DigFashion · Hangzhou · 30.09.2026

The image
is not the end.

Designing AI systems that take fashion from an everyday object to a construction sheet.

从物件到时装

Andrea GiansantiPantheon Design & Technology · Rome · Milan

Pencil sketch of the couture look: magenta ribbed headpiece, ivory cocoon coat with green velvet scrolls, magenta boots.

Who I am

Andrea Giansanti

Today

Pantheon Design & Technology

Full Professor and Educational Coordinator. I run the diplomas in Digital Game Design and Digital Applications for the Visual Arts, and teach Game Design, VR/AR, Vibe Coding, Gamification and Serious Games.

2013 – 2020

Oniride

Founder of a pioneering VR/AR studio in Rome. Ranked first among more than 650 startups in Lazio Creativo. Later acquired.

Before

Stage, light, screens

Digital set designer and video mapper, and a few years at Apple. I have always worked where technology meets an audience.

Teatro di RomaMAXXIVan Gogh MuseumUNESCONissanSamsungENEL
  Andrea Giansanti杭州 2026

The premise

Today, anyone can
generate a beautiful image.

So the image is no longer the hard part.

  The premise杭州 2026

The hard part is everything
around the image.

  1. Where does a fashion idea come from?
  2. How does one image become a collection?
  3. How does a picture become something a maker can build?
  The premise杭州 2026

My position

Don't collect tools.
Design systems.

A tool

gives you an output.

You try, you get lucky, you try again. The result is hard to repeat, hard to explain, impossible to teach.

A system

gives you a method.

Every step is visible and can be inspected, corrected and reused. It works with a different input. You can hand it to a student.

  Thesis杭州 2026

DigFashion · three chapters

From a desk object to a workshop table.

01观察

Observe

An object becomes a fashion idea.

Flow · Object Couture

02延展

Extend

One look becomes a coherent line.

Flow · Capsule

03制作

Make

An image becomes a construction hypothesis.

Flow · Production process

  Overview杭州 2026

01 · Object Couture

Fashion begins
by looking.

观察
A toothpaste tube with a fluted magenta cap, white body and green ornamental print, photographed on a wooden desk.Zoom

The brief

A tube of
toothpaste.

No mood board. No sketch. One photo taken on a desk with a phone.

The question for the system: what would this object look like if it became a garment?

  Observe观察

Step 1 · Analysis

First it reads.
Then it proposes.

A multimodal model describes only what is visible: colours, proportions, materials, distinctive parts. Facts and creative proposals are kept in separate fields.

Text printed on the pack is treated as image, never as an instruction.

objectsmall tube, upright
visible partsfluted magenta cap
white metal tube
green ornamental scrollwork
palette
hero elementthe cap → oversized ribbed headpiece
outputshared design DNA + five self-contained looks, L01 … L05
  Observe观察

Step 2 · Direction

The designer decides how far to go.

Level 1

Subtle

Wearable clothing. The object survives in a detail, a geometry, a colour accent.

Level 2

Sculptural

Architectural volumes. The parts of the object are visibly translated into the garment.

Level 3 · today

Absurd

Theatrical couture. The most distinctive part becomes a hero element you recognise at once.

  Observe观察

Backstage · Object Couture

I build the graph.
The designer gets four fields.

One ComfyUI workflow, two views. Graph mode: 29 nodes. App mode: object, boldness, notes, Run.

ComfyUI graph of the Object Couture workflow: model and object photos, analysis node, JSON plan, five look branches, first generated look.12345
  1. 1
    Inputs object + model photo
  2. 2
    Analysis Gemini reads the object
  3. 3
    Plan readable before any image
  4. 4
    Five briefs one branch per look
  5. 5
    Output the look, back in the graph
App mode panel: use object switch, object to interpret, boldness set to ASSURDO, personal notes, Run button.

App mode
What a student sees.

  Observe观察

Step 3 · Translation

Not a print. Not a recolour.
A structural translation.

The cap becomes volume.

