Artificial intelligence has been making inroads into the fashion industry for years, with its impact on design beecoming more apparent as more designers experiment with generative AI tools. While much of the conversation around AI has focused on marketing and logistics, a quiet revolution is happening in design studios, where fashion brands like Gruppo Teddy, Merrell and Puma are harnessing AI to enhance creativity and streamline workflows.
Mattia Giorgi, head of AI and innovation at Gruppo Teddy, said AI has been a game-changer across all the company’s brands, which include fashion players Terranova, Rinascimento, Calliope and QB24. The Italy-based company last reported $705 million in revenue, for 2023.
“It’s not just about cost savings; it’s about improving efficiency, speeding up time to market and enhancing the quality of the final product,” he said. “We can generate hundreds of design variations in minutes, something that would take weeks in a traditional workflow.”
The generative AI tools help Gruppo Teddy optimize material choices and color combinations, reducing errors and surplus stock. Virtual prototyping has also led to less waste and more sustainable practices. “We can now test ideas in real time without committing to costly samples,” Giorgi added.
Gruppo Teddy provides AI with prompts that include specific design elements such as fabric types, color palettes, seasonal trends and historical bestsellers. For example, a prompt may ask the AI to generate a summer womenswear collection featuring pastel tones, lightweight linen fabrics and silhouettes inspired by ‘90s minimalism.
At footwear and outdoorwear brand Merrell, senior design director Ian Cobb shared a similar perspective. “AI isn’t replacing what we do; it’s helping us work smarter,” he said. Merrell’s SpeedARC Surge BOA shoe, launched this month, was designed using traditional methods, but the team is experimenting with AI-assisted visualization for future releases. “[With AI], we can explore multiple directions without losing sight of what makes our designs unique. It’s like having an extra set of creative hands,” Cobb added.
“[Creative design AI tool] Viscom and new AI, robotics and consciousness [tools] are user-driven, allowing us to input sketches and refine them, rather than relying solely on verbal prompts that pull from unknown databases, which raises legal concerns,” said Cobb. “Our corporation is very sensitive to these issues, so we are taking a cautious approach and exploring AI in areas we can fully own.”
He added, everyone acknowledges that AI is the future across all industries, but it’s about integrating it responsibly. The potential is exciting—when you input a CAD (computer-aided design) line art or a sketch and get a rendering in seconds, it’s incredibly powerful.”
“Designers aren’t just looking for efficiency; they want inspiration and precision,” said Cheryl Liu, CEO of the AI platform Raspberry AI which announced a $24 million raise under the guidance of Silicon Valley venture firm Andreessen Horowitz on January 14. Unlike generic AI tools, Raspberry understands industry-specific terminology, making it more intuitive for fashion professionals. “When designers upload a reference image, the AI generates variations, letting them focus on refining ideas rather than starting from scratch,” Liu said. The platform has attracted clients like Gruppo Teddy, MCM and Under Armour.
“Traditional design cycles take three to six months, but we’ve helped brands launch capsule collections in just a week,” Liu said. In addition, generating repeat prints using AI can save brands up to $1,000 per design compared to sourcing from external studios, according to Liu. For print-heavy brands, these savings can run into the millions annually.
But the integration of AI hasn’t been without challenges. “There was skepticism at first,” Giorgi admitted. “Some designers worried AI would take over their roles, but once they saw it as a tool rather than a replacement, they embraced it.” Liu acknowledged that change management remains a hurdle. “We’ve developed features to make the transition easier, like automated prompt generation and visual-based tools that align with traditional workflows.”
in addition, many in the industry argue that AI-generated clothing contributes to the homogenization of fashion, stifling originality and innovation, with companies like Stitch Fix struggling after relying heavily on AI to replicate past best-sellers rather than fostering new creative directions.
Puma’s Inverse sneaker, which launched on December 7, was created through a collaboration between AI and human designers. “In our design process, AI is very new in terms of our creative exploration and in communicating ideas,” said Puma global creative director Heiko Desens in a press release. “At first, there was uncertainty, but the fascination and new possibilities have taken over. I am stunned by the granular level of the output, and as creatives, we have a new precision tool to level up our design work.”
As Liu put it, “AI is enabling designers to focus on higher-level decisions while streamlining routine processes, ultimately shaping a more responsive and agile design workflow.”
