Shifting Workflow Practices with Implementation of AI in Design in Apparel and Fashion

Design has conventionally been associated with iterative phases of requirements capture, ideation, concept development, stakeholder engagement, detailing and prototyping. The advent of widespread use of AI has challenged workflows in various industrial sectors including fashion and apparel. Practitioners can explore a wide range of concepts within moments of conception using generative design tools and expose these to stakeholder evaluation, short-cutting formerly laborious phases of detailing and focus group formation. In addition, use can be made of a wide range of CAD tools for pattern production, further accelerating the product cycle. The arising workflow can now occur at a pace allowing rapid exploration of concepts and their potential market acceptance whereby concepts can be evaluated prior to commitment of significant resources. This shifts perspectives in an industry where concepts were formerly developed based on speculative approaches or attempts to form a future market with commitment of many person months or years of effort prior to release of the product. Now, ideas can be formulated and their potential evaluated on a time scale of days compatible with influencing the concept and concept team workflow. This paper explores conceptual design development for a range of garments ranging from contemporary teenage fashion to maxi dress design and sportswear. The arising insights have potential to inform design studio and industrial practice across the sector.