Say goodbye to the headaches of building your own 3D design team—partnering with an expert in the field puts you on the fast track to revolutionizing bodywear design!
Yes, your design company can effortlessly embrace the future of fashion with 3D design technology – with HYPERcurve Studio.
HYPERcurve Studio, founded by Rosa Kramer in Amsterdam, specializes in 3D design, particularly for lingerie. Recognizing the benefits of 3D in streamlining lingerie collection development, Kramer has built a team of creative, technical, and digital talents passionate about bodywear.
By sidestepping the initial investment and learning curve, your brand can focus on what you do best while HYPERcurve Studio handles the rest, ensuring that you stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving landscape of fashion design.
So why go it alone when HYPERcurve Studio offers a shortcut to success in the exciting world of 3D bodywear design?
Led by the visionary Rosa Kramer, whose background in lingerie design and passion for 3D innovation sets the stage for a shortcut to cutting-edge creativity.
With a team of specialized experts at HYPERcurve Studio, your brand can benefit from streamlined workflows, lightning-fast iterations, and a treasure trove of digital talent.
The Pros and Cons of 3D Design!
3D design IS revolutionizing the fashion industry. But it’s not all a bed of roses. Let’s break down the pros and cons of 3D lingerie design across different stages of the fashion process:
Overall, the real benefits of 3D lingerie design lie in its ability to streamline the design process, enhance the shopping experience, and optimize manufacturing processes, ultimately leading to increased efficiency, customer satisfaction, and profitability for lingerie brands.
Pros
- Design Visualization: Designers use 3D software to visualize and develop clothing designs digitally, allowing for more accurate representations and adjustments before physical prototypes are created.
- Virtual Prototyping: Instead of traditional physical prototypes, 3D models are used to create virtual prototypes, saving time and resources in the design and sampling process.
- Customization: 3D technology enables customization of clothing items to fit individual customer preferences and body types, offering a more personalized shopping experience.
- Digital Fashion Shows: With the rise of virtual fashion shows, 3D design plays a crucial role in creating digital garments and showcasing them in immersive digital environments.
- Sustainable Design: By reducing the need for physical samples and minimizing material waste, 3D design contributes to more sustainable practices in the fashion industry.
- Online Shopping: 3D models of clothing items allow customers to virtually try on garments before purchasing online, improving the online shopping experience and reducing returns.
Overall, 3D design is being used across various stages of the fashion industry, from initial design conceptualization to marketing and sales, revolutionizing the way clothing is created, produced, and consumed.
However, while 3D design offers numerous benefits, it’s important to acknowledge the potential drawbacks and challenges associated with this technology:
Cons
- Initial Investment: Implementing 3D design software and training staff can require a significant upfront investment for fashion brands, especially smaller businesses. This initial cost may be prohibitive for some companies, particularly those operating on tight budgets.
- Learning Curve: Mastering 3D design software requires time and training. Designers and staff may need to undergo extensive learning curves to become proficient in using these tools effectively. This can lead to productivity slowdowns during the transition period.
- Hardware Requirements: High-quality 3D design often requires powerful computer hardware to run smoothly. Upgrading or investing in new hardware may be necessary to support the demands of 3D modeling software, adding to the overall cost of implementation.
- Complexity of Software: Some 3D design software can be complex and overwhelming for beginners. Navigating through intricate interfaces and mastering advanced features may pose challenges for users, particularly those without prior experience in 3D modeling.
- Limitations in Detailing: While 3D design software has come a long way, it may still struggle to replicate intricate detailing and textures accurately. Fine details and complex patterns that can be easily achieved in traditional handcrafting methods may be more challenging to replicate in 3D models.
- Lack of Human Touch: One of the inherent drawbacks of 3D design is the potential loss of the human touch and craftsmanship associated with traditional handcrafted methods. While 3D models offer precision and accuracy, they may lack the nuanced subtleties and imperfections that add character to handmade designs.
- Rendering Realism: Achieving photorealistic renderings in 3D design can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. Creating lifelike textures, lighting effects, and shadows requires advanced skills and may not always be feasible within the constraints of a project timeline.
- File Compatibility: Compatibility issues may arise when sharing 3D design files between different software platforms or with manufacturers. Ensuring seamless file transfer and compatibility across systems can be challenging, leading to potential delays and communication breakdowns in the design process.
Read on for our interview with Rosa Kramer of HYPERcurve Studio!
