Method for designing apparel

A method for computer aided design of apparel, comprising the steps of:

• providing computer means including visual display means, data input means and printout means for generating a permanent record of computer output;
• designing at least one fashion figure on which said apparel design may be selectively and compositely superimposed;
• designing a plurality of garment components;
• providing a plurality of planar patterns, each of said patterns corresponding to one of each of said garment components;
• converting each of said fashion figures, said garment components and said patterns into a form which may be stored, manipulated and output by said computer means;
• creating a data base accessible by said computer means containing said converted fashion figures, converted garment components, and converted patterns, said data base linking said converted patterns to said corresponding converted garment components, said data base further linking similar converted garment components into converted garment component classes;
• progressively designing apparel by displaying on said visual display means at least one converted fashion figure and superimposing at least one converted garment component selected from said data base on said converted fashion figure display;
• outputting to said printout means a reproduction of said visual display means;
• and
• outputting to said printout means a converted pattern retrieved from said data base and corresponding to each of said converted garment components visible on said visual display means.