Indie Designer Spotlight: Jovana Rademacher

It’s always inspiring to learn about how different individuals end up embarking on a digital fashion path even when it wasn’t always on their career roadmap. We recently came across some eye-catching designs created by Jovana Rademacher and were eager to gain insight into her journey to 3D.

From a young age, Jovana would often create different types of patterns, putting her mother’s sewing machine to good use. However, when considering prospective careers, fashion wasn’t something that was on the cards at the time, and Jovana was encouraged to pursue her studies in the medical field. After four years studying medicine, Jovana realized that although she had accomplished a lot, she longed for something more, something different. Reconnecting with her both her creative and technical side, she began to look into the opportunities that the fashion industry presented that would enable her to combine her technical skills with design. To begin her new adventure, Jovana went to study Textile and Clothing Technology with a specialization in Product Development at the University of Niederrhein , in 2016.

During her studies, Jovana gained hands-on experience in both the business and technical aspects of the apparel industry. Getting to know the ins and outs of the apparel supply chain as well as garment construction from pattern development to grading, with a focus on environmental sustainability. As she became increasingly interested in the technical side of the product development processes, Jovana decided to choose an elective course, ‘Grafis CAD System,’ which covered virtual product development, it was at this point where she was first introduced to the concept of 3D apparel creation, implementation, and presentation with Browzwear’s 3D design software, VStitcher along with additional digital tools.

“When I first began working with Browzwear’s VStitcher, I immediately recognized its value and appreciated the combination of pattern construction and technology,” says Jovana. “Considering that I was a beginner, by using the software I could quickly bring my ideas to life and see what does and doesn’t work in a matter of minutes. I could freely experiment with different designs, modify my garments, or simply start over, without being limited to time, place, or physical resources.” As Jovana approached her final thesis, the onset of the pandemic meant that classes were no longer conducted in-person and remote learning was introduced. “In order to complete my final thesis using VStitcher, I turned to Browzwear University as a way to continue learning the software and improve the skills that I had already acquired throughout my studies with the easy-to-follow classes and step by step video tutorials,” says Jovana. “As I continued to explore the software and its capabilities, I was particularly impressed with the way I could connect it to various platforms such as Photoshop, and validate the textile designs on the 3D garment” she adds. “One of the major struggles that the fashion industry faces is the amount of textile waste, and being able to visualize your designs in 3D works to combat such challenges.”

Now, as she wraps up her bachelor’s degree with 3D under her belt, there is no turning back for Jovana who plans to further pursue her career in the field. “The past year has certainly forced more and more people to think more digitally and be more willing to embrace virtual fashion,” she says. “The flexibility of being able to see your garments in an instant allows you to drastically cut down the number of physical samples as well as the time spent. In fact, it offers any designer or pattern maker an entirely new career perspective.” As Jovana suggests, digital fashion is a door opener in a traditional industry, and we look forward to seeing the rest of her journey unfold.

Check out more of Jovana’s designs

Jovana’s designs