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Raghavendra Rathore on how AI is changing luxury design
Summary
Dubbed the ‘seventh sense’, artificial intelligence is revolutionising design, trend-spotting and client relationships
When the fax machine was introduced in the 1960s, it was the height of design technology. Always ahead of his time, designer Karl Lagerfeld was amazed at how quickly sketches and handwritten notes could be sent across the globe.
“People I’m really friendly with have faxes," Lagerfeld told Vice in a 2010 interview. "Anna Wintour has one. We speak via fax." However, this once ground-breaking creation is now extinct. We are at the beginning of a new creative period, one characterised by innovations and opportunities brought about by artificial intelligence (AI).
Since its inception a few years ago, AI has emerged as an invaluable tool with its smooth integration into the creative processes of the fashion industry. Dubbed the "seventh sense", it's revolutionising design, trend-spotting, and even client relationships. It simply takes seconds now to do things that used to require hours of study, like knowing, with just one phrase, the exact shade of green that was in style in the 1920s.
The marriage of luxury design and AI signals a fundamental shift in the domain of elegance and style. It is time to rethink the basic meaning of luxury, and not only add new technologies. Machine learning algorithms and data-driven insights can now predict and fulfil desires in ways that were previously limited to artisans and couture designers. This convergence provides an enticing look into the future for those with a keen sense of innovation. In the future, when the line separating technology correctness from human ingenuity becomes less obvious, there will be a new luxury paradigm that is just as exclusive.
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Imagine if your Hermès scarf could change patterns as per your mood or the weather or the show that you saw. This truly is a possibility. Luxury brands are moving towards a concept in which their products can be adapted to the wearer, beyond present limits of customisation, thanks to AI. Your preferences, purchasing habits and even your low-key emotional state can be seamlessly included into the design process. This level of customisation goes further than choosing a colour or design; it entails anticipating your needs before you even realise what they are.
These days, AI-driven personal stylists provide suggestions based on your body type, attitude, lifestyle, and even what your subconscious wants. Every article of clothing fits perfectly because of augmented reality and body-scanning technologies in virtual fitting rooms.
Craftsmanship is the heart of luxury
It's the attention to detail that enhances the style of a handbag, watch or piece of art. Can artificial intelligence, despite its various algorithms and binary codes, compete with the warmth and spirit of human touch? The solution is to work together rather than replace each other. AI is meant to complement, not replace, the hands of artists with good taste. It increases the creativity and precision of luxury designers and allows them to try new concepts.
For example, the designs that took days for a skilled craftsman to finish can now have variations or upskilled ideas in a matter of a heartbeat. This saves time and makes room for countless creative alternatives that would have previously been limited by resources, money and other constraints. AI also pushes the frontiers of innovation by predicting the performance of various materials in different scenarios. Future artisans will preserve traditional methods while incorporating cutting-edge technology, creating works of art that are timeless.
Apart from just creating, AI also can be a powerful tool for designers when it comes to trend analysis or forecasting. The fact that it is a reservoir of information from all eras, cultural movements and historical movements, AI takes the design process up a notch with just some clicks.
In luxury design, it's all about collaboration. With the vision of the designer and realising that vision to the tenth fold of ideas with the help of AI is the collaboration the luxury industry should bank on.
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As AI becomes more integrated into luxury design, ethical considerations come to the forefront. Factors such as job displacement, data privacy, and the risk of data, information or other details being copied or misused should be a matter of concern. The fact is that AI should enhance the overall process without excluding human interception and inputs while guiding the outcome.
AI in the luxury design field is breaking barriers not just for the designers but also for the consumers. It is interesting to understand how these products are now conceived, created and experienced. This new chapter of luxury is all about the amalgamation of creativity with technology to produce new-age personalised and ethical products.
The potential applications of AI in luxury design are limited only by imagination. We stand at the crossroads where couture houses may choose to employ AI not only to design clothes but also to create new materials with extraordinary properties. 3D printed jewellery, fragrances that change with body chemistry, fabrics that can adapt to the surrounding—possibilities with AI are endless. It truly is a testing time for luxury brands, not only to overcome the complexities of AI but also to preserve their values and heritage.
Raghavendra Rathore is an Indian designer.
