An article by Lara Walsh
Fashion and art are constantly evolving—they exist in a never-ending cycle of reinvention and creation where new styles and techniques emerge daily. However, the growth of AI (artificial intelligence) and technology has introduced an unprecedented transformation, leading to a mass reformation of the way in which we see and interact with fashion.
A major development has been the rise of digital fashion—garments that exist solely in the virtual realm with no physical presence. They are crafted through advanced 3D modelling in augmented and virtual realities, and are used in virtual worlds, including online gaming platforms and fashion shows. AI-generated designs dress characters in spaces like Decentraland and Zepeto. The commodification of virtual clothing has seen the expansion of major fashion houses into the metaverse, including Gucci and Balenciaga. These collaborations between high fashion and online applications see the creation of exciting and innovative designs that blur the traditional lines associated with physical production. Similarly, NFTs are reshaping the way in which art and fashion are valued and traded; the movement of virtual ‘tokens’ introduces a whole new element to fashion for ambitious and emerging designers.
More than just aesthetics, AI is revolutionising fashion’s production and supply methods, enhancing business functions and efficiency. Trend-forecasting is increasingly accurate, with AI analysing mass pools of data from fashion shows, e-commerce sites, and social media noise with incredible accuracy. Following consumer data analysis, AI then assists with design generation, producing prototypes rapidly and without scrap waste. Software such as ‘Runway ML’ and ‘Artbreeder’ allow designers to visualise designs and bring distant ideas to life. Once designs are concrete, AI assists on the demand-side with virtual try-ons, as seen with brands such as Raybans and L’Oreal. Consumers are even closer to their fashion goals, with the gap between expectation and reality being edged ever closer. Shoppers can even benefit from their own AI-driven personal shoppers, curating individualised capsule collections tailored exactly to users’ tastes.
Perhaps the most dystopian addition to the industry, the use of digital influencers has restructured the way in which brands advertise and interact with consumers. Lil Miquela, a CGI sensation with over 2 million followers on Instagram, is just one example of these hyper-realistic promoters. She showcases brands such as Adidas and Lisa Says Gah to her following, describing her outfits in eerily life-like reels. AI influencers bring a new dimension to engagement, interacting with audiences 24/7, free from fatigue, personal lives, and unpredictability of human counterparts. They meticulously fabricate their personal brand, cultivating a cohesive and consistent image that both brands and consumers are entranced by.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: ENVIRONMENTAL
There are many ways in which digitised fashion can be a beacon of hope in an industry marred by overconsumption and excess waste. Without the need for raw materials, transportation, or energy-intensive production processes, meta-physical clothing reduces fabric waste, chemical usage, and emissions. Designers and artists are free to express their creativity without the damaging physical footprint the fashion industry currently casts. DressX allows customers to superimpose digital clothing onto images —removing production byproducts whilst also cultivating style and exclusivity. Direct-to-avatar business models bypass traditional supply chains, cutting production costs and delivering items to market in record time. Meanwhile, innovative partnerships, such as Stella McCartney x Google Cloud, are striving to increase sustainability and transparency of supply chains through machine learning.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: SOCIETAL
Fashion is a historically exclusive industry, defined by the contrasts between luxury and commonality. Yet, this digital turn has led to the merging of crafts and a democratisation of art, removing the inaccessibility of material and location requirements. Design is increasingly futuristic, defying conventional laws of physics and production to see gravity-defying, innovative, customisable creations. Virtual try-ons fight outdated and unattainable beauty standards, allowing customers to see items on their own bodies before purchase. The perpetuation of dangerous body types by the fashion industry could be wiped away by this more inclusive and personal business model.
Yet, automation also brings pressing ethical concerns. How does authenticity co-exist in a world of fabrication: virtual influencers, computer-generated designs, AI-driven assistants? What happens to the traditional practices and devoted craftspeople that are lost to instantaneous online results? Yes—digital realities lead to increasingly efficient and rapid design and production, but this can also lead to the dismissal of the painstaking human work that lends the fashion industry its personality and artistry.
Genera, a London-Lisbon based company, would argue that AI doesn’t replace human work, but supplement and optimise it. Using hyper-realistic CGI imagery, its digital toolkit replaces resource-heavy methods, allowing designers to prototype ideas without waste. Cutting design times in half, Genera also helps combat the over 90 million tonnes of waste the fashion industry produces annually. Whilst fears of loss of authenticity are real, software such as Genera may be necessary in the push toward a zero-waste model.
The future of fashion is unpredictable, teetering between boundless creation and ethical predicaments. As AI infuses into human crafts, many essential examinations ensue: how can we ensure the personality of fashion persists, whilst also promoting the immense diversification and democratisation the industry craves? How do we prioritise environmental concerns whilst also maintaining the care and intention behind traditional practices? Who governs the balance between efficiency and humanity? These aren’t merely questions reserved for designers or technologists–they’re imperatives for all who engage with fashion as a cultural, artistic, and ethical force. The new age of fashion will continue to be shaped by the collective consciousness of those willing to inquire, reimagine, and act intentionally.
The Violet Post 
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