point of entry for me. I will follow the tutorials in order to get familiar with the basic steps of the program. 

The main interface is a little busy but well arranged and for users with previous experience of 3D programs, it can be quite intuitive. The user has the possibility to rearrange the setup and change the positions of tools and features. 

The Program also comes with some preset avatars, base garments, materials, accessories and patterns. They are a good way to get familiar with the basic functions. In my next blogpost, I will attempt to get started with the sewing functions of the program. 

by helene.goedl -

11 | Introducing my Semester Project

Im my blogposts from last semester, I discussed several aspects of digital fashion. This semester, I am taking my research to the practical phase by creating my first own digital fashion garment.

The scope I am aiming for in this project is to test out the main features and tools of the software CLO3D, which I will use, find a serviceable workflow in terms of working with presets and base patterns, getting familiar with material libraries and especially, understanding the stitch options and draping features of my chosen software program. Ideally, I will be able to complete a full garment, including export and staging in a digital environment, within the free trial period of the software, which is 30 days. 

In my next blogpost, I will start my project by following the installation process of CLO3D, getting familiar with the layout and basic functions and exploring the asset library that comes with the program.

by helene.goedl -

10 | Invisible Bodies – an Idiosyncratic Design Choice in Digital Fashion Design

Exploring the many creations under the keywords “Digital Fashion” currently presented on the internet, one quickly finds a common and peculiar reoccurring phenomenon. Virtual clothings flows through digital space, draping, behaving and moving in a way that suggests the presence of a body underneath the clothing. But there is no body depicted in the renderings. The world of digital fashion, it seems, is on its way to becoming a world without bodies. This has both interesting implications for the future, but also prompts examinations of the past of fashion design. The invisible walk cycles of digital fashion unintentionally provoke a discussion of one of fashion history’s most interesting tensions – the clothed body.

Bodies are a subject which has naturally been present throughout the history of fashion. Over the course of its evolution, the fashion industry has treated and impacted bodies in a multitude of ways. There have been phases of fashion history in which the body was the leading force, fashion designers aimed to flatter the body, respect its qualities and varieties and find a way to make garments that interplay with the body. The body was a part of the fashion system which could not be ignored or neglected. Similarly, fashion has also gone through phases of extreme body negation, attempting to fight against the natural qualities of the human body, forcing it into unnatural shapes. Especially in women’s fashion, the relation between garment and body has been a constant point of contention which in recent times, has arguably reached its peak. Despite the modern movements for body acceptance and inclusivity, fashion remains a space in which bodies are a constant source of conflict. 

It seems ironic, therefore, that in digital fashion, the body appears to lose its significance altogether. Garments can float through digital space without physical limitations. On one hand, this could be viewed as a bizarre but logical consequence of current efforts towards inclusivity and diversity. If the body is invisible, there is no need to worry about skin colour, size, age and physical condition. The body becomes merely a suggestion of form, a sort of draping guide for digital garments that escapes all the pitfalls that depicting a true to life figure would bring with it. 

On the other hand, this complete negation of the body suggests that in fashion, no semblance of a real physical body is “good enough” to do justice to the garment. The body is an obsolete instrument of fashion, a tool that the modern fashion aesthetic has finally managed to evolve away from. Either way of viewing this development towards invisible bodies in digital fashion brings with it a myriad of questions and discussion points that could be elaborated on in their own essays. Further developments of this trend will show if it is here to stay, or if visible bodies, no matter in which shape will make a return to digital fashion in the end.

Further reading:

Ana Neto & João Ferreira (2023) Lasting Bonds: Understanding Wearer-Clothing Relationships through Interpersonal Love-Theory, Fashion Theory, 27:5, 677-707, DOI: 10.1080/1362704X.2023.2170706

Emma McClendon (2019) The Body: Fashion and Physique—A Curatorial Discussion, Fashion Theory, 23:2, 147-165, DOI: 10.1080/1362704X.2019.1567057

Lucia Ruggerone (2017) The Feeling of Being Dressed: Affect Studies and the Clothed Body, Fashion Theory, 21:5, 573-593, DOI: 10.1080/1362704X.2016.1253302

by helene.goedl -

09 | Industry Standard Softwares for Digital Fashion Design

In the digital fashion design space, there are currently two softwares which are most frequently used specifically for the task of digital garment design. These two softwares are called CLO3D and Marvelous Designer. The following text will present some of the key differences and similarities of the two programs.

To begin with, both CLO3D and Marvelous Designer’s software platforms are owned by the same entity, which results in them being very similar in their foundational structure, with an overall quite substantial functional overlap.

