Introduction
What if the biggest obstacle to digital transformation in fashion isn’t technology, but mindset?
That’s the lens Michael Tanzillo brings to this wide-ranging conversation. Now Head of 3D Tech Artists & Solution Consultants at Adobe Substance 3D, and Founder of The 3D Artist Community, Tanzillo’s journey began not in fashion or tech, but with a behind-the-scenes DVD of Finding Nemo. Watching artists craft visual stories through colour, light, and mood sparked a lifelong fascination with storytelling through design.
Today, he applies that same curiosity to the world of 3D workflows across fashion, film, footwear, automotive, and beyond. From siloed teams and short-sighted implementation to the overlooked power of creative storytelling, Tanzillo makes a compelling case: 3D isn’t just a tool – it’s a bridge. One that connects departments, disciplines, and ultimately, people. And as he reminds us, innovation doesn’t always require a reinvention the wheel…it often starts by realising what’s already right at the end of our noses.
🎥 Watch the full video interview below!
Don’t have time to watch the full video? Scroll down for a summary of key takeaways and noteworthy quotes.
Key Takeaways
🧠 3D Is Not a Role, It’s a Mindset
A fashion designer wouldn’t call themselves a 2D artist. It’s just the tool to make the thing.
Across industries, the title “3D artist” carries different meanings, or isn’t used at all. Tanzillo argues that this isn’t necessarily wrong; rather than force universal job titles, companies need to focus on shared language and awareness to support recruitment and workflow alignment. Especially as 3D becomes more embedded in creative pipelines, the term becomes less of a specialty and more of a baseline capability.
🧱 Cross-Industry Silos Are Holding Us Back
No company wants to be the guinea pig. They all say they want to innovate, but they don’t want to fail.
Despite differences in timeline, outputs, and culture, many industries – fashion, film, footwear, automotive – share the same problem: siloed workflows. Whether it’s a pattern maker, a CLO specialist, or a marketeer, teams often work in isolation, limiting the potential of 3D assets across the entire value chain. Tanzillo highlights how companies are missing out by not using the same 3D assets for both internal development and customer-facing marketing. The gap, he notes, is often one of understanding: decision-makers don’t realize how close their internal 3D work is to being customer-ready with just a few tweaks.
👟 Footwear Is Leading the Charge
They’re using 3D as a design-first tool…I think they’re doing the coolest stuff.
In contrast to some slower-moving industries, footwear has embraced 3D with enthusiasm. Tanzillo points to their use of in-house 3D printing to accelerate early iterations – cutting down on shipping costs, material waste, and time delays. Beyond efficiency, he’s seen bold, experimental design work happening in footwear teams, many of whom are tasked with conceptualising products 5–10 years out. This long-view mindset, combined with a design-meets-performance culture, puts footwear at the forefront of digital design innovation.
❤️ 3D Isn’t Just Functional, It’s Emotional
I love crafting the color and the scheme of a look… It’s in everything: product, branding, labels.
For Tanzillo, the value of 3D extends beyond prototyping. It’s a storytelling tool that connects visuals with emotion, meaning, and message. When executed well, it gives brands an immersive and photoreal way to express the essence of a product: its colour palette, finish, texture, and even ethos. Yet, many brands still fail to see this potential, relegating 3D assets to internal use and missing out on their full creative and commercial power.
🫶 Creativity Thrives When You Support It – Shock!
The companies that thrive are the ones that give creatives the space to learn.
Adopting 3D is not just about tools, it’s about mindset and support. Tanzillo emphasises the importance of investing in creative upskilling; teams need time and space to move up the learning curve, especially given the added complexity of working with layers in tools like Substance Painter (colour, roughness, metallicity, height, etc.). Companies that treat 3D as a push-button solution often stall. The ones that succeed are those that approach it gradually – starting small, offering training, and embedding realistic expectations from the start.
🌱 Sustainability Isn’t Dead – But It’s Not the Driver
It’s a lovely benefit, but it’s not the A1 priority…unless it also saves money.
When 3D first took off, sustainability was a major talking point. But today, it’s rarely the lead narrative. Executives are focused on profitability and survival in a complex global landscape. Tanzillo notes that sustainability becomes persuasive only when framed in terms of cost savings and operational efficiency, like reduced shipping, fewer physical samples, or faster development timelines. When those benefits are highlighted first, the sustainability angle adds welcome impact…but it’s rarely what seals the deal.
🤖 AI Is a Tool, Not a Takeover
AI will swallow the middle, but creatives will always make the top 5 to 10%.
Tanzillo addresses industry anxiety around AI by reframing it as an amplification tool, not a replacement. While AI can support background elements, like generating generic gym scenes or beach environments, it struggles with the precision, context, and nuance required in core product storytelling. He’s observed companies initially seduced by AI promises, only to rebound once they realise it can’t meet quality control needs. Ultimately, human designers and artists will remain central to crafting meaningful, accurate, and differentiated content.
🕹️ The Next Revolution? User Interfaces.
Sometimes the best 3D tool is the one you never have to open.
Tanzillo sees the current generation of 3D software as overly complex and menu-heavy. He envisions a future where voice control, gesture-based design, and spatial interfaces become the norm, reducing friction and keeping creatives in a state of flow. He cites Adobe’s experimental tools like Fantastic Fold and the Captis fabric scanner (built with HP) as early signs of this evolution, where technology meets people where they already are, enhancing their process rather than dictating it.
🫂 Community as a Third Space
We built a space where people support each other and grow together.
Inspired by his own career transition from entertainment to product design, Tanzillo created the 3D Artists community to help others do the same. What started as a Substack newsletter has evolved into a membership-based community supporting knowledge-sharing, workshops, and research projects. It’s a space for connection – not just transaction – and aims to bridge opportunity gaps between talent and industry. Especially for lone 3D professionals in fashion and apparel, it’s become a vital third space: neither home nor work, but somewhere they can belong, learn, and thrive.
💥 Curiosity Is a Superpower
We’re all just kind of figuring it out as we go along.
Tanzillo’s defining trait isn’t technical skill; it’s an unapologetic curiosity. Whether asking what a LoRA is or writing his “WTF” newsletter series, he models a vulnerability that empowers others to ask questions too. In an era where software, terminology, and trends shift constantly, he believes curiosity, openness, and humility are the most valuable traits a creative professional can cultivate.
🤔 Closing Thought
Michael’s journey reminds us that transformation doesn’t start with a tool, it starts with a mindset.
Whether you’re a designer navigating change, a brand struggling to scale, or a creative seeking connection, his message is clear: 3D isn’t just a pipeline upgrade; it’s a storytelling superpower, a sustainability enabler, and a creative bridge between industries.
But to unlock its full value, we need more than software. We need collaboration, curiosity, and the courage to ask better questions – even when we don’t know the acronyms. As he puts it, “Inaction is a choice too.”
