This new venture with Style3D will be situated at the university’s Manchester Fashion Institute and will provide students with the opportunity to work with 3D technology.
Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), Style3D is designed to instantly generate 3D designs.
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The technology enables users to visualise, design, cut, and produce complete garments using life-sized avatar models through real-time editing, a method known as ‘rapid prototyping’.
Style3D CEO Eric Liu said: “I am delighted to be working with Manchester Met. I think that Manchester is a centre of fashion, from fashion businesses to manufacturers. It has given me a lot of inspiration because it has very innovative technology. I think it is quite similar to a city like Hanzhou, in that it has really integrated science technology with the fashion industry.
“We’re going to present the world’s latest fashion technology and software at Manchester Met. The students will get a head start in real industry development and see the future of the fashion industry.”
Traditionally, crafting a 3D wearable garment is said to consume both time and the expertise of a creative pattern cutter, a skill that could take years to master.
However, Style3D’s software can take an AI-generated pattern and immediately turn it into a wearable design. These designs can then be displayed on life-sized customisable screen avatars within the Styleverse hub.
Manchester Met fashion design section head Anita Mitchell said: “Our students will have access to new emerging industry standard digital fashion technologies that don’t exist anywhere else. There are no other companies that have got the same advanced and sophisticated software and it is going to be used here at Manchester Metropolitan University.
“Having this strategic partnership located in our institute means that the fashion industry is going to be engaging with our students, with our academics and with our researchers.
“We’ve got everyone we need in one space including the fashion industry, higher education and the tech developers and that is what is going to drive digitalisation and sustainable fashion practice in the fashion industry and graduate employability here.”
With its headquarters in Hangzhou, China, Style3D has expanded its operations across four countries.
In September last year, Style3D and Assyst developed the ‘Create Design’ software to help fashion companies integrate 3D fashion and knitwear design processes, aiming to shorten the time to market and reduce knitwear production costs.
