The fashion industry's race for cutting-edge technology is shifting into high gear. Companies are integrating artificial intelligence (AI) across tasks such as product planning, design and marketing, launching products equipped with actual AI features, and even putting a Humanoid Robot on the fashion show runway.
On the 27th, according to related industries, eyewear and sunglasses brand Gentle Monster recently drew attention for handling the design of AI glasses developed jointly by Google and Samsung Electronics. The sunglasses feature the brand's signature unique oval horn-rim frames, while the eyeglasses use soft round rims.
Meta, for its part, introduced AI glasses in partnership with sunglasses brands Ray-Ban and Oakley. Ray-Ban Meta launched with frame designs that represent Ray-Ban, including Wayfarer, Skyler and Headliner. Oakley Meta was made in a goggle form optimized for running, cycling and outdoor environments.
Fashion brands are extending their influence beyond ordinary accessories into the next-generation wearable device market. While AI glasses have evolved around functionality so far, design and fit have emerged as key competitive edges in the popularization phase, highlighting the role of fashion brands.
AI adoption is already in full swing across the fashion industry. Apparel companies have begun using AI technology across product planning, design and marketing. Consumers are also frequently encountering AI shopping services, virtual fittings and lookbooks using AI models on online platforms or applications (apps).
LF Corp. became the first among domestic fashion specialty malls to launch the LF Mall app on OpenAI's ChatGPT and introduced a conversational shopping service. If customers enter time, place and occasion (TPO), style, purchase purpose and brand into the AI, they can receive product recommendations within LF Mall. The company plans to expand to image recognition–based style recommendations and features linked to offline stores.
In particular, AI-generated content is spreading rapidly in online shopping. As AI-made models, lookbooks and short-form videos increase, controversies such as plagiarism have also flared. Recently, allegations arose that the lookbook of Mardi Mercredi, operated by Piece Piece Studio Co., Ltd., resembled that of luxury brand Chloé, and it was later revealed that the Mardi lookbook was an AI image without separate labeling.
AI education and support programs for fashion corporations are also emerging. The Korea Fashion Association has begun operating an educational program that integrates AI technology across the industry value chain. The aim is to boost brand competitiveness by applying AI-based trend sensing, market research, product planning and sales data analysis to practical operations.
The fashion show scene is changing as well. Galaxy Corporation will hold the world's first robot fashion show on the 28th and put a Humanoid Robot on the runway. At last year's Seoul Fashion Week, a model from a fashion brand drew attention by appearing on the runway wearing a wearable robot.
A Humanoid Robot also appeared at one of the biggest events in the U.S. fashion scene this year, the Met Gala. Chinese Humanoid corporations AgiBot unveiled the Humanoid Robot "AgiBot A2," created in collaboration with designer Alexander Wang.
Hansae will hold an event next month to introduce a future robot apparel concept and will unveil Humanoid Robot fashion planned by more than 140 designers. The company said it will present future apparel that realizes, through designers' imaginations, what clothes Humanoid Robots might wear in daily life.
Sung Rae Eun, vice chair of Youngone Holdings and head of the Korea Fashion Association, said at the 2026 Global Fashion Forum on the 22nd, "The fashion industry is facing a paradigm shift amid a rapidly changing technological environment," and added, "We need to maximize fashion management efficiency using AI and consider strategies optimized for AX (AI transformation)."