It’s safe to say that technology has transformed the way we work, live and play. And its evolution only seems to get faster as the years go on.
While almost every industry has been impacted by tech, one that’s been starting conversations as of late is fashion. The future of fashion will definitely be impacted by technology and the different, and creative, ways they intersect.
In this article, we explore some of the most exciting examples of how fashion and technology have fused, and areas we expect to expand in the years ahead.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We all can’t seem to stop talking about artificial intelligence these days! With advancements in programmes like ChatGBT and MidJourney, there are so many interesting and useful ways that AI has progressed. And it’s impacting fashion too!
Brands can use AI to help them predict trends and attract customers to their business. AI can make personalised wardrobe suggestions to wearers, with the one-size-fits-all approach set to be a distant memory in the years to come.
Smart Fabrics
One area of fashion and tech that’s certainly growing are smart fabrics. There’s an incredible amount that can be achieved by integrating textiles with tech.
From monitoring an individual’s health metrics, from a fabric that can adapt to different environments, to textiles that connect to your smart devices and more, there’s a myriad of ways that tech revolutionised what we wear.
But smart fabrics go beyond connecting to our devices. Ripped skinny jeans, maxi dresses and other items of clothing will eventually be able to change appearance to fit our daily mood. And as we’ve seen on the red carpet at the Met Gala, the effect is certainly thrilling to watch.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Both Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are becoming an integral part of the shopping experience. AR has the potential to let users try on items of clothing without ever having to leave the comfort of their bedroom.
It also could be utilised by designers to create virtual showrooms or even runways so that customers can view collections from around the world while sitting on their sofa (or wherever they happen to be!).
Virtual Reality also has huge potential within the fashion industry and is already being used in different ways. Consumers can now use their smartphones to try on different items of clothing, from accessories to make up and more. While designers can use VR to see how their clothing will look on models without having even created it yet.
Of course, you can imagine the impact that VR will have on how we experience fashion and access spaces we might never be able to otherwise. The immersive nature of VR means that in the future, we could find ourselves able to watch the world’s top fashion shows from a dedicated virtual runway seat, or even witness it from the perspective of a model. The possibilities are endless!
Blockchain
Blockchain is another technology that’s been in the news almost constantly over the past few years, especially as NFTs have grown in popularity. How it will affect fashion is less to do with fashion itself, but the way it’s shipped, recorded, and tracked — helping brands to help improve their supply chains. As well as preventing counterfeits and fraud.
Some brands are now going so far as to accepting cryptocurrencies as a form of payment, so it’s easy to see the potential for how it will expand in the future as these technologies become more common. Within the fashion industry it may be wise to utilise AI in identifying current trends and patterns that may help predicting future fashion trends easier. This will allow brands to stay on trend or maybe even prepare before the trend has gone mainstream. It is important for AI to be utilised as it is something that is not going to go away anytime soon.
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