Ataa, winner of the Spring 2024 CONNECT x ETTOI contest, shares her design journey, while ETTOI discusses its sustainability and the collaboration’s impact.

Interview with

Ataa | CONNECT Creator, 3D Fashion Artist
ETTOI | Premium Children’s Wear Brand

Ataa’s Journey: From Passion to Winning Design

Growing up in a tailor family in Indonesia, Ataa was immersed in craftsmanship from an early age. Her passion led her to study fashion design in India, gaining hands-on experience in block printing and design.

Now a 3D Fashion Artist at a Korean factory, she creates for brands like Old Navy, GAP, and Target. Discovering CLO was a game-changer, allowing her to design without fabric waste and bring ideas to life in motion. This opened new possibilities to experiment with visually striking yet practical designs.

The Inspiration Behind the Butterfly Dress

For the contest, Ataa wanted to create a dreamlike, joyful piece for children. She started with color—yellow, which she associates with happiness and energy. “It’s a color that instantly feels cheerful, and I knew it would look beautiful on kids,” she says.

Her key inspiration came from childhood imagination. “Many little girls dream of flying like butterflies or fairies,” Ataa notes. She recalled her young niece, who loved wearing a butterfly-wing costume with elastic straps. Inspired by this, Ataa designed a dress that would incorporate butterfly wings, making it both whimsical and wearable.

In CLO, she built the base silhouette first, ensuring comfort and movement for children. Then, she added the butterfly wings—her central design element. “At first, it looked too plain, so I introduced soft ruffles that wouldn’t overpower the wings but would enhance the elegance,” she explains. After refining the details, she posed the garment in CLO, added colors, and created a final rendered scene to showcase the dress in a natural setting.

When she found out she won the contest, Ataa was thrilled. “It felt like a major milestone in my career,” she shares. Receiving the physical version of her design was even more surreal. “It looked exactly like my 3D version—I couldn’t believe it!”

ETTOI’s Perspective: Bridging Digital and Physical Fashion

For ETTOI, the collaboration was a chance to explore sustainability and innovation in children’s fashion. “By utilizing CLO’s 3D technology, we could minimize material waste and unnecessary sampling,” the ETTOI team explains. The contest also allowed them to connect with talented designers like Ataa, who brought fresh perspectives to the brand.

One of the key reasons ETTOI selected Ataa’s design was its environmental storytelling. The dress features an endangered butterfly motif, aligning with ETTOI’s commitment to nature-inspired, sustainable fashion. “The use of a butterfly, especially one that symbolizes environmental awareness, resonated deeply with our values,” the team notes.

Turning a Digital Design into Reality

Bringing the butterfly dress to life came with its challenges. The wing details and hem ruffles required precise adjustments to maintain their intended structure. “We worked closely with our pattern team to refine the butterfly shape, ensuring the shoulder frills looked natural and retained their delicate charm,” ETTOI shares.

Another challenge was color accuracy. The team carefully selected a shade of yellow that not only matched the CONNECT design but also looked vibrant and lively on fabric. “The final result captured the essence of Ataa’s original vision while making it even more radiant when worn by a child,” they explain.

When ETTOI first saw the final product, they were impressed. “It had a fresh and imaginative feel—perfect for Spring/Summer. The bright yellow butterflies symbolized the endangered southern yellow butterfly, native to Korea, adding depth to the design.” Internally, the design received high praise, and during customer voting, it stood out as a favorite.

The Future of Fashion: Digital Meets Physical

This collaboration highlights how 3D fashion technology can bridge digital design and real-world production. “It’s exciting to see CLO and CONNECT making sustainable fashion more accessible,” ETTOI shares.

For Ataa, this experience was transformative. “It proved that digital fashion isn’t just a concept—it’s the future,” she says. “I hope more designers explore 3D tools like CLO to push their creative limits while contributing to a more sustainable industry.”

ETTOI also sees digital fashion as a long-term strategy. “This contest was just the beginning. We’re excited to continue exploring how CLO and CONNECT can enhance children’s fashion production while improving our global competitiveness,” they conclude.

Discover the winning design here and explore Ataa’s creator profile on CONNECT. You can also find the physical garment available for purchase on the ETTOI online store.