How fashion schools will have to adapt to the era of AI

Design institutions globally require rethinking their pedagogical tactics for students to be ready for an industry that changes as they study. The surge of innovation in AI-powered design tools, as well as the introduction of 3D printing and biomaterials, has changed the designer's work of imagining and making. Still, a great number of universities still use conventional teaching approaches, making technology a decorative element rather than a significant part of their program. One of the fundamental and initial steps in the process of modernising design teaching is to go beyond the research formats that Google directs. While search engines help access large amounts of information, it is crucial to provide students with alternative research tools that are specially designed and programmed for the acquisition of design intelligence.

Through exposure to the resources, students will be introduced to search engines, AI-generated inspiration tools, and immersive virtual exhibitions of old textiles, architecture, and clothing artefacts among others. 

The uncramped skill set of the design program should be built around six basic pillars:

Modern knowledge resource: To train aspiring designers, the curriculum must be grounded in the foundational knowledge of art, history, materials and techniques. 

A foundation that is truly relevant today should be adaptable and continuously refreshed, thus creating a traditional base of materials and techniques alongside path-breaking innovations like bio-fabrication. Bioffe is where textiles are grown instead of being woven. Learning should start with exposure to materials that are not yet well-known, thereby making students free to take risks, without the pressure of commercial reality. This would cultivate a creative environment in which they could explore new roads in design.

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Visual communication power: The digital age has made communication primarily visual. The ability to transform creative thoughts into visually appealing layouts is vital for designers all over the world. 

Whether in traditional methods such as hand sketches or digital representations, students must also learn how to harness technology for storytelling, which includes crafting a brand narrative using AI, interactive presentations, and planning social media strategies. 

Informed by psychology, visual communication will teach young designers to communicate their ideas more precisely through photography, CGI simulations, or immersive digital experiences.

Practical training: Besides creativity and storytelling, the designers must get control of the technical aspects of their craft. It is about training them to work with materials, construction techniques, and manufacturing processes. 

Be it stitching, bonding in fashion, or digital prototyping in industrial design, the draft of an experiential learning approach is that students develop a strong practical foundation. For example, having AI-assisted garment construction or 3D-printed architectural models make it possible for students not only to see the difference between traditional and modern techniques but also to comprehend it fully.

Business of design: An all-rounder design education should not shy away from addressing the business aspect. Frequently, young designers are preoccupied only with the creative part, ignoring the commercial side of the industry. 

Financial literacy should be taught—that is, students should learn to read market trends, calculate their project prices accordingly, and finally, maintain profitability. 

The incorporation of successful brand case studies would be preceded by the student's understanding of how strategic decisions affect creativity in business. Varied business strategy amalgamation with the curriculum will not just inform students of the aesthetics of their work but of the economic and market implications of their designs. 

Consequently, they will be able to pass from being students of design to entrepreneurs or industry leaders without any difficult transitions.

Understanding the consumer: In the time of big data, consumer insight is of vital importance. Designers ought to be taught how to form market segments and forecast consumer behaviour with/using the help of digital instruments. 

Now that times have changed, AI-driven computational tools are the new fashion trendsetters, which are used for various purposes such as predicting customer feelings and generating demand forecasts. All of these abilities should be given to future design students. The use of such analytical tools integrated into the designed curriculum will provide the students with a complete picture of who their consumers are. This way they will be able to develop items that answer the needs of specific audiences.

Technology as a co-creator: The integration of AI will settle all the most significant changes in design education. Be it generative design algorithms or completely automated textile pattern generation, digital is simultaneously a tool for designers. But they have to learn to use it properly. AI should be the collaborator not a substitute for human creativity. Programs like CLO3D, Adobe Sensei, and Deep Dream should be embedded in the coursework so that students know the infinity of AI in the design process—they can use it to refine, optimise and personalise their endeavours. What's more, the knowledge of AI showing design trends, automating mundane tasks, and enhancing the manufacturing process will equip future designers with a competitive advantage.

Another important aspect of design education is exposure to travel and along the lines of culture travelling is one of the main driving forces. Historical cities of design are a great source of first-hand inspiration. Meeting skilled artisans, whether on the side streets of Jaipur, or in the weaving villages of Vietnam, students should be encouraged to experience local design around the world.

By connecting these traditional techniques with the methodologies of AI, students will have a chance to create unique and local design languages that would set them apart in the global market. 

The design of the future will be realised through the combination of the very old and the most modern.

In the future of design education, the Internet of Things is not about the choice between heritage and technology but about integrating them spotlessly. The institutions that will manage to bridge the old crafts and the AI-powered innovation will be the ones to mould the next generation of creative leaders. 

The question we should ponder is not whether technology is going to get rid of tradition, but how we can utilise technology to enhance and preserve the authentic work of the craftsmen. 

Raghavendra Rathore is a Jodhpur-based designer.

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