On Saturday, renowned designer Kate Barton will present her latest collection at New York Fashion Week, featuring an innovative twist. In collaboration with Fiducia AI, she has developed a multilingual AI agent powered by IBM Watsonx on IBM Cloud, designed to assist attendees in exploring and virtually trying on pieces from her collection.
In a conversation with TechCrunch, Barton and Ganesh Harinath, CEO of Fiducia AI, shared insights about the upcoming presentation. Barton emphasized that technology is integral to her creative process, allowing her to blend reality with imagination. She views AI as a means to enrich the narrative surrounding her designs rather than just a gimmick.
Barton explained, "Today, tech serves as a tool to broaden the narrative of the garments, influencing their presentation and enhancing the audience's engagement. The aim for this collection is to spark curiosity."
Harinath elaborated on the technical aspects, mentioning that they utilized IBM's advanced tools to create a production-ready experience, including a Visual AI component that can recognize items from Barton's new collection. This system can respond to inquiries in various languages through voice and text, while also offering realistic virtual try-ons.
Reflecting on her previous experiences, Barton noted that this is not her first foray into technology-enhanced fashion; last season, she also collaborated with Fiducia AI to experiment with AI models.
During the fashion week discussions, there was speculation about which brands might be leveraging technology and AI in their presentations. Barton believes many brands are integrating AI into their operations, albeit discreetly, due to potential reputational concerns.
Barton likened the current hesitation around AI in fashion to the early days of online retail, where major fashion houses were apprehensive about establishing a web presence. She remarked, "Eventually, the conversation shifted from 'should we go online' to 'is our online presence effective?'"
Harinath pointed out that while many brands are dabbling in AI, much of the implementation remains superficial, focusing on chatbots and internal tools. However, Barton envisions a future where AI enhances prototyping, visualization, and production decisions, creating immersive fashion experiences without undermining the importance of human creativity.
"If technology is used to eliminate human involvement, I'm not in favor of it," she stated, asserting that audiences are discerning enough to recognize genuine innovation versus mere avoidance.
Despite the challenges, AI is steadily becoming a staple in fashion, with Harinath predicting its normalization by 2028. He emphasized that the key to success lies in forming the right partnerships and creating teams capable of responsibly implementing these technologies.
Dee Waddell, Global Head of Consumer, Travel and Transportation Industries at IBM Consulting, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the transformative potential of AI when integrated with inspiration and product intelligence.
Barton concluded by stating, "The future of fashion should not be about automation but about using new tools to enhance craftsmanship, enrich storytelling, and engage more individuals in the experience."
