Jan 7, 2016 | By Tess
Clothing tailors have been around since the 18th century, making bespoke and custom fitted clothing for men and women alike. Even today, many tailoring processes remain traditional, with tailors taking measurements using a tape and making suits based on the numbers, though the practice has started to dwindle because of a lack of interested young tailors. In Hong Kong, one of the world’s most popular destinations for custom tailoring, however, one company has decided to revive the practice by incorporating modern technologies into their work.
Hong Kong based Gay Giano has recently developed a 3D scanning system that effectively scans the client’s body to compile a set of detailed and accurate measurements to base the bespoke suit’s design off of.
Matthew Lee, business development director for Gay Giano, explains the necessity of bringing tailoring practices into the contemporary, technological world. He says, “There’s a huge disconnect between these traditional craftsmen or craftswomen and the next generation. There’s no one taking over. So we felt that, if that’s the case, it’s either a dying trade or we can revitalize it with technology that could enhance or keep a better record of their knowledge.”
The 3D scanning technology that Gay Giano has started to use in its tailoring process consists of a changing room equipped with 14 infrared sensors, where customers are asked to stand in form fitting underwear. In just under ten seconds the sensors are able to gather information from over 120 measurement data points that include not only length and width measurements, but also exact angles. In comparison, traditional tailoring practices usually gather about 25 body measurements using a measuring tape. Once the 3D scanning process is done, the measurements are sent to a tablet through an app, where the tailors can more easily visualize their client’s body.
Alan Chan, who ordered a custom suit from Gay Giano and underwent the scanning process explained, “Well, efficient-wise, of course being scanned inside a changing room is a lot more efficient. I’ve tried the traditional measuring method, it felt more personal, but it took up more of my time. And i felt like the 3D [scanner] managed to measure more thoroughly and more parts of myself. If i had to go to a traditional tailor and have myself measured the way the computer did, I think that would take much longer.”
Of course, by using the 3D scanning technology, many of the traditional manufacturing processes of the bespoke suits remain the same, so the quality of the suit should remain unchanged. If anything, the digital model of the client’s body would help the tailors who make the suits, who do not usually take the measurements themselves, to more easily visualize and understand the client’s body type and posture.
Soddy Cheng, an experienced tailor consultant adds, “So during the process of making the suit, they can easily imagine the customers’ body shapes, and also things like do they crouch? Do they stick their chest out? Do they have big bellies? These ideas can help them during the process.”
The Hong Kong based tailor claims to be the the first bespoke suit shop in the city to use 3D scanning technologies, though other Hong Kong companies have also been using the technology in areas such as women’s clothing and lingerie. Who knows, perhaps someday soon we’ll even be 3D printing bespoke suits!
Posted in 3D Scanning
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It also exits in france with the company my taylor is free
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