Do AI tech packs work?

I often type into AI to make me a technical drawing and tech pack, you know just wondering if my job will soon become obsolete? Although over time it’s getting better, one thing I have noticed is that although very quick with giving the information it’s not very accurate.

Before Xmas, I was going to do a side-by-side view of a Xmas theme technical drawing and an AI one.

Life. Xmas. Other work all took over but the AI drawing made me laugh so much, I delved a bit deeper and these are my findings in case you are wondering if you should get AI to do your designs.

This was my prompt: design me a xmas style bra and brief , make it funny, i am really good a bra patterns and sewing so go full out

First mistake ‘make it funny’ and ‘go full out’, two phrases that are disasterous!

Okay here is what i got….

Okay firstly and let’s not beat around the bush (so to speak!) WTF is that pom pom on the front?? Like there is me in my leggings just out for the day with these pants on, with the outline of the pom pom protruding out! Also the bells, forget smooth lines, you’ll be able to hear me skipping down the path with this bra on.

Anyway, let’s look at the technical aspect, looking at this drawing, I would suspect that it is a moulded bra as there is no seam - turns out i’m incorrect as when i asked for construction it had me sewing the cups - so an inconsistency!

What I do like about AI is that they try convince you of the design, not sure about those bells, well every movement = festive fun. The pom pom is to promote Santa vibes, and the bra straps state that you can lightly brush each strap with a peppermint scent to smell festive, don’t mind me looking like I have something shoved down my pants, jiggling away with the aroma of mint surrounding me.

Let’s not give up too soon though maybe I needed to see it in a technical drawing aspect.

Okay maybe I didn’t. If I were to be brutal here is what I would say: the single needle on the wings are the wrong stitch. Do I need a stitch across at the gusset? I don’t know what clip is at the back. The underwire looks like it has two underwire channels at the CF. There are two designs now for the briefs, when one should have been a back. Is there meant to be four sliders on the strap? How is the front strap attached? The cups now have a dart. I could go one…

I don’t want to trash AI as it can give you some ideas, (however isn’t that the fun bit - designing yourself) I just wouldn’t rely on it to get me a sample back from the factory exactly how I want it. You may be saving time and money upfront but you are going to pay for it later on your journey.

I asked AI to produce a construction page for a tech pack. This is what I got

Aside from spelling mistakes where I don’t what they were trying to say. ‘Back goid hardered’ and as a FYI I’ve never used the technical term ‘sew front gusset with hidden burrito method’ though I might have to start!

The BOM ‘Bill of materials’ wasn’t much better, with no descriptions of the elastic or width, just stating elastic. Which is correct however what type? Just stating elastic opens up a whole world of possibilities. From everything the report states, the best I loved from this was QA check for noise level - can you imagine?

OVERALL VIEW of AI LINGERIE DESIGN TECH PACK

With a technical drawing and a tech pack, there can not be room for question, stating 15-20mm elastic is not an actual decision, you won’t get what you want back. That’s like saying to a kid they can help themselves to a snack from the cupboard, you have a healthy snack in your mind and they come back with chocolate. You weren’t giving an exact direction. Tech packs need to be slightly boring and give strong directions.

Personally I haven’t seen a strong tech pack the factory would follow, if you send an AI one, they will presume that a proper one will follow or just go with how they will make the garment and there will be a lot of Redlining afterwards to sort out, (red lining is where you state exactly what should be followed in the tech pack).

If you would like to know more about TECH packs “how to write a tech for a bra and brief” can be found here, and also I run a BRA-nd Studio, a subscription service for lingerie designers and in February we cover tech-packs, if you are reading this past Feb, don’t worry sign up and you can read and watch past months. It’s £30 and you can cancel at any time.