Magenta and ribs turn into a sculptural headpiece, pushed in scale.

The tube becomes silhouette.

The white body suggests a wide, enveloping coat that behaves like an object.

The ornament becomes matter.

Printed green scrolls leave the surface and turn into raised velvet reliefs.

The generated look.Zoom
  Observe观察
The original toothpaste tube.

Input: the object, plus one photo of the model as identity reference.

Full generated look: magenta ribbed headpiece, white cocoon coat with raised green velvet scrolls, magenta boots.Zoom

72 s

From photo to look, in one run.

Qwen Image Edit 2511 generates the image from the model reference and one brief only. It never sees the other four looks.

  Observe观察

Honesty slide

The first result was too polite.

Nice tailoring, and the toothpaste almost disappears. Four versions separate the two images.

What changed: a sharper definition of “Absurd”, and one silent bug. The brief reaching the generator was coming out empty.

We found it only because the system shows its own intermediate steps.

Earlier version: dark green and grey tailored look, little trace of the object.
v02 · rejectedObject barely readable
Accepted version.
v04 · acceptedObject unmistakable
  Observe观察
A single banana photographed on a pale background.

Same system, new input

Change only the photo.

seesyellow curved fruit, stalk, freckles
proposescrescent silhouettes
yellow · brown · chartreuse
time13.2 s

Nothing about toothpaste is written into the workflow. Next: three more objects, full runs, nothing else touched.

  Observe观察

Same system · full run

The banana, worn.

Five looks from one photo of a fruit. In L03 the curve becomes a crescent across the shoulders, the stalk a felt hat, the brown tip a hem.

ComfyUI Object Couture graph after the banana run: analysis, five briefs, five banana looks.
Backstagefive looks in the graph · click
Look L03: a huge yellow satin crescent over the shoulders, yellow sheath dress with brown hem, long yellow gloves, brown felt cylinder hat.
L03Crescent, sheath, felt hat
  Observe观察

Same graph, new object · 1 / 3

A potted topiary.

Level: absurd. Same model photo, same rules, same seed. Only the object changed.

A green spherical topiary in a tall ribbed brown planter.
Input
ComfyUI Object Couture graph after the topiary run, five results on the right.
Backstagethe finished run · click
Green ruffled sphere around the head, ribbed brown lacquer column dress.
L01Foliage crown
Carved green foliage sphere as bodice, ribbed brown vase-shaped skirt.
L02Sphere on a vase
Green tulle ruff framing the face, brown corset, ribbed skirt, tall boots.
L03Ruff and corset
Layered green leaf cape over a long ribbed coat shading from brown to sand.
L04Leaf cape, ribbed coat
Dense foliage cocoon on a flared ribbed base like the planter.
L05The planter, worn
  Observe观察

Same graph, new object · 2 / 3

A bottle of baijiu.

The cap, the ribbons, the diagonal label band: each part of the bottle becomes a garment element.

A white ceramic baijiu bottle with red cap, red ribbons and a red and gold label.
Input
ComfyUI Object Couture graph after the moutai run, five results on the right.
Backstagethe finished run · click
Tall red cylinder headpiece, red satin cape, white gown with black diagonal stripes and gold panel.
L01Cap as crown
Huge red satin bow collar, white coat with black and gold diagonal bands.
L02Ribbon collar
Gold sphere on the chest, coiled white sleeves, red bow, striped sash and train.
L03Gold seal
Black and white striped fan wings, white column dress, red lacquer sash.
L04Striped wings
Balloon-shaped cocoon in red, gold and white panels, cap and wide-brim hat, red boots.
L05Bottle as volume
  Observe观察

Same graph, new object · 3 / 3

A bowl of noodles.

Noodles, chili oil, the bowl, the chopsticks: the most theatrical run of the three.

