From personalized styling to virtual fashion shows, AI in the fashion industry is redefining trends, sustainability, and success stories across India.
When you think of fashion, you might picture the glamour of Lakmé Fashion Week or the vibrancy of a Sabyasachi lehenga. But behind the glitz and glitter, a quiet revolution is unfolding — one powered not by fabric, but by algorithms. Artificial Intelligence (AI), once reserved for tech geeks and Silicon Valley boardrooms, is now designing dresses, predicting trends, and personalizing wardrobes in ways once unimaginable. And India, with its rich textile heritage and booming tech industry, is right at the heart of this transformation.
The Stitch Between Silicon and Style
AI in fashion isn’t just about robot seamstresses or digital fashion shows (though both exist!). It starts with data. AI algorithms analyze vast datasets from social media, search engines, online shopping patterns, and even weather forecasts to anticipate what consumers might want next. This helps designers and brands reduce waste, manage inventory smarter, and design collections that sell.
In India, where the fashion industry is expected to cross ₹7.5 lakh crore by 2025, AI is more than just a trend — it’s becoming essential.
Meet the Trailblazers
- Stylumia: The AI Oracle of Fashion
One Indian company leading this AI-fashion fusion is Stylumia, co-founded by Ganesh Subramanian, a former Myntra executive. Based in Bengaluru, Stylumia offers real-time trend forecasting and consumer demand prediction using AI. Brands like Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, Arvind, and even global names like Tommy Hilfiger have adopted Stylumia’s tech to stay ahead in the fashion game.
Ganesh’s contribution hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2021, he was featured in The Economic Times for “pioneering AI-led innovation in Indian retail.” Stylumia also received accolades at the Retail Technology Conclave (ReTechCon), winning the ‘Best Tech Partner for Fashion’ award.
“The idea was simple — why should creativity be disconnected from reality?” Ganesh said in an interview with The Hindu Business Line. “We bring art and science together so fashion can be both beautiful and profitable.”
- FashioNXT by Shivang Desai
Another young gun, Shivang Desai, developed FashioNXT, a platform using computer vision to suggest outfit combinations based on your wardrobe and local weather. The Ahmedabad-born IITian created this as part of a college hackathon but soon turned it into a startup with angel investment from Mumbai-based venture capitalists.
In 2022, Shivang was featured in Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 list under the “Consumer Tech” category. His app now boasts over 1.5 million downloads and has collaborations with influencers like Kusha Kapila and Komal Pandey.
“I wanted fashion to be less stressful for everyday people,” Shivang told The Times of India. “AI helps bring that ease without losing style.”
Bollywood and AI: A Fashion Romance
AI isn’t limited to the back-end. Stars like Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, and Ranveer Singh have embraced AI-driven stylists and virtual try-on features. During the pandemic, AI tools allowed celebrities to visualize and select outfits virtually, minimizing physical trials.
Anaita Shroff Adajania, one of Bollywood’s most sought-after stylists, recently spoke to Filmfare about how she uses AI tools to shortlist looks and predict upcoming global trends. “It’s like having a crystal ball in fashion,” she quipped.
Virtual Fashion Shows & Digital Designers
AI is even changing the runway experience. In 2020, Lakmé Fashion Week introduced AI-curated collections, where data-driven insights guided design themes. The digital-only edition also showcased virtual avatars modeling clothes — a move inspired by the global trend of virtual influencers like Lil Miquela.
Closer home, Indian designer Gaurav Gupta, known for his futuristic aesthetics, collaborated with AI firm Heuritech to shape his 2023 couture line. “We’re now designing for avatars and humans alike,” Gupta told The Indian Express. “It’s no longer just about the ramp; it’s about the metaverse too.”
AI-Powered Sustainability
Perhaps the most promising aspect of AI in fashion is sustainability. The fashion industry is the second-largest polluter globally. AI helps by predicting demand accurately, reducing overproduction, and optimizing supply chains.
Delhi-based brand B Label, an offshoot of BOHECO (Bombay Hemp Company), uses AI to forecast the popularity of hemp-based clothing lines. Their tech-driven approach earned them a feature in The Hindu for “redefining green fashion in India.”
The Road Ahead: Tech Couture for the Masses
While AI in fashion is still an evolving concept in India, it’s clear that the merger is not just for the elite. From apps that help rural artisans digitize their designs to AI-powered tailoring bots for small boutiques, the democratization of AI is underway.
Startup success story:
Take Wisiofy, a Delhi-based AI fashion assistant designed for small-town boutique owners. Founded by two DU grads, the platform offers trend reports in Hindi and regional languages. It won the ‘Digital India Innovation Award’ in 2023, as reported by The Hindustan Times.
“Not everyone speaks English, but everyone loves fashion,” said co-founder Poonam Yadav. “AI should be for Bharat, not just India.”
Final Stitch
AI isn’t replacing fashion designers; it’s becoming their smartest assistant. With India’s blend of tech talent and fashion flair, we’re not just participating in the AI-fashion wave — we’re shaping it. As data meets drapes and code meets couture, the runway of the future is being stitched in binary. And if India continues on this path, the next big trend might just be designed by an algorithm and worn by a Bollywood star.
As the saying goes — fashion fades, but innovation is always in vogue.
