Page 21 - Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design

16 Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design

Fig. 1.5 SMPL model developed by Max Planck Institute Germany.

available for research purposes. The designer can animate the model in real working
postures and see the natural pose-dependent deformations and soft-tissue dynamics in
the body. This can be applied to the design of ergonomic clothing as the model is fast
to render, easy to deploy, and compatible with existing rendering engines such as
Maya. Such a tool is of immense use to the designers of functional clothing as it
can be used to realistically represent a wide range of human body shapes in extreme
postures.

1.4 Patternmaking

History of garment making is as old as civilization, and the process has evolved and
changed with the changing needs of the times and with the developments in science
and technology in allied fields. A key requirement for producing well-fitted garments
is to use patterns that are based on accurate anthropometric measures. Patterns form
the basis of all garment production, and the fit of a garment is directly dependent on
the accuracy of the manufacturer’s block patterns. In made-to-measure settings, a
designer strives to provide a perfect fit for the individual customer. In the RTW sce-
nario the aim is to produce a garment that will be a good fit for a large number of
people in that size range. It requires a mix of art and science to develop patterns that
produce a well-fitted garment (Efrat, 1982).
A pattern represents a deconstructed 3-D garment in 2-D form. Several methods are
used to create patterns:
Modeling or draping method is used to drape fabric directly on the body. After a
satisfactory fit is obtained, draped fabric is cut out and flattened to develop patterns for
the garment. This method is suitable for designing bespoke garments having complex
designs as it is time-, skill-, and material-intensive. In a modified version, Hutchinson
(1977) “molded” a warm sheet of thermocol on the body of the subject and removed it
when cool. Thermocol retained the 3-D form effectively and was cut and flattened into
a 2-D pattern that was then used as a block pattern for individual subjects. This tech-
nique can be considered to be a physical forerunner of the modern-day practice of
designing digital patterns in 3-D.
Drafting method is used by tailors to produce made-to-measure clothing. Tradi-
tional tailors were successful and continue to be so because while they measure the