As we’ve seen, 3D design holds tremendous promise for revolutionizing the fashion industry, yet it also presents its fair share of challenges. To delve deeper into this topic, we’re thrilled to welcome Rosa Kramer from HYPERcurve studio. Let’s hear her insights on how fashion brands can navigate the complexities of 3D design and harness its full potential for innovation.
After building a career in retail lingerie, why did you decide to learn 3D design?
Rosa: Well actually I was still a design student at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute when I first got introduced to 3D. And it became a conscious decision to specialize in it. AMFI was one of the first schools worldwide to include digital design in their curriculum. And I wanted to make use of AMFI’s visionary approach back in 2013 and chose the specialization called ‘hyper-craft’, I was totally intrigued by the instant satisfaction of design variations popping off the screen.
Don’t get me wrong, the learning curve is steep, but once you master this digital skill, the possibilities are endless; the technology inspires creation and vice versa.
Rosa kramer, Hypercurve studio
How did your retail experience spark the creation of HYPERcurve Studio?
Rosa: Retail was a great place for me to learn about different brands, breasts & bra fit while I was a student and after school. I recognized the immaculate fit of the Van de Velde brands (Prima Donna / Marie Jo) and got to work for brands in both design & innovation departments there. This is also where I started to apply my 3D knowledge to lingerie. My mission grew larger than supporting just one brand with 3D tech, and HYPERcurve was created because of it.
In what ways has 3D design evolved lately, and what’s driving these developments?
Rosa: Firstly, there have been significant advancements in technology. Specifically, 3D software focused on garment simulations has vastly improved, allowing us to create increasingly realistic digital images. Additionally, enhancements in hardware, such as graphics cards and processors, have provided us with greater speed and efficiency in digital creation processes.
What impact is AI having on the 3D design process?
Rosa: Ah yes, the big shift happening all around is AI, which is also evolving the world of 3D on different levels. There are already some implementations of AI for 3D creation emerging on the surface. But on a deeper level, AI is speeding up all the 3D application development behind the scenes too. AI might make you wonder if 3D sample creation will all be automated, but I believe the future will consist of a mix between human skill and inventions supported by AI. Therefore, we believe learning 3D creation is crucial and needed for the entire industry!
Have you experienced an increase in demand at your own studio in the past couple of years?
Rosa: The demand for 3D has significantly increased, especially during the pandemic, which brought about a surge in 3D orders. This growth has continued even after the pandemic. We’ve observed that the industry has come to understand that adopting 3D technology isn’t just about purchasing hardware and software. It necessitates a genuine cultural shift and a reorganization of workflows and business practices in general. We’re pleased to see that the brands we collaborate with are consistently innovating and adapting to this changing landscape.
Learn 3D design with HYPERcurve’s lingerie learning platform.
What 3D fashion design services are most in demand right now?
Rosa: Over the past few years, our primary focus has been on 3D production, which has been a significant part of our services. However, we’re now transitioning more towards 3D training and expanding our online learning offerings. We provide training sessions for brands, retailers, and manufacturers, equipping them with the essential skills for creating 3D lingerie. These training sessions are conducted live as well as through online video tutorials.
Is most of your talent in-house or do you also work with freelancers?
Rosa: It’s a beautiful mix! The inhouse team is highly skilled in 3D design with a lingerie background. And we work with professional pattern makers as well as 3D designers and sculptors from the gaming industry. Only the best to achieve the needed quality for our clients.
Is there a gender divide in 3D fashion design like there has been traditionally in tech?
Rosa: 3D has been around for many years in other industries that have been very male dominated, but we are pleased to see that a lot of women are moving into the 3D design space, especially in lingerie design.
3D Design for the metaverse!
What was a project you really enjoyed working on?
Rosa: One of the most fun projects I worked with 3D is for the ‘digital only bodywear’ collection for the platform DressX. We were the first company to launch bodywear on DressX, there wasn’t even a tab for such a product group on their website yet. Of that I am quite proud, because it shows our intention to always push for ways to include lingerie in new technologies.
What was your inspiration in designing lingerie for the metaverse?
Rosa: It was our aim to show brands that lingerie is, just as fashion, about expressing yourself. And why not do that with a digital corset? I also saw how digital design can help crush gender bias even more, and that is something I love digital fashion for, it breaks us away from habits while celebrating craft.
Can you explain the 3D design process for DressX?
