Thanks for your replies - very helpful indeed.

artposer - those are skilful images (not quite what I had in mind for my own project...), I would value your assistance.  My plan is to basically leave the body much more male than your examples, the whole point is to use clothing we currently think of as female only, and make it comfortable for men and even, if possible, masculine in a different kind of way.

pakled - excellent clear advice, thank you.  I get your point, both poser and daz are layered objects, I was hoping that I can morph existing female clothing to a male or inbetween body - I have a very precise physique in mind, and I heard that there is a female poser figure called Stephanie who is morphed from a male figure Michael.  I also saw some medieval clothing on sale that could be altered to a male tunic.  

The fashion school here is not yet computerised, so I am working alone for now.  I plan a hybrid system using poser or daz for postures and basics but using either pen or photoshop to get final images quickly.  I do not have the luxury of time.

SSAfam1 - yes it is interesting, I could write you an essay on what I am doing... basically if what I want to design existed already, I would not need to design it.  For now let's just say anyone helping me in anyway needs to be clear I am off the normal map, into new territory. 

English Bob - a fellow countryman although I deny it, usually I claim to be from another planet...

Sound advice - and I am thinking there is a chance to get this sponsored but I need some examples first, simply, and cheaply.  Bangkok could become the Paris of Asia, somewhere has to, and there is political will to back new ideas here, and the head of the fashion school is very keen on some aspects of my ideas.  The software manufacturers might also support the college with a suitable software. This is Bangkok and most software is available in Pantip Plaza for $6, as Thailand does seem to respect international copyright laws. 

There are already some fashion stores in the US and in Germany I heard that are scanning customers bodies and making clothes to fit, this is exactly the software I need to work with but that is for the future, for now I need to prove my point and my abilities cheaply and quickly.

Coming back to the Transgender idea, that is a distraction from the technicalities I need to resolve now - laptop or PC, cheap and evolve or powerful from day one and locked into one software and system.

One more thing EnglishBob - I think I started with exactly the same Poser free on a UK magazine, maybe back in 2001 or so, and it did not update, but I did make one really exciting artwork with it.  I was going to post that as my gallery here, if I find the file... Since then I did not use Poser at all, it was clumsy and I hope it is now much improved...

Further advice is welcome if anyone has more specific information that could assist me.

Mahalo
in Bangkok