Project Spotlight: AI-Driven Innovation in Fashion Design

Led by Prof. Eric W.T. Ngai from the Department of Management and Marketing, a pioneering research project “Trial: Intelligent Inspiration Image Generation Platform for Fashion Design” is underway to develop an enhanced version of the Intelligent Inspiration Image Generation Platform (I3GP) to help fashion designers create new designs using artificial intelligence (AI). The project is a collaborative effort, also involving the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and the Sustainable Fashion Apparel Association (SFAA), with funding from the Innovation and Technology Fund under the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR Government. AI offers a new way to innovate in the fashion design process by offering personalised support to designers, thereby transforming their creative workflow. The I3GP is directly accessible via a web browser, allowing HKDI and SFAA members and students to gain first-hand experience of this cutting-edge technology.

Prof. Eric W.T. Ngai Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Management and Marketing

The core objective of the project is to demonstrate the potential of generative AI in fashion design, promote its integration into the public domain, and enhance collaboration and technology transfer between academia and the fashion design industry. It also seeks to refine the I3GP prototype to highlight the platform’s key features and benefits, and offer designers deeper insights into the vast potential of generative AI technologies.

By tailoring the AI model to user-specific needs, the project aims to expand the range of garment types that the platform can support from four to eight. In response to feedback from users at the trial phase, it also seeks to improve the platform interface to ensure a seamless and intuitive experience.

The project has several significant implications:

• It demonstrates how AI can foster creativity in fashion design education and prepare students for a career in an increasingly high-tech fashion design industry.
• The positive feedback from the trial phase indicates potential for the widespread adoption of AI in the fashion design industry, which will spur further innovation and technology transfer.
• Fashion designers trained on AI tools gain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving job market.
• AI tools enable new business models such as on-demand and personalised fashion services, leading to more efficient and creative designs.
• By democratising fashion design, AI empowers small businesses to compete with large firms, thereby promoting more cultural diversity in the fashion industry.

These implications highlight the transformative potential of AI in reshaping fashion design education and industry practices, paving the way for a more dynamic, inclusive, and technologically advanced fashion industry.