Artist: Amy Karle, Internal Collection, 2016-2017
The fashion industry has always been at the forefront of innovation and technology, from the earliest innovations like the loom and the sewing machine to the rise of automation and ecommerce. As our lives become more intertwined with the digital world, new technology is also shaping the new face of fashion and pushing the industry's creativity, wearability, production, and sustainability, inevitably changing the aesthetics in the process as well.
Fashion tech designers are leading the charge in this transformation, combining science, tech, and art to bring new and exciting possibilities to the industry, and help shape the vision of the future. From the unforgettable, super iconic moment when Alexander McQueen brought robot arms in fashion-making to the stage, to Iris Van Herpen, who combines cutting-edge tech and precise craftsmanship to produce delicately unique feminine clothing, to ultra-contemporary artist Amy Karle’s hybrid artworks and garments that offer a glimpse into the future possibilities of technology in fashion and who we could become when our bodies merge with technology, these designers and artists are pushing the limits and opening our minds to future visions of what is possible in fashion.
Other notable fashion-tech designers pioneering in this space include Noa Raviv, Anouk Wipprecht, Behnaz Farahi, Ganit Goldstein, and Niccolo Casas. They are using new technologies, shaping the future of fashion, reimagining what is possible and paving the way for a more sustainable, creative, and technologically advanced industry.
Artist: Amy Karle, Breath Dress based on lungs, from Internal Collection, 2016
These are the top 5 fashion-tech advancements shaping the future of fashion:
1. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) refers to the simulation of human intelligence, most often by machines and computers. It has had a phenomenal impact across all industries, and continues to grow exponentially. From design and production to supply chain management and customer experiences, AI is playing a pivotal role in the fashion industry.
The (Re) Making of the Fashion Show?
For it’s 2021 fall-winter collection, Dolce & Gabbana sent a strong message to remind everyone that “the future is near.” The fashion house cast its audience-less show using futuristic models and robots which were controlled behind the scenes. The multifunctional humanoids built by the Instituto di Tecnologia (IIT) served as centered art pieces as they strutted down the runway.
AI-Powered Fashion Design
Thanks to AI, creators and designers are currently having an exciting period as they merge the power of art and technology. Visual artists such as Paul Trillio have created tools that push the limits of creativity in the fashion industry. Some of his tools can create a beautiful 30-second fashion show by generating a hundred different outfits. AI also can help generate ideas and iterate at much faster speeds than traditional sketching methods. Amy Karle’s “Cyborg Fashion Sketches”, envisioning fashion in a post-natural world when our bodies merge with technology, start with digital haute couture sketches that she makes using AI tools and by hand. She then creates related real-life garments to interface physical with digital worlds, inspiring visions of who can be and what we will be wearing to interact across real life and online, especially when we live in the metaverse. She says that using AI tools helps her to “ideate and iterate faster and than by hand… but there still is a large place for the creativity, handwork, and craftsmanship in the process”.
AI Fashion Models
The rise of AI fashion models has garnered attention in the fashion industry with the emergence of virtual models. Some fashion houses, like Balmain, have used CGI models
since 2018. Shudu, their african-american AI model, was world’s first major digital fashion model. She was featured in Vogue, V Magazine, and WWD, was on the BAFTA 2019 awards red carpet wearing a gown by Swarovski, and was named one of the most influential people on the internet by Time. Lil Miquela is a 19-year-old AI model, musician, and influencer who burst into the fashion scene in 2018. She now has nearly 3 million Instagram followers and often donns designer clothes in her posts. She collaborates with real fashion brands including Prada, Givenchy, Calvin Klein, hangs out at real restaurants and hotspots with real musicians and artists. They both released their own musical albums. The allure of AI models is that they are always beautiful and available, but it also raises questions about the promotion of unrealistic beauty standards - or if knowing that they are “artificial” can in some way help us understand that that is unrealistic because it is unreal.
