AI Is Shaping the Future of Fashion—Can Creative Thought Survive?

AI has been mischief-making in 2026. A question mark over its use delivered a fatal blow to the publishing industry; Jerry Falade’s $2 million book deal disappeared overnight after his agent was, “no longer able to authenticate how the manuscript fully evolved from origin to completion”, according to The Guardian). The Guardian also exclusively reported a worrying statistic in conjunction with the Loss of Control Observatory, “Number of times AI lies, ignores instructions and pursues goals in harmful ways almost doubles in July.” This has led to self-reflection at the highest echelons. Last month, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an online essay called We Must Pace the Frontier. One sentence was bolded up in the introduction: “We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models. Progress will still seem fast, and we must make wise use of the time we gain.”

Fashion has not escaped the advance of AI, with mounting evidence to suggest it’s embedded in the industry (AI-generated campaigns at brands like Prada, Valentino and Mango, are just the first example). In a guest essay for The New York Times, Amy Odell wrote about the rise of companies using algorithms to decide what to actually design: “Fashion slop is the logical next step in the evolution of ready-to-wear clothing,” she wrote, adding that what this signals is nothing short of, “the triumph of money over art and craft”. Brands have also started integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) into their websites (ChatGPT is an example of an LLM). Alice + Olivia is one of them. “Our customer may know exactly what she wants, but very often, she starts with a moment, an occasion, or an idea: “I’m going to a wedding,” “I’m packing for Italy,” or “I need something chic for a rehearsal dinner.” LLMs allow us to interpret the context behind what a customer is asking and connect that intent to the right products, styles, and inspiration,” says Stacey Bendet, CEO and creative director. “I see it as an additional intelligent discovery layer and another way for us to connect with our customer based on her intent and where she is in her journey.”

The backlash seems to arise when its use infringes on the roles of real people (H&M’s use of “digital twins”, for example, an initiative which was paused earlier this year, or SheerLuxe’s AI fashion and lifestyle editor, Reem) or creativity. The use of robots at Vogue World this September also divided opinion, raising questions about the place of automation in fashion and the extent to which technology should replace human involvement.

AI’s potential to be misused is another concern (Meta’s AI glasses have faced a barrage of criticism, although, perhaps both worrying and tellingly, that has not stopped people buying them). “When brands use AI models, they find themselves in the news for all the wrong reasons. People feel duped,” says Clare Press, author of Wear Next: Fashioning the Future, and host of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast.

Does AI have a role to play in a more sustainable fashion industry? “I can imagine an AI-powered future where big data allows on-demand production at scale, potentially by sewbots in dark factories. Maybe new clothes and accessories will be only digitally printed after the customer places an order, and there will be no more stock gathering dust in warehouses. Maybe, as I wrote in my book, we'll do this ourselves in local-maker labs, and we'll shop for patterns rather than finished garments.” She’s largely unconvinced, however. “I remain sceptical about broader sustainability pitches for AI. Look over here at our shiny new method of carbon accounting! Or here, at how we're revolutionising resale online! But too often we neglect to consider the broader systems behind all this. What happens to the workers who lose their jobs as a result of automation? Who has a plan for a just transition, or is even talking about it?”

Some app-developers are finding innovative ways to use AI, helping independent designers, for example, meet a more global audience. Naia is a social discovery platform whose tagline is, “the taste network for emerging fashion.” Its founder and CEO, Miloni Sheth, says the app helps to create a growth channel for brands that is built around customer intent. “AI helps us understand broader patterns in what people are looking for, how demand is shifting and where new interests may be emerging, so we can connect designers with audiences that are more likely to respond to their work,” she says, adding that designers are given access to game-changing data. “Beyond showing them what is resonating today, we can use AI to turn those signals into more predictive indicators of demand, helping them test ideas, understand what may be gaining momentum and make more informed decisions about future collections before committing to production.” For Sheth, AI is not a replacement for the human touch. “I think the more interesting future is creative people using much more powerful tools, with human judgment still guiding the process.”

In 2024, Turkish accessories brand Misela celebrated its 15th anniversary with a campaign and exhibition titled Crafting Realms, created by award-winning director Alphan Eşeli. Misela founder Serra Türker Bayır wanted to create 15 distinct campaign images for 15 different women and cities around the world—something that would only be possible for an independent business by using AI. The result was a case study demonstrating the benefits of using AI to generate imagery when financial constraints would otherwise make such a campaign unfeasible. But this raises a more fundamental question: if the budget doesn’t allow for it, why do it at all?”

Instead, the human touch is what some brands are choosing to celebrate. Hermès regularly commissions illustrators, musicians, animators and water-colourists to bring its products to life online with exquisite whimsy. And what about the next-generation of designers?

“Several of my design students refuse to use AI at all—they see it as something which would compromise their creative approach,” says Giles Pearson, senior lecturer in Fashion Design at London College of Fashion, UAL, who adds: “My personal feeling is that the more we see AI become a fundamental skill in the design industry, the more we will see the great visionaries reject it, and more exciting work and designers will emerge.”