A notable contrast between the two programs is the intended user base. CLO3D is posited as being more tailored for fashion designers, specifically people who already are familiar with fashion design and garment production processes, whereas Marvelous Designer is more aimed towards the gaming industry and 3D artists. Marvelous Designer is dominantly used in the entertainment industry, particularly in VFX, animation, movies, and video games, due to its capabilities in creating realistic virtual garments.

Overall, CLO3D contains a broader set of tools compared to Marvelous Designer, however, the differences in tool sets is mostly owed to project-specific requirements of the intended user base. The two programs also differ in their export capabilities. CLO3D provides enhanced options for exporting garments into the physical realm, catering to the needs of fashion designers who may require interactions with manufacturers. Additionally, CLO3D offers more compatibility with interactive formats, such as WebGL and augmented reality (AR), through the exportation of GLTF and GLB formats, a feature which is not available in Marvelous Designer.

One advantage of Marvelous Designer is its integration with the Adobe 3D asset platform Substance. This feature allows users to seamlessly import Substance textures directly into the program and work with them in creating garments. This feature is not yet available in CLO3D. CLO3D on the other hand, provides a built-in renderer, enabling users to render garments directly within the application, a convenience not found in Marvelous Designer. 

All of these technical details will be important for persons interested in creating digital garments with one of these programs. While they might seem like small differences on superficial examination, they might be the deciding factor for some digital artists in choosing either one or the other to work with. 

Apart from these small technical differences, CLO3D and Marvelous Designer also differ in a further important point – the pricing. In this category, CLO3D comes out slightly more expensive than Marvelous designer. 

In conclusion, fashion designers seeking real-world export capabilities will likely fare better overall with CLO3D, while 3D artists, particularly those using Blender, Cinema 4D, or similar programs, are likely to appreciate Marvellous Designer.

Weblinks:

Marvelous Designer
CLO3D

by helene.goedl -

08 | Digital Fashion Collaborations

Traditional fashion brands are starting to collaborate with digital artists and designers to create limited-edition virtual collections, virtual experiences, brand tie-ins and special editions. The connection between gaming and fashion seems to have strengthened more and more over the past years. It appears that the aesthetic and lifestyle connected to video games offers designers and fashion brands unique new inspirations to take their brands to new experimental grounds. There are several possible reasons why video games seem to be especially interesting collaboration partners for fashion houses. Part of the appeal might be explained in my previous blogpost on video game skins (see here). The following blogpost will introduce some notable digital fashion collaboration and projects either situated in or influenced by the video game space. 

Prada and Riders Republic, 2022:

In 2022, luxury brand Prada, more specifically, its sportswear line Prada Linea Rossa collaborated with the multiplayer racing game Riders Republic to produce a digital sportswear line and a matching set of snowboards, skis, and BMX bikes.

Balenciaga and Fortnite, 2021:

Popular streetwear brand Balenciaga launched physical and digital collections in partnership with the multiplayer, battle-royale game Fortnite. The brand also created an original video game called Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow to promote their Fall 2021 runway show.

Gucci and Roblox, 2021:

In 2021, Gucci created a surreal garden inside the game Roblox for players to visit online.

Anna Sui, Isabel Marant, Marc Jacobs and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, 2020:

The designers each built themed islands in Animal Crossing: New Horizons as imaginative locales for fans to engage with their respective brand.

Moschino and The Sims, 2019:

In 2019, fashion brand Moschino partnered with the popular game The Sims to release both physical and digital lines, referencing the retro, pixelated graphics of 80s computer games. A so-called “stuff pack” was released for The Sims 4 in summer 2019.

Nike and League of Legends, 2019:

Sportswear brand Nike partnered with the popular eSports game League of Legends to create footwear and apparel collections inspired by the game’s aesthetics. They also released a line of footwear featuring the PlayStation logo and colorway. Notably, this project had a physical fashion output rather than a digital product, but it still demonstrate the general affinity between games and fashion that is on the rise today.

Louis Vuitton and Final Fantasy, 2016:

For their Spring/Summer 2016 collection, luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton recruited a virtual characters from the Final Fantasy series to model physical garments and accessories.

Image source: https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/29188/1/final-destiny-s-lightning-breaks-silence-on-louis-vuitton 

The brand also released a mobile game entitled “Louis: The Game” to mark the brand founder’s 200-year birthday in 2021.

As shown in these examples, fashion brands have been venturing into the virtual worlds of contemporary games for a while, either through collaborations, creating their virtual experiences, or establishing unique spaces within existing video games. Therefore, the gaming space has opened up new opportunities for creative projects, but also marketing opportunities, and fashion brands appear to be ready and willing to engage. 

Main Reference:

Reay, E., Wanick, V. (2023). Skins in the Game: Fashion Branding and Commercial Video Games. In: Bazaki, E., Wanick, V. (eds) Reinventing Fashion Retailing. Palgrave Studies in Practice: Global Fashion Brand Management . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11185-3_5