How can designers keep pace with tech’s disruption?

The digital fashion boom is no longer a question of if, but how fast. From 3D garment prototyping to AI-assisted design workflows, the industry is shifting under designers’ feet. According to McKinsey’s 2024 State of Fashion report, 73% of apparel companies now say they’re investing in digital design tools, a figure that’s doubled since 2021. For young creatives, that’s both a lifeline and a minefield: where do you even start?

Learning a new tool caries its own mental weight: Do I need to know everything? Should I master CLO before Blender? What if the tools change next year?

CAD for Fashion was created to answer those questions. The platform trains individuals and teams across 3D, 2D, AI, and immersive tech, offering practical, product-specific courses. Its founder, Erica Horne, has years of experience in design and product development. She built CAD for Fashion to remove the intimidation factor, giving digital creatives the confidence to navigate an industry where the ground keeps shifting.

One of the clearest signs of change lies in tech packs, the blueprint that bridges design and manufacturing. Traditionally built in Illustrator, tech packs are time-consuming and prone to error. Now, new software is making them easier, faster, and more accurate. As Horne observed at the CLO3D User Summit in Munich: “I saw a sneak peek of a new upcoming feature that’s going to change the game completely when it comes to creating tech packs. It’s a huge shift, and it shows just how close we are to being able to generate high-quality, truly useful digital tech packs straight out of CLO.”

We sat down with Horne to talk about the evolution of digital fashion tools and how creatives can stay ahead without drowning in software.

On September 25th, Horne will host a free virtual workshop for the SYKY community, sharing tips and tricks for digital fashion designers navigating this evolving landscape. Attendees will also receive 20% off any CAD for Fashion course.

To start, can you walk me through the range of courses you offer?

At CAD for Fashion, we run live, hands-on courses that help people get confident with digital tools used in fashion and textiles. We teach the creative side and the technical side, from using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for print, pattern and flats, through to using CLO3D for 3D garment design, fitting and visualisation. We also explore how tools like AI can support the creative process and help designers make faster decisions earlier on.

All of our courses are taught by experienced educators who work in the industry as well as teach, so what we cover is always relevant and grounded in how things actually work in practice. Whether you're a designer, a product developer or someone just trying to keep up with digital change, our aim is to make learning feel useful, approachable and even enjoyable.

I heard your sessions are often in small groups, with a more hands-on approach. How does it shape the way students learn?

We keep our groups small, usually four to six people, and that makes a huge difference. It gives everyone space to ask questions, go at their own pace and actually get proper support throughout the session. We’re not about watching long demos and hoping it sinks in. Our sessions are practical, interactive and focused on making sure people are doing the work, not just watching it happen.

We teach using a platform called Hurdle, which lets us see what learners are doing on their screen as they’re working. They can see us, but no one else can see their screen, so it’s private and pressure-free. That means we can offer help in real time, without interrupting the session or making anyone feel awkward. It’s the closest thing to being in a room together.

All of our educators also work in the industry, so they’re not just teaching from theory. They understand how the tools are actually being used, where people get stuck, and what matters when you’re trying to communicate with suppliers or make things work in real production. It’s always a two-way conversation, and we’re there to help learners apply what they’re learning straight away.

For someone clawing their way into a digital-fashion career, what’s the smartest way to approach it?

Start with one thing. One tool, one area, one part of the process that feels interesting to you. Don’t try to learn everything at once. It’s completely overwhelming if you go in thinking you need to master five different programs before you can get started.

If you’re into garment design, start with CLO3D. If you love print, maybe begin with Illustrator or Photoshop. Just start where you are, with what you already enjoy, and go from there. Confidence builds quickly once you get that first win. The smartest approach is to stay curious, take the pressure off, and learn in a way that feels sustainable.

What paths tend to open up once designers master digital tools and which ones do you see most often being pursued?

We’ve seen so many different paths. Some learners go into 3D design, others take on product development roles, and some start working freelance for brands that are just starting their digital journey. Others use what they’ve learned to improve how they work with suppliers, being able to visualise ideas clearly or provide cleaner files can save a lot of back and forth.

A lot of people end up doing more than they thought they could. Once they feel confident with the tools, they’re able to communicate better, make quicker decisions and work more independently. Digital skills often unlock options people didn’t even realise were possible.

With software updates and new platforms appearing constantly, how can emerging designers actually stay current without burning out?

You don’t need to know everything. You really don’t. Focus on learning the tools that make sense for your work right now. There’ll always be something new, but that doesn’t mean you have to jump on every update.

We try to help people stay up to date in a manageable way. That’s why we run shorter sessions like our Mini Masterclasses and Skills Updates; they give people a quick look at what’s new or useful, without the overwhelm. Keep learning, yes, but on your terms. Learning should support your creativity, not drain it.

The toolkit can feel endless. How should a designer decide which program to learn and which ones to let go?

Start with what you actually need to do. If you’re trying to build a collection or visualise a garment, CLO3D makes more sense than spending months learning Illustrator. If you’re working with prints or tech packs, Adobe still has a place; however, for garments, it doesn't make sense anymore, especially with AI sketch-to-image tools that work just as well with hand sketches for early decision making.

