Artificial Intelligence has taken this generation by storm. In school, the workplace and in everyday life, we are using artificial intelligence, even for the simplest tasks. However, the fashion industry is starting to be uniquely affected by artificial intelligence. 

There has been a huge outburst of artificial intelligence used in fashion shows, magazine shoots and overall modeling. Fully AI-generated fashion shows and virtual runways. Virtual runways started due to Covid in 2020 (as most virtual things have) to allow New York, Paris, Milan and London to continue with their fashion week shows. Since then the runways have evolved from a video runway to a fully AI-generated runway. 

AI fashion week is a new event breaking barriers in the fashion industry. Having its debut last fashion week in New York, AI fashion week showcases collections of concept clothing. They aren’t functional garments, but they are extremely creative and fun to look at. But does it go any further than just being intriguing to the eye? Not necessarily. 

While it is a great opportunity for upcoming designers to put their name and ideas out there, if functional clothing is not showcased or physically produced from the show later on it is a pretty big waste for the public; but it is at least entertaining, right? 

AI runways and shoots are taking away from the legacy and the iconic brands and history that has been built up within the fashion industry. People are worried that, instead of polished, luxurious, exclusive and overall iconic, the fashion world will be seen as tacky, unspecial and overall a joke – taking back everything people have built the industry to be. People do not want to see legacies demolished by technology. 

One of the biggest AI controversies has been with Vogue, one of the most iconic names and magazines in fashion. Everyone knows Vogue and everyone knows its Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, and what she built Vogue up to be with her time there. In its July 2025 issue, Vogue used a hefty amount of AI generated models, causing consumers to cancel their subscriptions and express outrage online. 

Ethical battles arose as consumers were concerned with unrealistic beauty standards and loss of jobs. Others were just plainly unhappy with the decision, seeing it as inauthentic, tacky and cheap-looking – something so unexpected from Vogue. 

This took place shortly after Anna Wintour stepped down. Some consumers jumped to her defense feeling that the use of AI was disrespectful to the name and legacy she built within Vogue. 

As we continue into the age of Artificial Intelligence, it is unknown how far AI technology will go. How will AI transform life as we know it? Will it creep into everything we do and see, or will there be set boundaries that tradition and legacy won’t allow AI to cross?

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Hi! I’m Hannah Planey, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.