Let’s Study 2D, 3D, 4D Shaping and Excellence in Fashion Design
February 2024 Fashion Design Assistance Series
- 2D is length and width, and it is what we see with our eyes. When we look at a photo, digital or not, we think it is 3D, because that is what we learned and know. And the inner mind has the ability to put a 2D vision into 3D knowledge by moving it around in the mind. Making a 2D 3D in reality is learned by moving and seeing around the object, or the object moving around. 3D is length, width and depth.
4D is 3D in motion. Movies are 4D, not 3D, an illusion. Movies are a series of 2D stills, changing so fast that it gives an illusion of 3D moving. 4D is also the process of going from 3D to 2D, pattern engineering for cutting, or 2D to 3D, stitching garments together. Shown above is the digital translation. Instead of curves, triangles are formed that can be maintained in going from the 3D shape to the 2D shape in pattern engineering. The cardboard bodice was formed by me, to determine the triangles that would work for digitizing as well as for some beautiful lines for designing in the bodice.
In my National Science Foundation grant awards, I explained my perspectives of 2D, 3D and 4D in fashion designing:
1991 — “A Computational 3-D / 2-D Model for Apparel Pattern Design and Expert System” NSF-SBIR #ISI 9060864. Stylometrics™ pattern engineering.
Pattern making/engineering is the process of going from a 3D model in the mind to a 2D model (pattern pieces) in reality, for cutting, then stitching together into 3D.
1992 — “A 3-D/4-D Computerized Model for Human-Machine Integration in Apparel Manufacturing Engineering”., NSF-SBIR #9161096. Stylometrics™: links style creation and pattern engineering in databases.
Stitching is the process of putting together the 2D cut pieces into a 3D model. 4D are the motions in putting together. 4D in science is considered motion and time. Time is the measurements of change and motion. In fashion clothing manufacturing, when motions are timed in stitching, we call it piecework. I made a great income on piece-work in stitching as a teenager, and it taught me great things in production.
2. Let’s Talk Excellence in Fashion Design Clothing
To some degree, excellence is subjective to individuals or groups. I have found, however, over my 90 years of studying fashion designs, there is a common denominator of agreement. However, even that can change a little with the times. As a fashion teacher and often a judge at shows and schools, I will be commenting from my expert background.
Textiles? — is too often considered when judging a fashion clothing design, and they must be considered as separate designs. Choosing textiles is done by every home sewer, so it is not designing. I am so angry when the fashion clothing industry is called the textile industry. That would be like calling the housing industry, the wood industry. Textiles is its own industry, especially with prints, and are used in many other industries — just as “wood “ is.
Fame? unfortunately, is considered the judgement tool by those who are not knowledgeable about what makes a fashion design excellent. Fashion brands are creating terrible designs in order to get sensationalism and fame, in order to sell their name on products such as perfume, luggage, jewelry, etc. There are some excellent designers in the past, such as Cristobel Balenciaga, who was my virtual mentor because he made his patterns and sewed his clothing samples.
Shape? — is 3D and suggests the designer has a mind on Pattern Engineering as well as on style. I show two of my favorite designs (see above), both now in MassArt Fashion Design Museum and 2022 Catalog called Pattern Engineering. They illustrate how pattern engineering makes then excellent.
The orange Sunburst Dress (in Header 2 photo) began by draping while imagining the future accordion pleats, onto an Empire Dress Template. The whole 3D body shaping is in that draping that becomes pleats. The Empire Dress Template becomes the lining.
The Suede Wrap Evening Gown (in Header 2 photo) shows Pattern & Production Engineering in the pattern pieces. I gave the stitchers this drawing on their machines to follow, and they loved calling it “Sew by Numbers”, which the cutters put on the back of suede pieces to guide them. The stitchers could put the shell together in 15 minutes, and a profit was made of 60% for all of us in the business — and the excellent gown sold almost 500 pieces.
These suit jackets are a great example of a poor 3D shape by Jill Saunders, and a nice 3D curve shape in WWD, 2022. Jill Saunders is poor by making a big hip-bone (see arrow) which is unflattering to a woman’s body. WWD 2022 (Women’s Wear Daily, trade magazine) shows a nice curve, a bit above the natural waist. 2022 also has higher shoulders, which balances a nicer suit shape.
Thank you for reading. I hope you learned something. Love to all.