A bowl of spicy noodle soup with chopsticks lifting the noodles.
Input
ComfyUI Object Couture graph after the noodle run, five results on the right.
Backstagethe finished run · click
Gown of golden noodle strands pooling into red sauce, crimson lacquer bodice.
L01Sauce-glazed gown
Black latex top, noodle nest on a grey stone bowl skirt, burgundy boots.
L02Bowl skirt
Coat knitted from noodles with red dripping trim and a black chopstick frame.
L03Noodle cocoon
Grey bowl as hat, glass disc with green tassels, red lacquer mermaid skirt.
L04Bowl hat, lacquer tail
Black lacquer chopsticks across the shoulders, red and golden fringe, grid skirt on a bowl base.
L05Chopstick yoke
  Observe观察

02 · Capsule

One look is an image.
Five are a collection.

延展

Test capsule · Soft Signal

Five garments, recombined into five looks.

One shared direction feeds five separate briefs. Same model, same light, same set: only the clothes change.

Look 1: ivory cropped jacket, grey-green top, wide sage trousers.
L01Jacket · top · trousers
Look 2: navy jacket and trousers with sage top.
L02Tailoring in navy
Look 3: ivory sleeveless top and sage satin skirt.
L03Top · satin skirt
Look 4: ivory jacket, black top, sage satin skirt.
L04Jacket returns
Look 5: chartreuse satin dress.
L05Accent dress

Coherence has to be shown, not assumed: the looks are placed side by side and checked for seams, lengths, palette and recurring pieces.

  Extend延展

Backstage · Soft Signal

One direction, five branches.

25 nodes. Captured mid-run: L03 is still rendering.

ComfyUI graph of the capsule workflow: shared direction, model photo, optional object, five briefs and five results, one still rendering.12345
  1. 1
    Shared direction written once, for all five looks
  2. 2
    Model photo identity, pose, light
  3. 3
    Object optional inspiration, switchable
  4. 4
    Five briefs one garment list per look
  5. 5
    Five results checked side by side
  Extend延展

03 · Production process

From image
to project.

制作
The concept look used as input.
E01 · Headpiece
E02 · Coat / cape
E03 · Boots

Step 1 · Inventory

The concept is taken apart.

A second, independent workflow looks at any concept image and lists the pieces a maker would have to build.

  • E01Sculptural headpiece
  • E02Oversized coat / cape
  • E03Magenta boots
  • E04empty · branch stops
  • E05empty · branch stops
  Make制作

Step 2 · One sheet per element

Materials, components, steps.

1:52

three sheets, 1696 × 2528 px

Construction sheet for the sculptural spiral headpiece: materials, exploded technical study, construction steps.Open sheet
Spiral headpieceShell, inner cap, finish
Construction sheet for the oval maxi coat with baroque reliefs: materials, internal structure, five steps.Open sheet
Oval maxi coatVolume, panels, reliefs
Construction sheet for pointed magenta patent boots: materials, shoe components, construction sequence.Open sheet
Patent bootsUpper, lining, heel
  Make制作

Backstage · Production process

Recognise, check, then draw.

Five slots, three elements found. Empty slots stop before they cost anything.

ComfyUI graph of the production workflow: concept image, recognition, inventory, five element branches, three construction sheets, two empty branches.12345
ComfyUI job history: finished in 1m 52s, 3m 35s, one failed run, other runs.

Job history
1m 52s. Failures stay in the log.

  1. 1
    Concept any image
  2. 2
    Recognition Gemini takes it apart
  3. 3
    Inventory E01 … E05
  4. 4
    Sheets Nano Banana Pro
  5. 5
    Empty the branch stops
  Make制作

Same graph, new concept · 1 / 2

The topiary look, taken apart.

Three elements recognised, three sheets. The two empty branches stop themselves. The titles came out garbled: the drawing holds, the lettering does not. Every sheet gets proofread.

