Is the Human influence still relevant in the fashion industry despite the revolutionary AI?

We’re now approximately 6-12 months into the narrative that AI tools will replace the human influence in the fashion industry. In that case, how come we haven’t seen more fashion ‘experts’ pop up despite having an AI tool available?

Hi Siri, help me find the best outfit for my beach party!

It is a fact that the fashion industry is rapidly evolving and leveraging the power of the AI tools to their advantage. Companies are definitely killing it in the e-commerce space! 

Algorithms identify your buying and taste pattern will help assemble your future outfits, perhaps? Companies like Psykhe which is a fashion app has significantly increased its conversions. They are using a unique method of combining machines with psychology which results in providing personal recommendations for individuals. There is no question about the fact that AI tools will allow companies to grow faster, right? Nor, is there any doubt about their memory capacity available on the dot.net planet. 

However, there is one thing which is missing which is not out there as of yet. That one important thing which is so important and that often comes by mistakes, fails, errors and what not. That one thing is called ‘compassion’! 

A computer can store and learn a lot! But can it develop real compassion though? Human stylists dive deep into understanding the customers or genuinely speaking identify the need. I mean if you want to increase sales and use algorithms in order to maximise your sales by looking at previous buying patterns of customers, yes AI will nail it for you. When it comes down to uniqueness and diving deep into the comfort of customers, human stylists are the best in empowering people by creating a masterpiece that whispers confidence in the mind of their customers. The ability to see how one turns, walks, hears, talks is still picked up by a human eye that develops the exact piece which matches your personality. 

The world is your catwalk.

Modelling is an art. A beautiful way of showcasing a product which the naked human eye wants to see before a decision is made. It is applaudable how much effort goes into being a model, on the catwalk. The catwalk is in every corner of the world, travelling across continents, countless video/photo shoots and so elegantly showcasing clothes is inspiring. Models reach millions of people worldwide; different types of audiences have different types of models too! It is all taken care of. But have we thought of the scenario: what if these models are not travelling physically anymore to various continents? What if they start appearing in the digital space, becoming a virtual supermodel?

FIA introduced a META-Catwalk what showcases how AI-generated imagery can be intergrated with real-life runway.

There are famous AI fashion models around. Some of them have millions of followers in the social media community. With today’s technology you can make your virtual model look as real as it can get. One of the world’s first supermodel ‘Shudu’ has a follower’s base of 238k on Instagram. Big brands like Prada and Calvin Klein have already done shoots with digital models featuring together with celebrities such as Bella Hadid and Bobby Brown. Long story short the digital super models can replicate human models and that can be done without having to travel and catch planes to different continents. No more hair stylists needed for the digital supermodels, no accommodation required and of course no food or diet! It definitely makes it less time consuming and cost effective, but is it ethical? Or is this the future of modelling? The digital super model vs Human supermodel is approximately 50% cheaper. However, it is not always about cutting costs. Research/evidence is telling a different story. Customers tend to still react better when they see clothes moving and when it sits on a real human body, observing the piece of clothing in various body movements. 

The human influence

Fashion is a work of art which requires real compassion. A real human nature feeling which a computer, or a bot may never possess. Regardless, AI is here for the long run and it surely will work miracles. The fashion industry should optimise works for AI where needed but the power and the valuable influence of human capacity should always stay with the human touch.