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, Paula Unger, EVP Design and Product Development, Global Event Merchandise at P2 Elevated Merch, reflects on how giving creative teams access to new AI platforms is reshaping design workflows, and why the technology is best understood as an assistant to creative judgment rather than a threat to it.
What's the most meaningful shift you've seen in digital product creation this past year?
The most meaningful shift has come from management initiatives that support the creative team's ability to access and utilize new AI platforms and let the teams explore these new workflows.
How is 3D changing the way your teams design, iterate, and make decisions?
3D has allowed designers to give realistic interpretations of their design intents to communicate their vision in a way that non-creatives can understand and has resulted in faster decision making and less re-sample making and in turn cost reductions.
What new skills or mindsets do you think teams need to build today?
Mostly an open mind and a sense of curiosity for exploring emerging AI and 3D technologies to be utilized as support to existing creative directors.
What's the most persistent misconception you encounter about 3D or digital design?
The most persistent misconception is that AI and 3D tools will "take your job." They are just the latest tools creatives can use to increase productivity and elevate presentation, 3D and AI are the new "Adobe Suite." Historically the apparel industry has been the most manual and slow to adapt to technology, those who embrace the new technology will reap the benefits.
Another misconception is that AI is a one button "design" solution, it takes the knowledge and vision of what the end result needs to be and the taste to know whether the render is "good." It takes an experienced designer to understand how to accurately prompt to get the results they want.
How has sustainability influenced the way you use digital tools in product development?
When executing samples in overseas factories, the time and cost it takes to make and ship a sample impacts the bottom line, and reduction in the sample making process and the carbon footprint of the air freight contributes to the sustainability factor. All reductions in sample making impact sustainability efforts.
Will AI become a creative partner or a creative disruptor for apparel designers?
The role of the Creative Director and Design Director will not go away. The knowledge of merchandising, manufacturing and taste level is not something AI can replace. AI is your new assistant designer, quickly rendering CADs and pitch decks, supporting the designer's vision.
Do you think the future of product creation will be more human-driven or machine-driven?
Product design is initiated by a human trying to solve a problem and make our lives easier. This differentiates ART from design. Humans will drive the design, and 3D and AI will assist in the execution.
What's the best example you've seen of digital tools enhancing creativity rather than constraining it?
The digital imagery generation for marketing purposes has really expanded the creative bounds previously limited by cost, safety, and feasibility, you can now create images of your products in literally any environment the creative director can imagine and have the image generated in a few minutes.
What advice would you give to a brand taking its first big step into DPC?
Have the creative and technical teams experiment and test different platforms to see which ones are a benefit for your actual business.
Favourite digital tool in your stack, and why?
Makethedot for denim design and rendering, the best wash functions. Nanobanana/Pixomi for video generations.
Paula Unger will be leveraging her deep knowledge and experience at The Fashion Tech Show LA (15-16th September) to lead a roundtable discussion on 'Where Is AI Saving Time & Where Is It Wasted?'.