You don’t need to master everything. Focus on tools that help you create and communicate better, and leave the rest for later, or not at all. Half the stress comes from thinking you should know more than you do. In reality, most people use just a few tools regularly, and that’s enough.

From your vantage point, what are the biggest shifts in digital fashion right now?

One of the biggest changes is that digital tools are being used right at the start of the creative process, not just to tidy things up at the end. Designers are using AI and 3D earlier, which means they can test ideas quickly, avoid unnecessary samples, and make better decisions before anything goes into production.

Another big shift is how people are combining tools. It’s less about sticking to one program and more about creating a workflow that suits your way of working. Maybe you sketch in Procreate, use AI to explore options, finish visuals in Photoshop, then start with a block in CLO3D to create and fit your chosen designs. It’s becoming much more fluid and personal.

We’re also seeing more designers expected to understand how their work fits into the wider process, how it connects with suppliers, and how it feeds into production. So the more confident you are with digital tools, the more clearly you can communicate and the more valuable you are to the whole team.

How are tech packs changing with digital workflows?

Tech packs are definitely evolving, and honestly, I think they need to. Traditional tech packs built in Adobe Illustrator take a lot of time and skill, but the payoff is starting to feel limited, especially now that we’ve got better tools available. Learning to create flats in Illustrator can take years, and even then, you're still producing something stylised and only as accurate as the person drawing it.

Now that 3D software like CLO exists, which works to scale and allows for much more technical accuracy, it’s hard to justify spending all that time creating a black and white flat just to communicate something you can show more clearly in 3D. Even simple sketches in tools like Procreate, or rough AI visuals, are faster and in many cases just as useful for getting a point across.

Tech packs have always been about communication, not perfection. Before Illustrator, people used photos, sketches or handwritten notes. That still works, but we’re at a point now where 3D and digital visuals can do a better job, especially when you're working with suppliers or factories that also use digital tools.

At the CLO3D User Summit in Munich, I saw a sneak peek of a new upcoming feature that’s going to change the game completely when it comes to creating tech packs. It’s a huge shift, and it shows just how close we are to being able to generate high-quality, truly useful digital tech packs straight out of CLO. We’ve already seen big improvements in schematic rendering, too, which has been a sticking point for a while. It’s not quite perfect yet, but we are seriously close.

I think we’ll see more people moving away from Illustrator over the next couple of years. The auto-generated tech packs in 3D software aren’t perfect yet, but they’re evolving fast. Eventually, they’ll replace a lot of what people currently use Illustrator for. And to be honest, sketching with an Apple Pencil on a proper template is more fun and way less frustrating than spending hours building flats from scratch.

The way I see it, tech packs need to catch up. If we're using 3D garments and working digitally, we should be sharing those visuals directly, using the tools that show the design clearly and reduce the back and forth. That’s where the industry is heading, and it’s a shift we’re ready for.

Do you see a future where the tools we use now become irrelevant?

It’s already happening in some areas. The industry moves fast, and what felt essential a few years ago can now feel like hard work for not much reward. Illustrator is a good example of that. It’s been the standard for so long, but when you compare the time and effort it takes to learn and use it properly against what you can do now in tools like CLO3D or even Procreate combined with AI, it starts to feel outdated, especially when we’re talking about high-quality visuals, speed, accuracy and production-ready assets.

That doesn’t mean everything we use now will disappear, but I do think we’ll see a shift in how we use certain tools. Some will drop away, and others will evolve to better suit the way designers actually work. The biggest change is going to be in mindset. Instead of sticking to one or two programs because they’re the industry standard, people will start building their own workflows using a mix of tools that make sense for them.

I think the tools that stay relevant will be the ones that help people move faster, make better decisions and communicate more clearly, whether that’s AI, 3D, or something completely new. The more we focus on what a tool actually helps us do, the easier it’ll be to let go of the ones that don’t add value anymore.

What’s next for CAD for Fashion? Any new courses or collaborations our community should keep on their radar?

We’ve got a lot of exciting things happening at the moment. Most importantly, our 3D learning pathways are now live and taking bookings. These are designed to help people learn CLO3D in a way that’s actually useful for their role, whether you’re a designer, developer, or part of a technical team. We keep the groups small so we can offer proper support, and spaces are already filling up fast. These pathways are a great starting point for anyone looking to work more confidently in 3D without feeling overwhelmed by the software.

We’re also building out more mini masterclasses and skills updates for people who want to keep learning without committing to a full course. These are short, focused sessions that help you stay current with what’s new in tools like Adobe, CLO, and AI without it becoming a full-time job.

And of course, we’re really excited about some of the collaborations coming up  like this one with SYKY. It’s a great opportunity to connect with new communities and share the things we’ve learned from working across industry and education. Everything we do is about giving people the tools, knowledge and confidence to work better, whether they’re just starting out or leading change in their team.

On September 25th, Horne will host a free virtual workshop for the SYKY community, sharing tips and tricks for digital fashion designers navigating this evolving landscape. Attendees will also receive 20% off any CAD for Fashion course.