What: AI technology is rapidly transforming fashion's creative roles, pushing professionals to redefine their value proposition.

Why it is important: This development represents a critical turning point for retail creativity, as professionals must balance AI adoption with maintaining authentic human input.

The fashion industry is experiencing a fundamental shift as artificial intelligence increasingly takes on creative functions traditionally reserved for human professionals. This transformation extends beyond routine tasks to include sophisticated creative roles such as photography, styling, and PR strategy. Industry leaders like H&M are already implementing AI-generated visuals with digital twins of real models, while some brands explore the concept of "AI creative directors." However, successful adaptation requires professionals to leverage AI as a tool while emphasising distinctly human strengths such as emotional intelligence, cultural fluency, and authentic storytelling. The industry is developing best practices, including documentation requirements for creative processes to protect intellectual property and demonstrate original human input. This evolution is particularly evident in emerging brands like Zhai, where AI assists with marketing while human creativity drives strategic decisions and brand vision.

IADS Notes: Recent developments underscore this transformation in retail creativity. According to October 2024 data, 87% of retailers implementing AI reported revenue increases of 6% or more, while maintaining brand authenticity. By February 2025, the integration of AI in creative processes led to significant efficiency gains, with some retailers achieving 15-30% improvement in creative operations. However, March 2025 data reveals that successful scaling remains a challenge, with only 10% of retailers effectively implementing AI across creative functions. This suggests that while AI adoption is crucial, maintaining the balance between technological efficiency and human creativity remains essential for retail success.

AI is coming for fashion’s creative class