Rosa: In the design process we worked very intuitively because we applied a completely digitally crafted textiles by Swiss lace maker Forster Rohner AG, directly on the body using an avatar. Layering textiles & scaling them all at the same time. And that is what is so exciting about the 3D design processes, they are very freeing. They allow for lots of surprises and experiment.
Is there money to be made in selling fashion designs for the metaverse?
Rosa: Well, the DressX collection for HYPERcurve was successful project, even without being a brand with a big following. And a few big luxury brands have proven successful collaborations with the gaming industry on digital garments to be worn in games called ‘skins’. What I think it ultimately comes down to in both the digital & physical world is value and experience. And for lingerie specifically there is opportunity for brands to explore and establish what lingerie means in the metaverse.
Is 3D fashion design faster or slower than traditional fashion design?
Rosa: Faster for sure! If you do it well. First, however, there is an investment to build your digital base library with avatars, product blocks and fabrics. But after creating a ‘digital twin’ of a physical product, the 3D asset can be used in several parts of the product development, marketing & sales processes. When a 3D strategy is implemented from end to end, digital sampling is faster & more cost effective.
Do you have to educate clients about the process?
Rosa: Yes, we are actually in a constant state of learning ourselves so the sharing and updating of clients also never stops. It is HYPERcurve’s mission to initiate & support 3D digitalization in the entire bodywear industry, so training is a big part of that.
What is the most difficult thing about learning a 3D software like Clo3D and Browzwear?
Rosa: The first challenge is navigating through all the learning content online. Especially on beginner level there is a lot out there. But finding quality content that works well for your learning style and journey is not easy.
Learning 3D design takes time and practice and perseverance. There is no fast way around learning any skill, it is time investment.
Rosa Kramer, hypercurve studio
Is it more difficult to learn lingerie design in 3D?
Rosa: Well, lingerie is a very particular product group, so it requires knowledge of garment construction to achieve satisfying results in 3D just the same way as physical sampling.
Wow! It sounds like quite a challenge to learn it!
Rosa: I do want to say some encouraging words, because most of the time people in the creative industry already work digitally; think about CAD drawings in Illustrator, photoshop and digital sketching. And their eye for detail is a huge benefit when learning the skill of 3D sampling.
What are the practical problems for a new designer working in 3D who has no understanding of fashion design outside of 3D?
Rosa: For experienced 3D designers it is fairly easy to make something look nice in 3D, but to make it look accurate and proportionate requires another skill which is simply: product knowhow. Think for example of drawing a simple bike. We all know what a bike looks like, but as most of us are not heavily acquainted with every single part of the bike, we will probably always draw it technically wrong.
That’s a great way to explain it!
Rosa: The same is, in my opinion, true with designing clothing in 3D: You need to understand how the garment is constructed & how it works in real life to be able to make it look realistic in 3D. Every time the HYPERcurve team produces a 3D bra, we still look at real physical bra examples to check if the details are correct. One of HYPERcurve’s interns at the moment is even taking extra classes in bra-making with a lingerie pattern specialist, just so she can grow in her 3D creation skills.
So, you think that 3D design works best when combined with traditional methods?
Rosa: I’m the last person to say digital-only is our preferred way to work. And I see 3D is a tool that can help designers and developers in product development. Plus, in the end the bras are physical so they will always require physical crafts.
What excites you about the future of 3D design?
Rosa: I am excited for a future in which 3D sampling software is programmed to link body data with the technical abilities of machines and production methods. Which would shift 3D from a mere ‘visualization tool’ to a process to test ideas on a deeper technical level.
Does designing in 3D have any downsides?
Rosa: Well, 3D design asks for investments both financially and mentally of the people learning the skillset. And it asks for flexibility and innovation mindset. But these should be considered investments, not downsides per se. A few challenges digital has (which are not really exclusively to 3D) are the accuracy of colors on screens. And there is a need for solid hardware, and digital infrastructure. 3D design can take quite some time to learn and will only return its investment time & money wise for your business if you set up a 3D department that focusses on clear workflows and scalability.
This is exactly what HYPERcurve has put the focus on in our online 3D learning platform called ‘Lingerie Learning’.
Rosa kramer, hypercurve studio
Finally, do you agree that all designers should get ahead of the curve by upping their 3D skills now?
Yes, in my opinion there are loads of ambitious students graduating with 3D skills, digital savviness. So, these skills are about staying on top of your skills & to stay relevant in the workspace. Plus, it will totally enrich your experience of creation as a designer!
Read next: Intimate Exposure! Meet Lingerie Photographer Eric Hason.
