Speakers' Corner gives you a preview of the voices you'll hear at upcoming PI events, straight from the people shaping fashion and footwear.
In this edition, Kate Nishimura, Deputy Editor at Sourcing Journal, shares what she's seeing from the front lines of fashion technology reporting. From the rapid rise of AI-powered design tools and digital material simulation, to the ongoing challenges of technology adoption and designer confidence, Nishimura explains why the next chapter of digital product creation won't be defined by AI alone, but by how people choose to use it.
Sourcing Journal is hosting Visions of Tomorrow, a special new cocktail event honoring the visionaries rewriting the industry playbook on Monday 27 July in New York. As a media partner, we are delighted to offer a 30% discount. We hope you’ll join us for a night of networking over cocktails and insightful panel discussions. Click the banner below to book and claim your discount.
What’s the most meaningful shift you’ve seen in digital product creation this past year?
From my perspective as an editor at Sourcing Journal, I think the growth of AI-driven technology in digital product creation is game changing. Textile and fashion apparel retailers and brands are using it for research and ideation. AI can tackle large data sets and make it so much easier to identify trends. Textile companies are using AI in the early steps by entering text or image prompts to create production-ready patterns.
There are also AI platforms that can apply realistic fabric transformations as well as convert flat graphics into digital textures such as 3D embroidery, knitwear physics or even custom fabric weaves. Using these tools saves time and waste from sampling.
What’s the biggest friction point still slowing down digital workflows?
We have been doing a lot of reporting on the struggles facing design teams with regard to adding technology that isn’t fully integrated with existing tools or capabilities. I think there’s also a bit of a barrier to entry when it comes to technology literacy, but many designers are eager to learn.
Which emerging technology do you think will define the next phase of DPC?
I think the ability to digitally replicate texture, as I’ve mentioned. With text or image AI prompts, designers can create fully textured and draped 3D assets and bypass hours of manual modeling work. The tech can also allow brands to simulate fabric weight, stretch and movement and do across body types. From an operational perspective, these technologies eliminate physical sampling cycles almost entirely while also shortening lead times and reducing material waste.
Will AI become a creative partner — or a creative disruptor — for apparel designers?
I think AI is a market disruptor. Brands are jumping quick to make investments without thinking it through and figuring out how to use it for the greatest impact. On the creative side, there are still many designers who fear it will take their jobs, but I think what we’re learning as a society is actually how valuable human input is, even in the face of technological acceleration. A designer’s creative judgment can’t be replaced.
One word that sums up where DPC will be next year?
Transformative.
Kate will be leveraging her deep knowledge and experience at the Fashion Tech Show NYC (28-29th July) to lead an interactive session on 'Where Does Waste Originate in the Product Lifecycle?'
