Digital Deconstruction and Inheritance of Intangible Cultural Heritage Costumes: An Innovative Workflow Integrating Generative AI and Physical Simulation

Abstract

In the context of the digital economy era, the digital preservation and innovation of traditional apparel crafts face dual challenges in cultural dissemination and technological integration. This study proposed and validates an integrated digital workflow that incorporates generative AI and physical simulation integrating artificial intelligence and high-fidelity physical simulation to facilitate the contemporary transformation of traditional apparel culture. A technical framework of “intelligent pattern generation — parametric structural modeling — dynamic physical simulation — virtual-real integration” was constructed, with the costumes of the nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage, Nuo Opera, serving as an empirical case. By building a dedicated dataset and employing lightweight fine-tuning techniques, intelligent derivation and stylized control of Nuo mask patterns were achieved, alongside three-dimensional simulation of the structural characteristics and dynamic aesthetics of traditional costumes. Experimental results indicate that the patterns generated by this method exhibit significantly higher visual complexity compared to conventional design approaches, while the design process is effectively streamlined. The physical simulation demonstrated commendable performance in both garment form stability and color fidelity of cultural elements. This study demonstrated that the workflow can support cross-media dissemination and innovative application of ICH craftsmanship through digital twin systems, providing a reference solution with both theoretical and practical value for the intelligent upgrading of the apparel industry and cultural heritage preservation.