Simon Kim
Chief executive of CLO Virtual Fashion
Simon Kim is the chief executive of CLO Virtual Fashion, the company behind CLO, a 3D garment design application used by fashion brands, manufacturers and schools. Under his leadership CLO has expanded from 3D design into collaboration, marketplace and virtual fitting services that support digital product creation.
| Role | Chief executive of CLO Virtual Fashion |
|---|---|
| Company founded | 2009 |
| Products | CLO, CLO-SET, CLO-Vise, Connect |
| Focus | 3D garment design and digital product creation |
Who is Simon Kim?
Simon Kim leads CLO Virtual Fashion as chief executive. Founded in 2009, the company develops 3D design and simulation software for garments. Its roots lie in the game and film industries, where its Marvelous Designer technology was used to simulate clothing on digital characters, before it built a dedicated product for fashion professionals. Kim has been one of the company's main spokespeople on the rise of digital product creation (DPC).
Career
As CEO, Kim has overseen CLO's development from a single design application into a broader set of tools. According to the company and industry coverage, its products include:
- CLO, the core 3D garment design software
- CLO-SET, a collaboration platform with version control, automated 3D web tech packs, assortment planning and virtual showrooms
- CLO-Vise, a plug-in for integration with product lifecycle management systems
- Connect by CLO-SET, a marketplace for fabrics and trims launched in August 2022
- Virtual fitting services and a metaverse conversion service
CLO works with hundreds of academic partners and has partnerships with companies including Adobe, YKK, Chargeurs and major PLM providers. Its community spans brands, manufacturers and educational institutions.
Influence on the fashion business
3D design tools such as CLO allow brands to create and review garments digitally, reducing the number of physical samples and shortening development cycles. In an interview published by The Interline in December 2022 as part of its first Digital Product Creation Report, Kim discussed whether the pandemic had caused or merely accelerated the adoption of DPC, arguing that the benefits of 3D design were too significant for the industry to ignore.
By connecting 3D garments to tech packs, PLM systems, material libraries and virtual showrooms, CLO has helped make digital assets usable across the value chain, from design to sales.
Simon Kim and technology
Kim's tenure has coincided with the shift of 3D garment simulation from a niche tool into mainstream fashion infrastructure. In 2022 CLO also described a dedicated Web3 team preparing blockchain-related services, including the protection and verification of digital designs, showing the company's interest in how digital garments can be owned and traded.
Why it matters
For brands, manufacturers and wholesalers, CLO under Simon Kim is a central part of the digital product creation toolset. Its development reflects how 3D design has become a foundation for virtual sampling, digital showrooms and, increasingly, AI-assisted design workflows.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Simon Kim of CLO?
Simon Kim is the chief executive of CLO Virtual Fashion, the company behind the CLO 3D garment design software. He is a prominent voice on digital product creation in fashion.
What is CLO 3D used for?
CLO is used by fashion brands, manufacturers and schools to design and simulate garments in 3D, reducing physical samples. The company also offers CLO-SET for collaboration, virtual showrooms and tech packs.