Fashion designers are experimenting with AI, but not everyone is a fanBy Jane RoccaABC ArtsTopic:Fashion2h ago2 hours agoSun 10 May 2026 at 6:30pmMelbourne-based designer Karla Špetić, whose works are seen here at this year's Melbourne Fashion Festival, had mixed results using AI to create clothing. (Supplied)AI is changing the way fashion designers create; from tidying up administrative back-end systems, to fast-tracking trend forecasting and helping generate ideas for collections.However, not everyone in the fashion industry is convinced it's the way forward.Croatian-born and now Melbourne-based designer Karla Špetić experimented with AI for her latest collection, which she showcased at Melbourne Fashion Festival.She says she has mixed feelings about the technology."I have all kinds of emotions towards AI like most people do," says Špetić, who is known for her romantic silhouettes with a whimsical undertone."Using AI as a tool rather than a replacement in the fashion industry can be really powerful. When it's used intentionally it can be great, but I don't think you could ever replace instinct or the lived experience that you bring as a creative to your work and your brand."Karla Špetić said AI was helpful in generating words for designs, but could not accurately create the images she wanted. (Supplied)Špetić used generative AI for slogan prompts which she then infused into a portion of her T-shirt range.She says she had to be very considered in the way she asked AI to create the images and that it worked more like a virtual assistant than the main creative force.She says attempts to use it for images were unsuccessful."AI didn't replace my creativity, but it did demand clarity," Špetić says."There were a lot of trial-and-error in order to get to the point I needed. "I did use the image generator to come up with images, but what was really interesting was that the human lived experience is simply irreplaceable — it doesn't feel what I do. "The ideas come from my heart, and AI came back with affirmations I could use, but sometimes the designs had human hands and fingers with either three or six fingers. It was really bizarre and not always accurate."Špetić says she finds AI more helpful to forecasting trends, visualise ideas, and improve work efficiency — especially when trying to create quickly in an industry that is driven by tight seasonal deadlines.AI as 'an enabler'Footwear designer Vince Lebon, from Australian label Rollie Nation, says he is "a big fan of AI".Lebon, who who used to work for Asics and Nike and has a background in coding, has developed his own AI tool which allows him to upload his own sketches. The technology can then create an entire footwear range.Shoe designer Vince Lebon says fear is driving a reluctance around AI, but that it helps his business reduce costs and improve efficiency."It's a huge enabler for designers, as long as it's used in the right way," he says."I just presented my first collection using the tool to my team, and normally we'd share outlines of sketches, but with AI I was able to present full photos of new footwear complete with realistic imagery and it was incredible."Lebon says fear culture around AI is still very prevalent."It's a fear that workers won't be needed, and that AI will replace them," he says."As a business owner, I'm looking at it as a tool that can streamline processes, sell my ideas efficiently and also reduce costs."I've now told my assistant designer that no shoe can go to sampling until it's been seen AI. It's saved a huge amount of cost and time wasting, because allows you to visualise the shoe correctly before you produce it."When art can't imitate lifeNew York fashion designer Prabal Gurung, who was in Australia for the Melbourne Fashion Festival in February, says AI is not all it's cracked up to be when it comes to fulfilling ready-to-wear or bespoke pieces.Designer Prabal Gurung has mixed feelings about AI in fashion but says it can be used to perform menial tasks. (Supplied)Gurung, who has dressed Michelle Obama and Lady Gaga, says art imitating life doesn't quite translate."My creative process is my lived experience; AI can't be that," he says."(AI) can try to blend cultures and tell a new story, but to be honest, it's nothing extraordinary. That comes from the human touch, the human experience. you could never rely on an entire collection to be built by AI as it would be missing something very important.He, like Špetić, says the technology's power lies in its ability to save time on menial tasks to free up time to spend on creative pursuits."If anything, it helps streamline the administrative side of the business, and that's where AI is most efficient," he says."In a fractured world, fashion is needed more than ever to foster a community, and when you remain true to your identity and voice, your collections will survive a long time," he says.