What if we told you that every fold, every stitch, every glimmer of a fabric could be carefully curated and conceptualized before the garment was placed on your body? Anna Liedtke, Senior 3D Fashion designer at The Fabricant, and former 3D design project designer at Hugo Boss, is revolutionizing augmented wardrobes. Pieces that defy gravity, metallic textiles that fold like silks, and chain-link socks that cling to the body like latex implore us to expand our imagination regarding the future of fashion far beyond what our reality could ever achieve.

Creating pieces that can be superimposed onto our real-life avatars, or curating costumes for the entirely imagined terrains of the Metaverse, ASCHNO stands at the forefront of fashion’s transition into the digital realm. Designing digital collections for H&M, as well as creating and styling avatars with captivating 3D designer G VNCT, her work seamlessly renders the real and the impossible indistinguishable, breathing entirely new life into the craft which has never been seen before. As our spaces online start to develop a tangible presence, it only makes sense that garments would be tailored to fit the ever-evolving spatial potentials.

Hey Anna! How have you been doing?

😊 Busy. Started my new position at The Fabricant mid of last year. It was a big step for me to leave the conventional fashion business and went to a digital-only fashion house. In the past month I learned a lot. And it’s just cool to be around with other nerds like me.

Congratulations! And I can imagine – especially with a skill set and interest which is so new and niche, being around other people who want to expand the craft can be so exciting! I absolutely love the silhouettes of your designs! What originally drew you to fashion, and what do you think informs the stylistic direction you take with your pieces?

Thanks!

I think I am more average with my dream become fashion designer in my childhood. A lot of people want to get a job in the design section. When reality catches you, you rethink about your dreams. If you have the chance to get a job in the industry, you fast recognize it’s more an office job than being creative. That’s why I started working with a 3D software and designing garments in my free time. I was bored of running collections and updating bestseller styles in my job as a designer for BOSS. So, working with CLO 3D also gave me the freedom to experiment with the art direction and creating scenes instead of just garments. This also helps to get a better perspective of your design.

I definitely feel you – although it can be intimidating, paving your own path in the fashion nowadays definitely leaves more room for creative freedom than within a well-established fashion house. Digital fashion is a relatively new branch within the industry – what was it like starting at a traditional fashion house like BOSS and evolving your position into their 3D design project manager? What changes did you notice from within the industry?

Right before Corona, we made the decision to create a fully digital developed collection. When the pandemic hit us, we were already in a good preparation. But still, it needed a lot of change management to involve the design team into a digital workflow. Our designers come from all ages, and some really hate PC´s. But we had no other chance to work on the collection than designing digital and share virtual white boards. It was a lot of extra work but starting in my department, the casual brand line, it become my position to roll out the new workflows to the other departments and enable more tools for creation. Overall, the main change was the decrease of prototypes and the alignment of the collection design, which created much easier overviews.

I can imagine. Yet, it seems as though it was an amazing opportunity in which you were able to take something which was implemented for practical reasons, and turn it into a creative pursuit of your own. Your talent and skill are so evident in all your designs – what first drew you to taking a 3D approach and how has it changed your conception of fashion? What possibilities do you find most exciting?

I was never good in sketching or hand drawn illustrations, and started much earlier to work in Adobe Illustrator. But still the limitations are big. When I first explored the 3D software, I was immediately obsessed. It gave me the freedom to design without limitations of physical materials. In the beginning I created more designs related to the physical world. But since I started at The Fabricant, I see digital fashion more as a new genre which don’t need to copy reality. We have the chance to defy gravity, have endless resources of materials and creating new textures, which would never exist in the real world.

I love it! Especially considering how so much of what we consume regarding fashion is hosted on digital platforms, 3D designs host an entirely new world of potential for the industry. You work with so many different textiles: denim, tulle, fur, and latex to name a few. What textures do you feel are enhanced through the medium of 3D? What are your favorite materials to design with?

I think you see the trend in digital fashion of using materials that are metallic, transparent, or glowing effects. These are the first steps to explore this upcoming era of digital fashion. From my point of view, we just in the beginning and as more designers and artists explore the world of digital design, we will see mind-blowing stuff, new developments which never existed before. It’s super exciting to become part of this movements and seeing the evolution steps.

It’s no surprise that you’re one of the front-runners of this evolution either. You recently collaborated with another phenomenal 3D designer Vincent Ghiotti in the Dawn of Possibilities series – I find every image so breathtaking! How do you feel about your designs’ potential to exist both within our world, as well as a constructed digital space? Do you feel that both have the potential to feed more and more into the other?

Absolutely. I like to compare this digital imagery with movies. It does not need to be realistic because it’s bringing you to a new world with a full load of emotions. A lot of people are getting this anxiety when they hear digital fashion, and questioning what they should wear in real life if this genre is taking over. But it’s just an extension of our wardrobe which we can wear in special moments that bring us to different spaces. I mean, this is the exciting thing in fashion – you can dress different for situations. Digital fashion is not needed for jogging pants or hiking. But, it can start to dress you for video calls, or if you have an event in Decentral Land in future.

Exactly – our increased presence in tangible digital spaces naturally calls for a wardrobe that fits the medium. Thank you so much for answering my questions! I’m excited to start seeing your designs more and more in the future. Are there any upcoming projects you can share with us? Or maybe some dream collaboration or design opportunities you would love to pursue?

For my private work I deep dive more in the field of materials. How can we create digital fabrications and create interesting surfaces?

For my garments I love to collaborate and dressing avatars to get part of a new artwork. In general, I’m very open for collaboration. Just lacking time since I’m working full time.