Trendy Tech: AI and the Fashion Industry

By: Jordan Ross

Image generated by Canva’s “Magic Media” AI

“The model is 5'10 and wearing a size M” But wait- is that a real person?

AI has been a hot button topic in many different facets of our lives, but what about in fashion? No industry will be unaffected by the growth of Generative AI, and the fashion industry in particular is taking the bull by the horns. Here are 3 ways AI is evolving the fashion industry, and what it could mean for consumers.

Models and Photographs

You may have seen silly AI generated images of people. Sometimes they are very obviously fake, as they may sport some distorted extra limbs or blurry spots. But as technology advances, it becomes more difficult to differentiate between a real image and an AI-generated one. For instance, I generated the cover photo of this article using Canva.com’s “Magic Media” AI feature. I typed “the next runway trend in luxury fashion” into the text box, and it provided several options. There are very few hints that this image is anything but real. The closest hint I could identify is that multiple of the women appear to have the same face matched to a different hairstyle and outfit. But still, people looking alike is not impossible!

When you are online shopping, do you take a hard look at the models, or are you just focused on whether you like the clothing item? One company expected to debut AI models in 2025 is H&M. They are basing these models on existing people and calling them “digital twins”. While models must consent to have their likeness used, this initiative evokes many questions and concerns. As a model ages, will companies use her 22 year old self forever? Can a consumer still visualize the garment on

multiple different body weights, or perhaps someone with acne or stretch marks? Young women are already deeply impacted by ever-rising beauty standards; must we now compete with something quite literally unreal?

Even more recently, AI has infiltrated fashion’s biggest night: The Met Gala. Several celebrities have been forced to make statements that they did not actually attend the event, and that images of themselves circulating were AI-generated. One of this year’s victims was Billie Eilish, who posted on her Instagram story, “I wasn’t there. That’s AI. I had a show in Europe that night.” I will not include the fake images, but they fooled viewers and generated criticism so broadly

that it reached the star.

Fashion Careers

The next way that AI will impact the fashion industry is in fashion careers. Think about the aforementioned AI models. If someone can post an entire new clothing collection to the internet with the click of a button, many roles are eliminated.

Models, of course, are the obvious first thought. Then you also have the entire crew that would work on the photoshoot and production of a campaign. Photographers, make-up artists, editors, managers, casting teams, and so many more hard working individuals could

To test out some Generative AI on everyday styles, I typed, “Create models debuting a new athleisure line” into Canva.com’s Magic Media. Here are the results... can you spot the extra finger? (Hint: burgundy!)

The Dressing Room

Do you dread having to try on a million different things in a stuffy store dressing room? One way AI could aid consumers is with a virtual try-on feature. While it is currently discontinued, Nike claimed to have an app feature called “Nike Fit” that could help consumers measure their feet and determine shoe size from home. Maybe they realized there’s truly no match to your mom making you walk down the aisle and feeling how

much room you have around your toes.

Now what?

Inventions that help make a consumer’s fashion buying experience more efficient and comfortable can most certainly be a positive thing. But it is imperative to consider the bigger picture and to be aware of the changes in the industry. After all, do you want to be voted worst dressed for an event you did not attend?

As for ways to support the integrity of fashion design, it can be helpful to learn more about brands and their practices. In person runway shows are opportunities to celebrate artists, models, and so many more creatives that deserve to continue to exist amongst AI counterparts.

Keeping those alive will continue to provide talented individuals with opportunities to express their art. Next time you go online shopping, take a second look at website features! Can you try that new

dress on an existing photo of yourself? Or did a chat bubble offering AI assistance pop up? There is no need to fear upcoming changes if we take the time to educate ourselves on them and support those contributing to the art form that is fashion.

We are in the early days of AI’s crossover with fashion, and it will be fascinating to see what comes next, and how consumers react.