An Oklahoma State University faculty member and graduate student have won an international competition challenging participants to rethink how the fashion industry prepares people to work with emerging technologies such as 3D digital product creation and artificial intelligence.

Dr. Diane Limbaugh, professor of professional practice in the College of Education and Human Sciences’s Department of Design and Merchandising, and Heather Pidcock, a master’s student in functional apparel design, were named winners of the 2026 3D Retail Coalition (3DRC) Grand Challenge. This year’s challenge, “Designing the Human Infrastructure for Digital Product Creation,” focused on developing practical ways to help people adapt to the changing demands of digital fashion and apparel production.

The competition asked academic and startup teams to address issues including skills development, evolving career pathways, workflow improvements, human-AI collaboration and organizational change.

For Pidcock and Limbaugh, the winning concept grew from a class project.

“I needed to create an 8-week curriculum for AI,” Pidcock said. “So, we made a few modifications based on what the challenge was looking for and sent in our first round the night before the Euphoria Fashion Show.”

The team’s first-round submission proposed a framework centered on 3D digital production augmented by AI. The concept incorporated four key areas: hybrid skill development, critical auditing, reduced workflow friction and long-term industry impact.

Pidcock said the idea began with her experiences learning 3D digital product creation.

“I wrote a list of things I struggled with when I was learning 3D product creation,” she said. “I had also just finished a class on AI. So, I took the things I learned in the AI class and created the curriculum.”

The team ultimately developed a 16-week certification program consisting of four learning modules. The modules were designed to function independently so industry professionals could receive instruction based on their individual needs.

 

Limbaugh said the partnership allowed each to contribute a different perspective.

“She brings the students' perspective and I bring the industry perspective,” Limbaugh said.

The team advanced to face a more demanding second round that required additional detail and practical applications. Pidcock said the second phase involved multiple reviews, revisions and additions as the team worked to address questions from the judges and make the proposal useful to industry professionals.

The competition was particularly meaningful because of its international scope and emphasis on real-world applications. Entries were evaluated on their relevance to current industry challenges, potential for human adoption, organizational feasibility, ability to transform how people work with digital systems and long-term value to the industry.

Dr. Lynn Boorady, head of the Department of Design and Merchandising, said the accomplishment reflects the department’s emphasis on preparing students for both traditional apparel careers and an increasingly digital industry.

“I am so incredibly proud of this team,” Boorady said. “They are both so deserving of this recognition.”

Boorady described Limbaugh as a longtime educator with more than 20 years of teaching experience at OSU and extensive industry experience. Limbaugh began teaching full time at OSU in 1999 after initially joining the university as an adjunct instructor.

Boorady said Limbaugh continually works to keep her courses aligned with industry needs, including helping launch the online certificate in 3D Digital Product Creation based on feedback from more than 40 companies.

Pidcock joined OSU’s graduate program two years ago after returning to college following years of raising her family. She earned her bachelor’s degree at OSU in 2024 and is pursuing a master’s degree in functional apparel design. Her thesis focuses on 3D body scanning and block creation for people with achondroplasia (the most common type of short-limb dwarfism).

For Pidcock, winning the challenge represents more than personal recognition.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for Oklahoma State University to have our name out in the fashion industry and have the ability to talk to industry professionals about what programs we offer and how we are training our students,” she said.

The winning project is scheduled to be featured in a PI webinar in October, with Limbaugh and Pidcock expected to present their work at a future PI Apparel conference in New York City.

Boorady said the accomplishment will benefit students in the department as faculty incorporate elements of the challenge into coursework.

“This is what OSU is all about – we give it all we have, we finish what we start, and we dream as big as the sky,” Boorady said.

Story By: Annie Ross | annie.ross@okstate.edu