Digital patterns definitely make things easier in the ways mentioned above and provide advantages in working across teams internally as well as suppliers. Often we reference the digital patterns to check specs along curves or seam allowances that can’t be seen through the construction. What I also believe is that understanding how to work with paper patterns is a valuable skill. Because after all we deal in the physical world where patterns eventually translate to tangible products. Sometimes computers aren’t readily available on a cutting floor or projects have tighter budgets without access to expensive pattern software. So both are important skills to develop.

I understand that not everyone can visualize a design from a hand sketch or mentally compile components of multiple reference samples to understand the design direction. I agree 3d modeling can be a valuable tool in our “tool chest” but it isn’t a silver bullet. It does effectively replace a hand sketch and give a computers best guess of drape, print layout/placement and seaming. However, fabrics are wildly unpredictable with tension, construction type, wash processes, dye levels, roll lot, etc. So the computational knowledge for fabric behavior and body morphing through a range of motion of the 600+ muscles is at best a horrible guess. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

💯 % especially when it comes to building any piece intended to shape, support, compress, stabilize, minimize….in other words to manipulate the body tissue….ie bras, underwear, high-performance apparel etc.

Automation is great when it can increase efficiency. What is important is that the rules and data sets it is using to make its decisions comes from credible sources.

“Realistic preview” is a gross overestimation of the product in the real world. I don’t see this ever being a realistic expectation of an environment with so many variables. Fabric by nature is unpredictable, source fiber, thread make technique, yarn quality, mill equipment, environmental factors (ex: humidity in region of production), construction method/machinery, post make washes/sprays/coatings… they all make this a fools errand. Sure take the computers wild guess as a starting place, but make a physical garment in the exact same order that it will be produced and adjust accordingly. That is the only way to truly understand a garment… touch it, feel it, wear/wash test it. If you’re designing clothes for video games, fabric simulation 👍