The garment takes shape
From digital pattern to physical garment: the moment of truth.
From digital pattern to physical garment: the moment of truth.
The prototype is the moment of truth: the digital pattern becomes a physical garment and every construction assumption is put to the test. A well-made prototype accelerates development; a poorly made one multiplies iterations and costs. The difference lies in the precision with which the pattern is transferred to the workshop and in the technical eye that evaluates the result.
Atelier ModArch manages prototyping as a natural continuation of pattern making: we know the pattern because we built it, and we know what to look for when the garment is in hand.
Between the CAD file and the physical prototype there is a chain of transfer that can introduce errors at every step: pattern printing, cutting of the trial fabric, assembly in the workshop. Supervising this step means verifying that every component is cut and assembled according to the exact specifications of the pattern — including seam allowances, grain direction and assembly points.
The toile → substitute fabric → sample zero sequence is not red tape: each step isolates one category of problems. The toile costs little and reveals flaws of structure — proportions, garment balance, shoulder set — without the noise introduced by fabric behaviour. The substitute fabric, chosen for weight and stiffness close to the final one, reveals problems of behaviour: how the sleeve falls, how a padded piece compresses, how a seam reacts on a curve. The sample zero, in the final material with every construction detail, is the production validation: if something is wrong here, the problem is almost always in the making-up, no longer in the pattern.
Skipping a step pushes problems forward, where they cost more. A structural defect discovered on the sample zero in precious fabric costs the price of the fabric plus the rebuilding time; the same defect on the toile costs one correction session.
The prototype is analysed on the mannequin and, when needed, on a live model: overall garment balance, shoulder set, verticality of the side seams, sleeve behaviour with the arm lowered and raised, closures, pockets. Every point that fails the check generates a written correction on the sample and a note in the tech pack with the current measurement, the target measurement and the type of change required to the pattern. For down-filled outerwear we use a dedicated 12-point checklist, published in the guide fitting technical down jackets. The fitting service is also available as a standalone intervention on prototypes not developed by us.
Prototyping is the third phase of the studio's four-phase method: it comes after the brief and pattern development, and precedes production. Upstream it connects to pattern construction (or to the defect correction of an existing pattern); downstream, once the sample is approved, to size grading and marker making for production. Corrections that emerge in prototyping are always carried back into the CAD file: the package that reaches the manufacturer reflects the validated garment, not the first version of the pattern.
Yes. We accept third-party CAD files, verify the geometric consistency of the pattern and manage sampling with our affiliated workshop. If construction issues emerge in the file, we flag them before proceeding.
Technical fabrics (membranes, waterproof fabrics, gore-tex-compatible), high-end fabrics (wool, cashmere, silk, jacquard), structured materials (canvas, interfacings, boning). For unusual fabrics, contact us for a preliminary assessment.
The number of prototypes is defined in the initial brief based on garment complexity. On average: 1 raw prototype (toile), 1–2 prototypes in the final fabric, 1 final sample. Additional iterations are quoted separately.
Yes. All physical prototypes are property of the client and are delivered by confidential courier (with sealed tracking) or collected directly at the atelier. Construction files and annotated fitting photos are included in the delivery package.