Holly New explores augmented reality fashion workflows in The Interline DPC Report 2026

Holly New, Founder and CEO of STUDIOOFNEW, recently contributed an editorial feature to The Interline as part of its Digital Product Creation Report 2026, exploring how virtual reality is being used within contemporary fashion design workflows.

The Interline is an independent fashion and culture publication known for its in-depth reporting on fashion, technology and future-facing creative practice. Its annual Digital Product Creation Report brings together designers, technologists and studios working at the intersection of digital tools and fashion innovation.

In the 2026 report, Holly’s contribution focuses on the growing role of VR as an active design environment rather than a purely visual or presentational tool. The article examines how immersive technologies are shifting early-stage fashion processes, particularly in relation to form, scale and spatial decision-making.

“VR allows designers to work with volume and proportion from the very beginning of the process,” Holly explains in the article. “Instead of interpreting flat images or sketches, you’re able to make decisions inside the design itself.”

A key theme of the article is the repositioning of VR within fashion workflows. Rather than treating immersive tools as a final step for showcasing concepts, Holly discusses their value much earlier in the pipeline, where ideas are still fluid and open to change.

“Most inefficiencies in fashion design happen early on, when decisions are made without spatial feedback,” she notes. “VR introduces that feedback immediately, which can reduce unnecessary refinement later.”

The feature highlights how VR can support rapid prototyping and exploration without replacing established tools such as CAD or 3D garment software. Instead, VR is presented as a complementary layer that helps designers decide which ideas are worth developing further.

The VR-designed garment created for The Interline

The dress featured alongside the article was created specifically for The Interline using VR as the primary design environment. Designed as a digital-only piece, the garment was developed through immersive sketching and form-building using the STUDIOOFNEW method, allowing silhouette and proportion to be explored intuitively before the need of technical refinement using pattern pieces. In the article, Holly reflects on the freedom this approach offers: “Working in VR removes a lot of early constraints. You can test ideas quickly, discard them just as fast, and focus on what feels right spatially before committing to technical detail.”

The butterfly elements featured in the visuals were developed through a combined VR and Blender workflow. Initial forms were sketched and blocked in VR, then refined and articulated in Blender, demonstrating the hybrid processes currently being explored at STUDIOOFNEW. This layered approach reflects the studio’s wider practice, where immersive tools are used alongside traditional 3D software to balance intuition, speed and control.

Holly’s contribution appears alongside a range of industry perspectives within The Interline’s Digital Product Creation Report 2026, which explores how fashion design and production are evolving in response to digital tools. The report includes commentary on digital sampling, emerging workflows and the broader implications of technology-led design across fashion and creative industries.

By contributing to the 2026 report, STUDIOOFNEW continues to position itself at the forefront of digital fashion innovation, sharing insight into how VR and 3D tools can be integrated thoughtfully into contemporary design practice.

The full Digital Product Creation Report 2026, including Holly New’s article, is available via The Interline.