What is E-Fashion? CLO 3D, You & Me

Unsurprisingly, as our tools and resources advance, so does our collective way of using and manipulating them. In the fashion industry, we are currently seeing constant conversations about how brands can integrate sustainable efforts into their core mission, as well as brainstorming toward how we can further enhance the shopping experience, and if augmented realities are really the new wave of designer displays. A lot of the most sophisticated advancement has come from artificial intelligence (AI) assistance via chatbot services and touchscreens. This shift has upgraded brands’ ability to access analytics in various ways, like increasing data, consumer needs projections, etc. It is also reshaping the way consumers engage with the brand’s products.

Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Realities, & Fashion Houses

Virtual realities (VR) is an added sector to brands trailblazing themselves at the forefront of younger generations, and stepping into the Metaverse. OBSESS is a virtual fashion retailer platform created by Neha Singh. With a background in both fashion and engineering, Singh created a platform to allow exploration of the metaverse through fashion houses. OBSESS is a company that creates and hosts VR flagship stores and pop-ups that can be generated on the brand website itself. Generating the e-commerce platform utilizing VR and AI gives consumers the privilege to shop within an immersive environment where garments are 3D, yet everything is shoppable. Similarities in these advancements also align with brands like Fabricant which is a digital-only clothing brand. In the name of sustainability, they only create garments after purchase to ensure less waste.

Augmented Realities & Fashion Students

As spaces like the Metaverse and OBSESS begin to take form, conversations are sparked about software programs and digital apps for the use of design. While pencil and paper still hold weight in an analog world for design, as we move into more digital advancement we have also seen a rise in software-based design and creation. A plethora of design software is available that aligns with the advancement of garment curation via 3D creation. At Istituto Marangoni Miami, after a few hands-on pattern-cutting courses, we begin to work with CLO 3D. In November 2022, Marangoni teamed up with Halston to create and showcase Halston-inspired pieces for the “With Love Halston” non-profit foundation during Miami’s Art Basel week. This contest was a collaboration between students and the Halston brand to create garments that best spoke to what they believed Halston would be creating now while still honoring his principles and celebrating him as a whole.

CLO 3D & A “With Love Halston” Finalist

Students worked on their designs for several months, including two brainstorming sessions. One was by themselves as they designed original ideas, and the second was with the eight finalists and Halston team members who served as mentors for the second phase of the project. What made this collaboration really interesting was that the final showcasing was done in person as well as presented by AI models within their CLO 3D programming. I had the opportunity to interview finalist, Maria Cacciatore, who gave me an inside scoop on working with CLO 3D for her “With Love Halston” designs.

What was your design concept for this competition?

“My vision specifically was how do I create something both youthful and timeless, but also celebratory. I knew this piece was being used to commemorate a legend in the industry and felt the design needed to be an art piece on its own. The dress ended up being a great representation of both my own personality as well as Halston’s.”

How did CLO 3D play into your design process?

“CLO allows you to see the fit and proportions on an avatar with real-life measurements. Therefore it eliminated the trial and error of sizing. I only had to make one sample to make sure it translated correctly in real life and with only a few small changes was able to get the final piece made. CLO isn’t 1000% accurate so there are some adjustments that have to be made at times. So it’s easier and faster to make changes on CLO than with a paper pattern.”

If you had to describe CLO 3D software to your youngest sibling, what would you say?

“CLO 3D is a software on the computer that allows you to digitize a pattern and pattern making. A 3D Avatar allows you to visualize how the garment would translate in real life. CLO 3D allows you to create a 2D pattern on one side and visualize it on the avatar on the other side. It makes the process of creating what you want easier as you see it on an avatar with real-life measurements. It eliminates errors you would have when making a pattern, making a sample, and trying it on a model. Now this gives a better representation or idea of what the garment will actually look like. It also eliminates human error and enables you to create better and more accurate shapes and sewing because of all the features and tools.”

Has CLO changed your designing process approach since the competition? In what ways?

“I have gotten more comfortable with the software and slowly become more independent. Since I am creating more patterns with CLO, I am beginning to train my mind to see how I would construct something on CLO when I see my sketch. Knowing pattern-making allows you to design better and more realistically.”

Fashion Design Software

As we continue to test out further technological advances in the fashion industry, we will continue to see the use of digitized means in our creative process. Outside of CLO 3D, there are plenty of other design software programs that focus on 3D model apparel and rendering.

• Browzwear: Design programming created in Singapore; allows you to test garment fits before sending them to production.
• Marvelous Designer: Includes fabric simulation, 2D designing, and pattern drafting; also can be used as an additional creation software for other programs (i.e. Maya).
• Romans CAD: Made for leather and footwear industry creations; features a clear collaborative workspace to share designs with a team.
• Tailornova: A program featuring pattern making, fabric selection, and design concept tools.

Understanding what design strategies work best for you as a fashion student is imperative. Whether it aligns with doing things strictly online or a balance between paper, pen, and your laptop, trial and error leads us to greatness. As tech continues to reshape the fashion industry, maintaining an open mind is key to recognizing and integrating all of these changes.