How the digital world is transforming fashion
About the author
Vic Riches is an artist and fashion designer who bridges craftsmanship with the digital world.
Vic’s career has spanned globally, supplying design direction for major brands in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris and London.
With unique access to the luxury, art and tech world, Vic infuses these elements to form an entirely new design philosophy.
The domination of digital
Global change, industry disruption
Digital has become a seamless extension to our physical lives. From the sudden, everyday use of QR codes to the vast potential of generative AI, technology is accelerating tenfold.
Innovation is often a response to major economic, environmental and social challenges.
Since the pandemic, industries have heavily invested in technology to compete in an age of volatility.
Artificial intelligence and automation are powering innovation in thousands of ways.
This report focuses on how technology is transforming our experience of fashion, with a spotlight on its potential within the luxury industry
The digital self
Over recent years, a new phenomena of self expression has emerged.
Driven by increased time online, the importance of self expression in the digital space has grown. Our virtual versions have become centre stage, this was especially true during lockdowns.
The concept of the ‘Zoom Shirt’ emerged, presenting us with one of the many ways we started dressing up exclusively for the screen.
But dressing digitally goes so much further than this…
Video gamers have been expressing themselves in the virtual world for decades
“57% of US Gen Z gamers feel like they are able to express themselves more openly in a game than in real life”
-Razorfish
Gaming has converted to big spending online…
“In 2018, 69% of Fortnite video gamers spent $84.69 on in-app purchases—nearly 60% of those purchases were of avatar skins”
-Forbes
For the Gen Z generation, the digital world is a playground of self expression
“Gen Z’ers are typically creating multiple digital personas in online games and on social media.
They live a considerable portion of their lives in digital communities, they want to present themselves in a way that is true to them.”
Enter, digital fashion…
“In 2019, the world’s first digital-only dress sold for $9500. A landmark moment in digital-only couture”
-The Fabricant
Digital fashion allows us to wear imposed virtual clothing in photos and social media.
This is powered by augmented reality.
Since the The Fabricant mesmerised us with its digital dress in 2019, digital fashion has challenged the idea of whether our clothes need to be physical.
While consumption might appear immaterial in the digital world, industries must tackle the vast amount of energy needed to power its software and hardware
Green Cloud Computing is a methodology that minimises energy consumption through cloud-based services
Solutions are being implemented, but education and transparency are needed to address this complex environmental issue
Mixed reality
The way we experience digital fashion is about to get a lot more immersive. Mixed reality headsets present endless possibility in how we express ourselves in the intertwining virtual and physical world.
Undoubtedly as technology evolves, our experience of the digital world will become infinitely more seamless.
Generative AI
“Generative AI could be one of the most consequential technologies in decades for the fashion industry”
-Business of Fashion
Generative AI might change everything. Its technology can be applied in almost every aspect of the workflow.
Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence, or ‘machine learning’ capable of generating text, images or other media by learning patterns. Use cases within fashion are vast and still being explored.
At the time of compiling this report, generative AI is probably only being used at 1% of its full potential.
Design and marketing use cases
Identifying viral trends
Tailored smart assistance
Dynamic personalisation (highly customised marketing communication)
Optimising workflow (reducing waste, saving money)
Generating design ideas, colour palettes and more
Limitless product placement and content creation
Ethical questions
The use of AI raises many ethical questions. Within fashion, particular areas of contention are:
Ownership over ideas and identity
Data misuse
Job displacement
Perpetuating biases
All of these issues require a sensitivity and awareness—in some cases regulation, especially as this rapidly evolving technology presents many new challenges.
If we can put ethics at the forefront of conversation, generative AI has the potential to be both a vital design tool and a force for good.
But we urgently need education, transparency and action towards building a space that offers safety, ownership and equal opportunity.
Now is the perfect time to start exploring how AI can feed into your own process
This should not mean a departure from human creative expression.
If anything, the arrival of this technology can help us differentiate human brilliance from machine generation.
If generative AI can drive efficiency, it might help us focus on valuable human skills instead of time-consuming, automatable tasks.
Critical thinking
Teamwork
Empathy
Emotional intelligence
Are essential to innovation….
…and exclusively human qualities (not AI!)
“It is critical to strike a balance between technological advancements and the preservation of human skills and values”
— NFT Paris
Opportunities for luxury brands to lead innovation with AI
Co-create with smaller entities who are early adopters of new technology
Pivot mindset from consumer to community, build community-first membership models through dynamic personalised experiences
Bridge the gap between craftsmanship and technological advancement, harness AI to authenticate handcrafted product
Advocate for ethics within the digital space by offering a platform for those leading the conversation
Connect seamless and immersive digital experience with physical product
Build new sustainable practices that offer true traceability
Thank you for reading
Sources
DRESSX & Digital Fashion- LinkedIn
Green Cloud Computing- Microsoft
Mixed Reality- apple Vision Pro
The Future of Generative AI- The Future Of
Generative AI- Business of Fashion
Generative AI, prompt engineering- Udemy
Emotional AI is No Substitute for Empathy- WIRED
AI as a Force for Good- Deloitte
Please note that none of the referenced parties are affiliated with this report
Illustrations are created and owned by Vic Riches