One of the new tools revolutionising the way clothes are designed is the agile
CLO 3D software program, which makes it possible to design an entire
wardrobe from patterns. A short training course offered by ESMOD PRO and
delivered by designer Guy Pontal offers an introduction to the many
possibilities that the software offers. This teacher is unequivocal: a virtual
collection of collections is part of an eco-friendly approach.
“New technologies are doing a lot for CSR”, explains Guy Pontal, who trains people to use the Clo3D software, a 3D design tool that allows you to create photorealistic garments and simulate ultra-detailed prototypes, making it the ideal tool for reducing time-to-market while keeping a firm handle on fabric production and material waste.
The screen displays two windows, the one on the left showing sketches of fabric
yokes expressed in their simplest form, flat and two-dimensional, the one on the right
showing these same fabric pieces seemingly brought to life through the addition of an
extra dimension that gives them depth, volume and perspective. Thanks to the fluidity
of expert animation (made possible by tools resembling Photoshop and Illustrator),
these same yokes are positioned on an avatar (i.e. a virtual mannequin) where they
can be modified and adjusted until a realistic and more importantly credible rendering
is obtained that immediately allows the beholder—be it a decision-making customer
or a manufacturer—to get a real feel for the garment being created before their very
eyes. With the flick of a wrist you can move a seam or add a motif to an imported
pattern, instantly transforming the piece accordingly. A masterclass in design
requiring styling and pattern-making, reinforced by the incredible resources provided
by new digital tools.
We’re looking at the CLO 3D software interface. Often described as the “software of
the future”, this Korean program is a textile-oriented version of the famous Marvelous
Designer software, well known in the world of video games and cinema; it’s been
used, for example, to dress characters that have become legendary on the big
screen, such as The Hobbit. Its aim is simple: to allow you to create a complete
wardrobe, including graphics, prints and accessories, from patterns, with flexibility
and ease, and on a modest budget. Modifications, whether in terms of colour or
projected view, are instant, with obvious time savings when it comes to prototyping
and commercial presentations. It also offers countless creative possibilities thanks to
a myriad of parameters that allow patterns to be graded according to market
standards and make it possible to test all product sizes on a specific body type and
give the physical properties of the fabric tangible form. The weight and elasticity
options, meanwhile, convey the particular fall of a jersey or woollen cloth with
amazing realism. One final click and you can view the collection on the runway.
The CLO 3D training offered by ESMOD allows the student to work on their own
personal project
“The ESMOD group has always been keen to offer teaching that is in line with market
needs”, explains Marine Escurat, coordinator of short courses within the ESMOD
Paris group. “This is why our schools have always ensured that they teach model-
making in conjunction with fashion design, in order to meet companies’ demands.
The CLO 3D software program is now used by many fashion professionals, including
the major luxury, sports and ready-to-wear brands, and its specific features require
dedicated training to use. We therefore put together a week of training for novices,
which took place online, via Teams, from 6 to 10 February 2023. The course was
aimed at professionals such as marketing experts, designers, graphic designers, print
designers and developers, as well as our own alumni, with each participant getting
the opportunity to work on their own personal project and enjoy tailored support. The
mornings were set aside for theory while the afternoons were dedicated to practical
exercises”.
Guy Pontal, the passionate educator who delivered the course, was certainly not
short of enthusiasm for it: “CLO 3D is an intuitive solution aimed at designers looking
to express their ideas in 3D, whereas the Lectra software is dedicated to the highly
complementary development and production of industrial garments. The CLO 3D
solution is easy for fashion designers and pattern-makers to grasp because its user
interface is similar to that of the Adobe suite with which they are often familiar, and
the great advantage of this software is that, on the one hand, it’s in tune with the
needs of today’s fashion world, in that we’re virtually converting the students’
drawings into three-dimensional clothing. The software has everything covered, from
creating the avatar (skin colour and hair cut right down to nail size), which gives a
certain sense of direction and echoes the idea of artistic direction, to the choice of
measurements and even the preferred pattern-making method, depending on the
garment. And ultimately the final rendering of the textures, including any pleats,
stitching, zips, buttons, imported patterns and fabric properties. The whole thing is
infinitely adaptable and the expertly lit end result is a very high-quality photo”.
3D develops CSR-related thinking
CLO 3D is also about the industry of the future. “3D helps galvanise traditional skills
in terms of precision, speed and understanding fashion, but the virtual world doesn’t
replace traditional crafts; it simply helps enrich them. If you want to make a tight-
fitting garment, for example, you’re going to use the 3D moulding technique in exactly
the same way as you would traditionally do with the usual pattern-making methods.
The 3D technology also develops CSR-related thinking, not least by making it
possible to depict a garment in a photorealistic way, enabling a customer or
employee to view your project in 3D on a virtual mannequin carefully crafted based
on the brand’s artistic direction. This visualisation, complete with the desired
modifications, allows the right decisions to be made to enable a garment to
immediately go into production and be launched on a specific market while avoiding
errors of judgement based solely on an examination of a 2D drawing that doesn't give
a comprehensive understanding of the final rendering. This helps establish a virtuous
circle of production. What’s more, the 3D technology applies not only to fashion
designers and designers in general but also to agencies that will allow brands to
develop their operations in digital environments, thus allowing them to draw various
benefits, such as avoiding the production of superfluous stocks and better assessing
the feasibility and relevance of a product based on the target territories.
The future is taking shape before our very eyes. “Those who learn how to create
photorealistic garments can then enhance their knowledge of digital animation
through other courses, making it possible to incorporate these collections into digital
showrooms created from start to finish without the financial risks traditionally
associated with building this type of space. The development of the 3D technology,
right through to virtual reality, shows us an entirely new creative process that is
already of huge interest to leading brands, and luxury brands in particular, and of
increasing interest to ready-to-wear labels. These new skills will be, and indeed
already are, the prerogative of what I would call “super-designers and super-pattern-
makers”, professionals with the ability to convey their work and their vision in any
medium and any dimension”.
Details of all the possibilities that the software offers and the training options offered
by the ESMOD group can be found at the following address:
https://www.esmod-academy.com/events/clo3d-debutant
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