AI-Powered Stylists
Can’t decide what to wear? You’ll likely advise your Instagram app, call your best friend, quickly leaf through a fashion magazine or contact a stylist for ideas. But you may soon never have to do none of these things to pick out the perfect outfit.
While fashion brands, designers, and retailers have already created digital experiences for their customers, AI has now sprinkled fairy dust on their shopping experiences. Instead of endlessly scrolling through a hundred dresses, AI can now match you with the perfect one you’ll almost certainly fall in love with.
AI stylists are now a notable fixture in the new face of fashion. Notable examples include Stitch Fix, who act as personal stylists to more than 4.2 million clients. Others, such as MatchesFashion, are experimenting with 3D avatars you can use to ‘try on’ digital samples and see how the garments’ shape and size will work on your body. There is a deeply emotional aspect of fashion and one on which AI and high-tech fashion has set its sights. But could AI stylists really replace that human touch for style? and understand human emotion? What we already know is that AI fashion stylists are providing a better experience than regular algorithms, and this will only increate with WEB3 as its goal is to tailor the experience to each individual user.
AI in the business of fashion
A number of brands, including Dior, Nike, Nordstrom, and ZARA are using AI in their business models and to help increase sales, promote goods, and enhance the customer experience. Chatbots, Personal Shoppers, AI in production and for quality assurance, are just some of the ways that fashion brands are using AI. AI in the fashion market is expected to grow at a CAGR of +40% in the next 7 years (2020-2027).
2. Sustainable Processes and Novel Fabrics
The fashion industry is undergoing a revolution with the advent of new textiles and production proccesses. There are now many options to have the fabrics play a role in the form and function of garments like never before with the onset of sport textiles, smart textiles, and wearables. The integration of electronics into clothing and accessories is creating new possibilities for functional and stylish garments, such as heating and cooling, monitoring, and even self-repairing.
The textiles and fabrics we use often tend to serve as artistic intermediaries, and for many years we’ve given little consideration to the materiality of what we wear, and their impact. This is now changing. Sustainability is now a central part of discussions in the fashion industry in the wake of alarming statistics. The fashion industry is becoming more conscious of its environmental impact, with fashion tech advancements promoting circular design practices that reduce waste and promote sustainability in production, such as using recycled materials and minimizing waste through precise cutting and production processes. The industry can also work towards sustainability in the production of fabrics and process of cutting and making garments including: zero waste design, upcycling and repurposing, recycling textiles, ethical growth of materials, ethical production, and novel fabrics.
Novel fabrics represent new and exciting possibilities for designers to get more creative and innovative while helping to put a dent on the industry's sustainability efforts, as well as establish new aesthetics.
Companies such as Modern Meadow use technology to create bio-fabricated materials for the fashion industry. The company creates lightweight materials of superior colour, performance, and durability, such as the key ingredients for producing popular fabric types.
Companies such as Modern Meadow use technology to create bio-fabricated materials for the fashion industry. The company creates lightweight materials of superior colour, performance, and durability, such as the key ingredients for producing popular fabric types.
Others, such as BOLT THREADS, are using technology to create lab-grown leather, a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative to animal-derived and petrochemical options. One of the company’s products, MYLO, made from mycelium, sparked a “mushroom leather movement” in the fashion industry, with backing from fashion giants such as Stella McCartney, lululemon, Adidas, and more.
The future of fashion lies in these unique, sustainable fabrics and processes, providing endless possibilities for designers to showcase their creativity while also helping to create a more sustainable future. The question "What are you wearing?" will soon not only refer to the designer, but also to the innovative and eco-friendly materials that make up the garment.
3. Digital Fabrication
Digital fabrication is transforming the world of fashion and haute couture. Using advanced technologies such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), 3D printing, and laser cutting, designers and manufacturers can produce custom, complex and intricate designs with precise accuracy, reducing waste and speeding up production time.
