While new AI back-end jobs have been created to research and develop tools tailored to specific areas of the fashion industry, the prerogative of front-end jobs lies in utilising these tools, and working closely with end users to create optimal and mesmerising experiences. Both back-end and front-end roles demand exceptional creativity and outstanding problem solving abilities. However, back-end jobs typically require strong coding expertise, and an analytical mindset, while front-end jobs require little to no coding. Instead, they require a whole set of soft skills, including a particular kind of patience and responsiveness, well understood by anyone who has worked directly with end users.
In this article, we outlined four new jobs in AI’s front-end that are literally shaping the new fashion industry: Creative Technologist, AI Fashion Designer, Digital Fashion Specialist, and AI Model Creator.
Creative Technologist
The job of Creative Technologists require a balance of creativity, design skills, and technical knowledge in user-facing technologies. Creative Technologists focus on enhancing customer experiences and brand identity through immersive technology, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). They integrate interactive AI tools, such as virtual try-ons or chatbots, into the customer experience. They collaborate with designers and marketers to bring artistic concepts to life, and create fashion campaigns and digital fashion shows. Their ultimate goal is to enhance customer interaction with brands, and to make fashion more engaging and accessible. They are basically tech wizards that sweep in and transform a brand’s assets into immersive stories.
Companies such as Brand Experience Lab, Institute of Digital Fashion (IoDF) and The Gang pioneer digital fashion concepts, steering the industry’s transition into virtual spaces with groundbreaking initiatives. They create complex and mesmerising experiences, and serve as a bridge between technology’s finest and customer engagement.
Job requirements: Proficiency in AR/VR tools, 3D modeling software, and interactive design platforms. Uncanny creativity paired with a technical understanding of emerging technologies.
Major skill: Ability to conceptualise and execute projects that engage and captivate audiences.
Digital Fashion Specialist
While Creative Technologists create the complex consumer engagement and brand identity through technology, Digital Fashion Specialists focus exclusively on creating fashion – digital garments – for virtual environments. These specialists design and produce virtual garments and accessories tailored for digital markets, such as gaming platforms, the metaverse, and augmented reality (AR) applications. Digital Fashion Specialists create virtual clothing by merging traditional fashion design principles with 3D modelling and virtual reality technologies. They collaborate with brands to develop virtual collections for avatars or digital fashion campaigns, and make sure digital garments are optimised for specific platforms, including considerations for textures, animations, and interactivity.
Companies such as The Fabricant, DRESSX and Republiqe offer solutions and services to generate digital apparel that draw on technology, sustainability, and last but not least, creativity.
Job requirements: Proficiency in 3D modeling and rendering software, such as CLO 3D, Blender, or Maya. Professional understanding of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and metaverse platforms.
Major skill: A strong design sensibility aligned with digital aesthetics and trends.
AI Fashion Designer
The role of an AI Fashion Designer is to utilise AI to enhance the creative process, across both physical and digital fashion. These designers leverage AI tools to create concepts, patterns, and designs, blending traditional techniques with technology-driven approaches. They are also fluent in AI tools that enable collaborating with production teams to transform designs into market-ready formats. Integrated predictive analytics tools are leveraged to develop products that align with market trends. Integrating AI tools into fashion design bring unprecedented efficiency and innovation to the design process. From initial concept to fully rendered 3D designs, AI allows for a virtually waste-free process, requiring only a designer, a computer, and the right software.
The role of AI Fashion Designers is expected to experience significant demand growth, as integrating AI into fashion design supports both sustainability and resource optimisation. AI tools can bring designs to life without material waste, while also offering the capability to track sustainability metrics and combat greenwashing through their connection to global data networks. In an interview with Fashionista, Drishti Gangwani, the founder and CEO of Closr., said “In five or 10 years, whether you want to start your own collection or work at Ralph Lauren, you’ll need to know how to use these programs and technologies, regardless of what business you’re running or whether you’re working for someone else.”
Companies like Closr and The New Black empower designers and brands to create unique, original designs using advanced AI, enabling the rapid development of innovative concepts. AI Fashion Designers are set to become a staple in every major and forward-thinking fashion brand.
Job requirements: Familiarity with generative AI tools such as Refabric, Mercer (previously CALA) or Raspberry. A solid understanding of fashion trends and consumer behaviour. Basic coding or data analysis skills to tweak AI models for creative applications.
Major skill: Exceptional creativity paired with strong knowledge of materials and fabrics. Additionally, AI Fashion Designers should keep themselves updated about evolving legislation around AI usage, given its reliance on data and imagery sourced from the web.
AI Model Creator
AI Model Creators create and develop AI-generated models for fashion brands. While enhancing diversity in product imagery, replacing human models with digital creations has become a controversial topic, as the engagement of digital models can reduce job opportunities for human models. Creating a digital model requires extensive expertise in current trends, seasonal patterns, and market preferences. In an interview with WIRED, Duy Vo, Lalaland’s creative director, said that “with AI, I’m the photographer, the hair stylist, and the makeup artist all in one.” AI Model Creators must consider which facial features are trending on catwalks or in e-commerce, ensuring their creations meet client briefs. Developing a single flawless digital model against detailed client briefs and feedback can take days or even weeks. Once the AI model is approved, Digital Fashion Specialists dress it in 3D digital clothing.
Companies such as Lalaland.ai, Botika, and Revery AI Inc. create lifelike AI-generated models for fashion e-commerce. Additional features include virtual dressing room technology for online fashion retailers, leveraging computer vision and artificial intelligence to enable shoppers to mix and match garments and see them worn by customisable virtual models.
Job requirements: Proficiency in 3D design technology and tools such as DALL-E, MidJourney, DeepArt, Artbreeder. No coding required.
Major skill: A ‘good eye’ and vast expertise in fashion and beauty trends.