The impact of digital technology on fashion (March 2023)

The world is going digital so it’s only right that fashion should too. 

At the fashion exhibition in Pure London Olympia, a company called Text Model explained that they have created a software which has a 3D model wearing their products. It makes the outfit easier to adjust in size, colour, pattern and material without wasting any material. 

Anda Mardale, 36, creative director of Text Model, from Romania explains that “the brand focuses on evening dresses but we also use 3d technology to be in a better relationship with our clients so they can make their own judgements on the styles. So in real time the dress will fit perfectly to the body according to their requirements. The changes to the dress that the client wants to make are done automatically on the 3d model.”

The use of this programme will make the creative experience for designers and shopping experience for clients much easier. 

Adina Dinu, 36, Marketing Lead for Text Model, from Romania says “it’s a programme that we use and we make the changes there. We work with the client to create a concept then physically make sketches then we use illustrator or other software to make it a 2d design and then make it into a 3d design so we can see it as it would be in real life. From there we can adjust anything the client wants, for example the pattern or the fabric or colour.”

This new way to make adjustments to dresses will have a huge impact in the fashion industry.

Anda Mardale says “So the software we use converts the 2d design to the 3d view and once we agree upon a design, we move it to reality and create samples with the fabrics and patterns we decided on. Once the product has been made we test it out for fitting on the software and once we are happy with it we send it off for production according to our production schedule. Aside from our brand we offer this service to other customers who have their own brands.”

Text Model’s 3D software came from a long process of trial and error. Now it has become the most convenient way to stay sustainable.

Adina Dinu says “We have studied textile engineering and studied 15 years in the field. We feel that without the digitalisation of fashion it will be very difficult to eliminate the waste because it is a waste of resources and time. Especially when you have an idea and it never matches reality. So the process for us is to have an idea and make a sketch then put it into software and adjust until it's ready to put out there and into production. Before we had this process there would be so many samples that went from sketch to production and so much fabric that we didn’t know what to do with. It was a waste of product and money. We would do sample sales but there would still be a lot of clothes that we didn’t know what to do with so we found this way.”

Technology has been taking over each industry slowly for decades. Anda and Adina have found a gap in the fashion market and used technology to fill it.

Anda Mardale says “This 3D model allows customer feedback. We can adjust our stocks according to their suggestions and opinions in our garments. This is sustainable and I think in the right direction because everything is turning digital around us.

“From my point of view there are a lot of advantages because it's efficient and we collaborate with other partners because we sell them the digital samples and they can tell us how to adjust it if they like it or not. We work with various markets that have different size ranges. For example the UK has a different size range to other countries like Europe. So with the 3D software it is really easy to adapt sizes according to an exact market niche and that solves one of the biggest problems in the fashion industry. 

“So it is efficient for us and really environmentally friendly and when you see a digital model looking very realistic and wearing the clothes you’ll have a better idea if you like them or not because clothes look different on a hanger versus a body. And the feedback from customers will really help because for example, one market might want the product in 6 different colours but another one will say ‘oh I want one in red’ and they can make the order on our website and it will be ready in 2 weeks. They can pre order the product and visualise it and it is so much easier because you have lower stocks and are more adaptable for the marketing.”

Most fabrics are very difficult to recycle unless they are upcycled into new clothes. However, this makes it very difficult for small design businesses to reproduce products with waste materials. The 3D software eliminates that problem.

Adina Dinu explains “When you work with people in production for example, to make a sample is not only the cost of material but also the manpower because especially in today's world and you harm the planet because it doesn’t work out and you have wasted so much. The materials cost too much to give the sample away for free so it's just wastage and we really felt this. Of course we still do some samples but this is our solution to make it better for the planet.”

Text Model’s new software could really benefit the fashion industry, particularly in production of products. If this takes off and the fashion world finally goes digital, it will help designers with their ideas and it will prevent a lot of materials from going to waste.