In the 21st century, softwares have become increasingly useful. Everyone uses them to make life easier and do things quicker. As an entrepreneur, it will be quite hard to do business effectively without certain softwares to help you along the way.
For fashion designers, there are so many softwares to make business easier, one of them is CLO 3D.
What is CLO 3D?
CLO 3D is a pattern making software that helps you see your designs in 3D. Unlike 2D illustration softwares that give you a partial view of your design, CLO 3D gives you a 360° view.


To begin, you first pick an avatar or dress form, which are available in different shapes and sizes, and then either draw designs directly in CLO or import your designs. After these, put each piece of the garment together, select the fabric you want to use and watch your design come to life in 3D. You can change design and fabrics as often as you please too!


Ther are various designs on CLO and you can design a variety of garment, from a simple blouse to a technical outerwear with complicated pattern pieces and construction.
CLO is not just a clothes simulator, it can also be used to simulate bags, hats, wallets, shoes, swimwear and basically anything you use fabric to make.


Features in CLO
CLO has various features that helps designers really have that real life garment visualisation feel. From modelling your designs on a runway to selecting different colours for your outfits, the features are wonderful. Here are some of them:
1. Avatar: The avatar is the body form used to test your designs fo visualisation. You can edit the measurements of your avatar to suit the exact body shape of your client. The avatar’s pose, skintone, measurement and size can also be edited.
2. 3D Arangement: Each of your garment pieces can be arranged at the exact point you want them to be. You can also flip your patterns, arrange folds, place garment as a flat or curved design, amongst others.


3. 3D Environment: A 3D environment is provided for your avatar to be placed in, features such as changing the background environment, adding a wind effect, changing light settings, camera settings etc are also included here.
4. Fit Check: You can measure your 2D pattern and 3D garment on CLO, check your 2D sewing length, see pressure points of your garments and even see how strained or stressed your fabric will be with the design.
5. Hardware and Trims: Seemingly small but important details such as zippers, buttons, piping, Goue trim, topstitch, button/button hole, customers trim, are also included in CLO to give the designer an all round feel of it.


Why do I need CLO as a Fashion Designer?
CLO 3D is a great software to use to help your clients visualise how their bespoke garments will look before it’s made. It makes it easy for them, or you, to make changes and see what those changes will look like in real life. Planning designs is so much easier with CLO.


There’s just so much you can do with CLO to make your designing experience even much more enjoyable. There’s a one month free trial and then a monthly fee of US $99 attached to using CLO. Why not try it today?
Short on ideas of designs for your clients? You should check our article on how to get design inspiration for your creations.