Artificial intelligence (AI) has made massive bounds in the last few years and the fashion industry is the latest sector to start experimenting with this futuristic technology. But what can AI offer to the fashion gurus of the world?

You’ve probably heard of ChatGPT, or heard some tech guru wax lyrical about the potential of AI. But what are the real-life implications of this new technology? You’d be surprised at what AI can help you with! Whether you’re looking for the best backgrounds for professional headshots, help formatting your CV, or even a detailed travel itinerary for southern Italy, AI has you covered! What’s extremely exciting is the potential that it holds for creative industries like fashion design.

So what actually is AI and what exactly does this technology do? Essentially, AI takes large amounts of labeled data, looks for patterns, and then uses these patterns to create its own product that best fits the requirements entered. This can be in the form of tools that can analyze large data sets, a chatbot that can engage in conversation, or other generative AI tools that can produce images or music. AI tools were quite clunky when they first hit the market, chatbots especially. But this technology is all about learning and the tools have come a long way since they were first released. As for fashion, generative AI is an especially exciting tool that could reinvent the design process. 

In April 2023, New York held the first-ever AI Fashion Week. This event showcased AI-generated collections from up-and-coming designers. Designs were submitted and after rounds of public and panel voting, three winners were selected for a fashion/tech incubator program in partnership with The Revolve Group. This program allows the winners to bring their AI creations to life and sell them online through Revolve. 

AI is often criticized for infringing on creative work, but AI Fashion Week is working to bridge the gap between this technology and the real world by helping emerging designers break into the industry. Creating a collection is an expensive and demanding process that could be prohibitive to anyone starting out. AI offers a way for designers to bring their visions to life and experiment with designs, without the pressure of spending money and using resources. In an industry that can certainly struggle with elitism and gatekeeping, this is an extremely exciting tool. AI can open the door to designers who wouldn’t have had the resources to create a collection and be used as a tool to aid designers rather than one that erases them. 

You just have to look at the designs from the most recent AI Fashion Week to see the creative potential of generative AI. Winner Esther Souto Prego used inspiration from traditional Spanish ceramics and early 2000s fashion to create a sculptural and futuristic denim-based line. The inspiration, design, and aesthetic are clearly Souto Prego’s, but AI has allowed her to bring the design to life with captivating and realistic imagery. 

It seems that all signs point to AI offering significant benefits to the fashion industry, and that doesn’t stop at profit. McKinsey predicted in 2023 that AI could add between $150 and $275 billion to the apparel, fashion, and luxury sectors. The consulting firm thinks that one of the most important offerings of AI is its ability to give “fashion professionals and creatives the technological tools to do certain tasks dramatically faster, freeing them up to spend more of their time doing things that only humans can do”. 

What this means is that AI could take a fashion sketch and turn it into a high-quality, realistic design model. Or, it could offer variations to already created work, and customize a product for a client (to match their coloring, face shape, etc.). It has the potential to be incredibly useful as a creative aid. 

But fashion isn’t turning a blind eye to the responsibility that comes with integrating AI into their production processes. Luxury goods company LVHM, which owns brands such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Hermès, is aware of the problems that generative AI technology can bring. LVHM recently held a Data AI Summit in Paris to discuss the applications of AI to fashion. LVHM was quoted in Forbes as identifying that AI’s power needs to be taken seriously: “While these technologies offer remarkable creative potential, making it possible to generate bespoke designs and personalized experiences, they also raise questions about authenticity, as well as responsibility”. 

Aside from the creative applications, many brands are already using AI in their supply chains. AI can allow brands to analyze large swaths of data, helping them to make their distribution networks as efficient as possible. This isn’t just great from an expenditure and customer service point of view, it can also help to make systems more environmentally friendly by reducing waste. 

AI is here to stay, and that seems to be good news for all you fashion gurus. When used responsibly and appropriately, AI can help introduce us to designers that we likely wouldn’t have seen otherwise, personalize our shopping experience, and reduce waste from production to delivery. The creative and design opportunities from generative AI are particularly exciting and could help break the industry open to people who otherwise wouldn't have had the connections or resources to get their vision seen.

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