A system and method for designing a wear article for an object comprises
providing a virtual three-dimensional model of the object, including
first data representing three dimensions of the object. Virtual
two-dimensional patterns representing different portions of the wear
article are assembled into a virtual three-dimensional wear article. The
virtual three-dimensional wear article includes second data representing
three dimensions of the wear article. A material type is associated with
one or more of the virtual patterns and the virtual three-dimensional
wear article. The material type has third data representing at least one
physical property of the material type. In order to display the virtual
three-dimensional wear article on the virtual three-dimensional model,
the first and second data are compared to determine the non-intersection
of the virtual three-dimensional wear article with the virtual
three-dimensional object. The virtual three-dimensional wear article is
then conformed to the virtual three-dimensional model within constraints
imposed by the third data. With this arrangement, the system and method
enables the virtual wear article to stretch, flex, sag, etc., on the
virtual model to better approximate the real-life fit and look of the
wear article on an object during design of the wear article.