Designers Lean Into AI at New York Fashion Week as Brands Roll Out Chatbots, Backdrops and Virtual Try-Ons

Designers and retail tech companies brought a visible wave of artificial intelligence to New York Fashion Week this month, showcasing chatbots that offer styling advice, AI-generated runway imagery and apps that promise virtual try-ons and personalized shopping.

Ralph Lauren unveiled Ask Ralph, an in-store conversational assistant integrated with the brand’s shopping app. The tool, created in partnership with Microsoft and OpenAI and revealed by the company’s chief innovation officer David Lauren, can answer specific styling questions—such as how to wear a particular blazer—and broader queries, like whether black and brown can be paired. "Part of fashion is exposing yourself to newness and evolving," David Lauren told New York Magazine.

Alexander Wang said he is using AI to generate backdrop art for his comeback runway show, describing the technology as a way to "reserve our human mindset for bigger things," according to an interview with Glossy. The rental service Vivrelle introduced an AI stylist named Ella during the fashion-week period; the tool gives styling advice and recommends items from Vivrelle’s inventory as well as partner retailers including Revolve and FWRD.

Startups and established tech firms also used the week to spotlight commerce-focused AI. Glance AI hosted events tied to its new fashion app, which blends virtual try-on features with a curated shopping experience based on users’ tastes. Executives and designers said such tools are intended to speed discovery and convert runway interest into purchases.

The embrace of AI at a high-profile fashion event reflects a broader industry shift. Mass-market retailers previously adopted AI for advertising optimization and trend-sensing design tools aimed at accelerating production. Walmart and H&M are among companies that have already incorporated machine learning and other AI capabilities into operations and marketing.

Not all designers have welcomed the technology. Earlier this year, Brandon Maxwell told Fashionista he was uncertain about AI and emphasized handcrafted production and local artisans. Trish Wescoat Pound said, "Technology? I have no idea." The industry has also faced criticism over the use of AI in advertising: Vogue drew backlash after running a Guess ad featuring an AI-generated model in August, and a J.Crew campaign that used AI models was criticized by fashion writers.

Fashion-industry investors and market researchers say financial incentives are prompting adoption. The fashion-AI sector has been estimated at roughly $3 billion and, according to Precedence Research, is projected to grow toward $60 billion by 2034 as brands seek ways to personalize shopping, streamline design and reduce time-to-market.

Some companies framed AI as an extension of longstanding digital efforts. Ralph Lauren, which was among the first major fashion houses to sell clothing online about 25 years ago, positioned Ask Ralph as part of the brand’s ongoing digital transformation rather than a wholesale replacement of human staff.

Designers and platform developers emphasized that current tools are intended to assist people rather than supplant creative work. Advocates said generative imagery and conversational agents can automate routine tasks, enabling designers and sales teams to focus on higher-level creative and customer-service activities.

Industry commentators say controversy is likely to continue as AI moves into more visible roles in campaigns and on runways. For now, the New York shows made clear that experimentation with conversational agents, generative art and virtual commerce is gaining traction across both legacy fashion houses and newer retail technology firms.