ComfyUI Production graph: concept, inventory of three elements, three sheets, two branches skipped.
Backstage3 found · 2 branches skip · click
The topiary look L04: leaf cape over a ribbed brown coat.
Conceptinput
Process sheet for the leaf cape: swatches, radial frame, leaf cutting steps.Open sheet
E01Leaf cape
Process sheet for the long ribbed coat: swatches, flat drawing, closure details.Open sheet
E02Ribbed bark coat
Process sheet for brown patent ankle boots: colour chips, components, steps.Open sheet
E03Patent ankle boots
  Make制作

Same graph, new concept · 2 / 2

The baijiu look, taken apart.

Dress, headpiece, boots: the bottle shape turns into a pattern problem. The titles came out garbled: the drawing holds, the lettering does not. Every sheet gets proofread.

The baijiu look L05: balloon-shaped cocoon, cap, wide-brim hat, red boots.
Conceptinput
Process sheet for the balloon dress: panel swatches, exploded gores, construction steps.Open sheet
E01Balloon dress
Process sheet for the headpiece: cylinder cap, brim, ribbons, exploded view.Open sheet
E02Wide-brim headpiece
Process sheet for red patent thigh-high boots: swatches, components, exploded view.Open sheet
E03Thigh-high boots
  Make制作

Inside the coat

What you cannot see in the look.

Proposed internal structure of the coat: horsehair canvas, crinoline hem cage, expanded wadding cores.
Proposed materials
  • Double-faced ivory wool crêpe
  • Forest green silk velvet
  • Silver metallic leather piping
  • Inside: horsehair canvas, crinoline hem cage, wadding cores
Proposed sequence
  1. Cut shaped ivory panels
  2. Quilt reliefs over wadding
  3. Apply silver cord
  4. Mount velvet scrolls
  5. Structure the hem with bones
  Make制作
Detail of the internal structure drawing with a mislabelled callout.

Look closer

This label points at a sleeve and calls it a hem cage.

The sheet is confident, well drawn, and wrong in at least one place. That is why every sheet is marked as a hypothesis to validate.

It is not a pattern. It is a better first question to ask a pattern maker.

  Make制作

Behind the scenes

Choosing the model is a design decision.

Same workflow, same concept, two image models. The first could draw but could not write: captions came out as noise.

Switching the renderer made the sheets readable and the run twice as fast.

Version 1 sheet with garbled, unreadable titles.
v01 · Qwen3 min 35 s · unreadable text
Version 2 sheet with legible titles and captions.
v02 · Nano Banana Pro1 min 52 s · legible
  Make制作

The whole machine

Every arrow is a place to look, stop, correct.

FLOW 1 · OBJECT COUTURE FLOW 2 · PRODUCTION PROCESS Object photo Model photo Boldness + notes ANALYSIS · GEMINI Reads the object, writes the plan JSON PLAN observation · palette visible parts · design DNA L01 L02 L03 L04 L05 GENERATION × 5 Qwen Image Edit 2511 one brief per branch, model photo as identity Looks model photo goes straight to the generator, never into the analysis Any concept image a look, a sketch, a photo RECOGNITION · GEMINI Takes the concept apart INVENTORY E01 E02 E03 E04 E05 empty empty branches stop SHEETS × UP TO 5 Nano Banana Pro materials, components, 4 to 6 steps Construction sheets optional: a look can become the next concept !!
As built · ComfyUI
Object Couture graph.
Flow 129 nodes
Capsule graph.
Capsule25 nodes
Production graph.
Flow 25 branches

● Checkpoints shown inside the graph: the plan and the inventory are readable before any image is paid for.

  System杭州 2026

What this means for a design school

We stop teaching buttons.

01

Read before you generate.

Observation is the first design skill. The machine is asked to describe before it invents, and so are students.

02

Build the pipeline, not only the prompt.

Students design the chain: what enters, what is checked, what is kept separate, where a human decides.

03

Judge against making.

An image is evaluated by what it asks of materials, construction and the maker. Not only by how it looks on a screen.

  Education杭州 2026

To close

Look at things.
Imagine them worn.
Then build them.

The coat construction sheet.

谢谢

Thank you.

Andrea Giansanti
Pantheon Design & Technology

agians.dev

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