What is flat-lay clothing photography?
The garment is arranged on a surface and photographed from above. Ecommerce teams use it because it is fast, repeatable and good at showing print and cut without booking a model.
Can FashionUGC start from a flat lay?
Yes. Flat lay is one of the reference types the clothing workflow already names, alongside front, back, side, detail and on-body. It is not a special mode. You upload it like any other product photo.
What makes a useful flat lay?
Show the entire silhouette. Keep sleeves, hems and necklines inside the frame. Avoid stacking the piece so that half the print disappears under a fold. Preserve product color: a warm overhead lamp that turns white into cream will follow you into the video.
If the design is small, add a detail reference of the same garment. If the back matters, add a back photo. Those extras are optional. They are how you stop the generator from inventing a reverse it never saw.
Flat lay vs hanger vs on-body vs detail
| Source | Useful when | Potential limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Flat lay | Showing overall garment design from above | Does not inherently show worn shape |
| Hanger or form | Showing a vertical silhouette | Folds may hide details |
| On-body | Showing styling and hang | A pose can hide areas |
| Detail | Showing print, logo or material | Cannot represent the whole garment alone |
Two of the public FashionUGC examples start from a dressed form. One starts on-body. None starts from a flat lay. That absence is why this table stays measured.
Published source kinds, for comparison
A genuine flat-lay source paired with its FashionUGC output will be added here when we publish one. Until then, do not treat these three stills as flat-lay proof.
Should you generate from one image or several?
One flat lay is enough when the whole piece reads and the back is unimportant. Add more views when it is not. The decision process is the same as the product photo guide.