Digital fabrication is revolutionizing the fashion industry, offering limitless possibilities for creativity and customization. With digital fabrication, designers can produce intricate patterns, unique shapes, and intricate embellishments that would be difficult or impossible to achieve by traditional means. Jessica Rosenkrantz and her studio Nervous System Design Studio designed and 3D printed garments that unfold, including the Kinematics Dress that was in the Museum of Modern Art. Neri Oxman is also recognized for leveraging digital generative design and 3D printingand laser cutting combined with couture hand sewing techniques in creating and crafting their garments.
This technology is particularly impactful in haute couture, where designers are able to create one-of-a-kind pieces that showcase their craftsmanship and artistic vision. With digital fabrication, designers are able to bring their most imaginative designs to life, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in fashion. Digital fabrication also enhances the ability to precisely tailor designs for fit to suit the wearer. Whether it's through the creation of new materials, new forms and shapes, or entirely new production methods, digital fabrication is set to play an increasingly important role in the future of fashion and haute couture.
4. Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Try-ons
You have probably already heard plenty about VR, which involves a fully simulated environment. AR goes deeper by adding interactions and simulations into the real-world environment.
The applications for the fashion industry have been phenomenal. One of the most popular examples is how the technology has allowed the physical and the retail worlds of fashion to combine. Fashion brands can now create VR versions of their entire stores, and you can now walk into the store and try on different clothes virtually.
Innovative companies such as OBSESS have built platforms that provide entry points to the Metaverse and WEB3, arguably the next digital frontiers. Fashion brands can create virtual stores where users can shop and interact virtually with the products. Others, such as VIRTUSIZE, provide even more capabilities, such as allowing fashion designers and retailers to illustrate the various sizes of their products so that their customers can find the most accurate fittings for the garments they want.
5. Metaverse, NFTs & Web3
While this is still highly speculative, many fashion houses are keenly watching this space. The first ever Metaverse Fashion Week was held in March this year. Brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Etro and Roberto Cavalli took part in the event which featured four days of panel discussions and runway shows in the popular 3D virtual world, Decentraland.
Even the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) is looking to technology to highlight to fashion players the “limitless opportunities that are becoming available” in the digital world. CDFA announced that it will commemorate its 60th anniversary through an exhibition called “Fashioning the Shades of American Design” which will run exclusively on the metaverse and Web3.
The exhibition, which opened in December 2022, featured iconic looks from designers such as Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Patrick Kelly, Tory Ruch, Thom
Browne, and others. It will reimagine the designs in a voxel environment to not only celebrate 60 years of iconic designs but also pave the way for the future of fashion. CDFA has even requested designers to create eight creative designs and experiences that will eventually be minted into NFTs.
Web3 refers to the third generation of the World Wide Web, which is focused on the development of decentralized technologies such as blockchain. These technologies have the potential to disrupt a number of industries, including the fashion industry.
Overall, the adoption of web3 technologies in the fashion industry is still in the early stages, but it has the potential to bring about significant changes in production, marketing, and consumption. Blockchain can be used for supply chain traceability, intellectual property protection, and consumer engagement. It can also enhance the shopping experience for consumers. For example, a fashion brand could use a blockchain-based loyalty program to reward customers for their purchases and encourage them to engage with the brand. Blockchain and smart contracts can also be used to protect the intellectual property of fashion designers and brands, and ensure that they are paid for their work and that their designs are not copied without permission. Web3’s decentralization priciniple has the potentialset to create a real and full creator economy where designers can create and monetize their work.
Conclusion: What is Fashion Really About?
Fashion isn’t just about the fabric, the design, or the clothes themselves. Fashion is about how we think and feel in those garments.
There is a deeply emotional aspect of fashion and one on which AI and high-tech fashion has set its sights. But could AI and tech-based fashion really replace that human touch for style, trends, and understanding human emotion?
Overall, technology will continue to play a growing role in the fashion industry, but can not completely replace creativity or the human touch. It will be important for brands to find a balance between using technology to improve efficiency and the customer experience, while also maintaining the craftsmanship and emotional connection that is
vitally important in the world of fashion. We are certainly on the cusp of a new and exciting era of fashion and art and will need our creatives to keep pushing it forward in innovative, exciting, and sustainable ways.
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