Hobby Sewers to Compete in Haute Couture Design World

Petach-Tikva, Israel and Steckborn, Switzerland, September 26, 2007 – Bernina International, the world's largest privately held sewing machine company, is providing its customers with the user friendly tools they need to become home-based professional fashion designers, thanks to the cutting-edge technologies provided by OptiTex Ltd. Bernina International has selected OptiTex to serve as OEM for its MyLabel software in what is shaping out to be the world’s first and largest advanced 3D product offering for the home based professional designers.

OptiTex, the leading software manufacturer for the fashion and textile industries, has developed a custom version of its fashion design software for Bernina to market under the MyLabel name. MyLabel allows Bernina’s customers to use some of the same tools that are being used by professional design houses all over the world in a simple and user friendly environment. 

Bernina is offering MyLabel not only as a complement to its sewing machines but also to reinforce its customer relationships. The program advises the sewer throughout the design process by recommending specific style, fabric and embroideries for each type of garment, based on a customer’s actual body type. For example, the software can advise on a specific skirt length to compliment the customer’s height (based on input of the customer’s measurements). MyLabel also reinforces Bernina’s commitment to customer education by recommending sewing techniques and construction instructions, based on the final design.

What sets MyLabel apart is that once an end-user has completely designed the garment, the software automatically displays it on a 3D representation of him or herself. This is done using a 3D model developed by OptiTex, which users can adjust to match their very own body measurements. Doing so allows users to see what the garment will look like in real life before the garment is actually sewn.

“Now, like the professionals, the amateur designer can translate a mental image or sketch into an actual garment,” says Ran Machtinger, President and CEO of OptiTex Ltd. “To begin, an aspiring Vera Wang simply enters in her personal measurements and chooses the style of fashions she will be creating. After that, she can manipulate the patterns and fabrics to create original designs – modeled in 3D directly on the computer.”

The system allows the final pattern to be printed either on a home printer and pieced together or downloaded to a disk on key, allowing printing on a commercial large-format printer.

Bernina has partnered with OptiTex because of OptiTex’s strong focus on providing high-end technology to the fashion and textile industries. OptiTex’s software is the solution of choice for industries using sewn materials as well as design schools worldwide. The MyLabel product will be sold exclusively through Bernina’s worldwide distribution channel.

“We chose OptiTex because our reputation depends on providing consistent high-quality products to our client base,” says Claude Dreyer, CEO elect of Bernina. “We knew that our customers would appreciate the versatility and ease of use of the MyLabel product – and enjoy seeing their imagination become reality.”

Please visit www.berninamylabel.com for more details.

About OptiTex
Founded in 1988, OptiTex specializes in the development of innovative easy-to-operate 2D 3D CAD/CAM solutions for sewn products and other related industries. Our native Microsoft Windows based software packages for digitizing, pattern engineering, grading, marking, advanced automatic nesting and draping, are specifically designed to meet the needs of today's manufacturers of industrial fabrics, apparel, upholstery, transportation, composites, home furnishings, and other sewn products. OptiTex's open architecture system comes amply equipped with a multitude of import/export formats, enabling OptiTex users to interface with a wide range of software and hardware. OptiTex also offers the convenient option of purchasing a completely integrated CAD package, including OptiTex software solutions, digitizer, and pen or ink jet plotter.
Available in 20 languages, OptiTex products are sold and supported around the world through certified distributors and OEMs.

About Bernina
The Bernina brand celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2007. Bernina is one of the Top 50 Swiss brands with the highest profile at home and abroad. Especially in the USA and Canada, Bernina is the byword for innovative sewing and embroidery computers. Nailing its colours to the mast with the symbol of Switzerland in its logo, the internationally successful, tradition-steeped Bernina International AG bases its success on Swiss values such as precision and durability.

Press contact:
OptiTex International
Mrs. Tania Fuchs
Tel: +972-3-9049979
Fax: +972-3-9042710
optitex.int@optitex.com
www.optitex.com

Press contact:
BERNINA International AG
Central Marketing
Annett Kruse
Seestrasse, CH-8266 Steckborn, Switzerland
Tel. +41/(0)52 7621-206
annett_kruse@bernina.com