Virtual Fashion in Unreal Engine: Why I Stopped Designing for Screens

Transitioning from UX Design to 3D Clothing and the Reality of Creative Problem Solving

Blog Post: From Pixels to Patterns

This episode is a "dump of ideas"—a way to clear my mind as I transition into a new creative field. I’ve spent the last decade in UX design, but I can feel the market changing. Between AI and the "templating" of the web, the space for dedicated UX designers is shrinking, and I’m finding my future in the "massive niche" of virtual fashion for MetaHumans.

The Technical Struggle

I’ve recently invested in Marvelous Designer, a powerful tool for digital outfit design. However, "life got in the way" in the form of overdue tax returns. Interestingly, I’ve been using AI to help me understand and file these forms without an accountant—a reassuring use of technology in a field I find unbearable. On the 3D side, I’ve been wrestling with the workflow between Marvelous Designer and Unreal Engine. It’s not "creative" work—it’s problem-solving—but it’s the price of entry for this playground.

Real Fashion in a Virtual World

I’ve made a conscious choice to avoid Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration because they are currently "polluted by AI." AI designs look feasible but often have construction flaws that make them impossible to recreate in 3D. Instead, I’m using Zalando—a real-world retailer—to study realistic fashion trends and product photography to ensure my digital creations look "down to earth" and feasible.

Building an Evergreen Portfolio

One realization that hit me hard recently is how temporary UX design is. I look at my old portfolio and see projects for high-end clients that no longer exist online because products changed or designs were scraped. Virtual fashion feels different. While software systems change, a well-designed digital collection can be "evergreen"—timeless designs that remain universal even if the format needs to be converted later.

I’m heading off on a two-week holiday soon, but I’m taking my laptop to commit to these MetaHuman animations and outfits. I’m done reflecting on the UX designer I "used to be"; it’s time to focus on the 3D designer I’m becoming.