The project aims to enhance skills development and craft pedagogy in haute couture, focussing specifically on hand embroidery, integrating computational creativity and AI-driven tools that maintain the critical ‘humanness’ and tactile nature of this field. As the number of artisans in haute couture has dwindled since the mid-20th century, this project seeks to harness digital technology to preserve and enhance traditional craftsmanship. By working with haute couture artisans to collect data and insights from their expertise, we will train intelligent systems for use in a user-friendly digital training platform targeted at novice users who may not have knowledge of these rarefied and nuanced crafts. 

• Can digital tools capturing gestures and material touch data from haute couture embroidery enhance training systems in the digital realm? 
• Can AI-driven features such as interactive pattern generation and stitch suggestion replicate and augment traditional embroidery techniques and learning processes?
• Will the integration of gesture recognition and coaching systems provide an innovative, interactive learning experience for aspiring artisans?

Project Leaflet

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Co - Principal Investigator
Anne TOOMEY 
Zowie BROACH 

Collaborating Investigator
Prof Jeanne Tan