Analysing AI with Begum Dogru Oztekin of Refabric

Released in The Interline’s AI Report 2024, this executive interview with Refabric is one of a fourteen-part series that sees The Interline quiz executives from companies who have either introduced new AI solutions or added meaningful new AI capabilities into their existing platforms.

For more on artificial intelligence in fashion, download the full AI Report 2023 completely free of charge and ungated.

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What’s your working definition of AI? Does it differ from the public understanding, which is currently dominated by large language models and generative text-to-image models? And how does that definition manifest itself in your solution(s)?

Refabric sets itself apart primarily through its specialization in the field of fashion. We meticulously train our model using thousands of contemporary fashion visuals, closely tracking the annual global fashion calendar and enhancing our model with pertinent visual and real-time data sourced from trend-setting social media accounts. Additionally, we provide comprehensive instruction on fabric details, texture, prints, characteristics, and color codes. As a result, our fashion-savvy software effectively addresses the commercial requirements of fashion brands and designers. While general AI platforms generate imagery to stimulate creativity, our focus is on the development of more feasible designs. Brands are conducting tailored training sessions with Refabric aimed at aligning the model with their unique identities and incorporating current data, thereby harmonizing their collections with future trends. Moreover, all design inputs and outputs occur within a fully personalized and private environment dedicated to the brand or individual. This emphasis on customization and exclusivity represents another notable distinction from mainstream artificial intelligence solutions in the market.

What do you see as the primary challenges facing creative designers today? Where does the current workflow – from gathering inspiration to actually proposing a style – break down? How can an AI design assistant help?

Initially, I would like to address the issue of limited inspiration sources, as all designers face constraints imposed by the same pool of inspiration and resources available to them. It is precisely at this juncture that we intervene, providing an inexhaustible wellspring of inspiration. Furthermore, we streamline all manual procedures and facilitate their alignment with designers’ unique brand DNA. We reduce time lost during the sampling process (pertaining to fabric, color, pattern, and accessories) through the visual modifications we offer.

The fashion design process is fraught with challenges: time constraints that stifle creativity, the struggle to balance past successes with future trends, the difficulties in visualizing designs before production, and the ever-present need for fresh inspiration. Refabric addresses these pain points head-on, offering a suite of AI-powered tools designed to empower fashion brands and professionals to overcome these obstacles effortlessly.

Our Solutions: A Comprehensive Approach:

• Design Solutions: Our AI fashion tools enable designers to rapidly generate diverse, on-trend design options, significantly reducing the time from concept to collection.
• Production Solutions: We transform written prompts into detailed 3D designs, streamline the transition from sketch to product, and automate pattern creation, making production readiness more efficient than ever.
• Marketing Content Solutions: Refabric introduces AI Fashion Photography and Models, revolutionizing brand imagery with an intelligent blend of art and technology.
• E-commerce Solutions: Our platform enhances online retail experiences through intelligent automation and AI, turning product data into engaging, personalized shopping journeys.

From your perspective, what does it mean to incorporate AI into the real product lifecycle – not just as a creative design aid, but as an integral piece of the extended journey of technical design, development, engineering, fit, material selection and so on? What will it take to anchor AI in concrete disciplines like patternmaking and material optimisation?

Thanks to our system, individuals across stages of the production life cycle, from design conception to the retail process, including fashion designers, manufacturers, merchandisers, marketers, buyers, and others, can utilize the same platform to manage their tasks seamlessly. This encompasses a broad spectrum of functions, ranging from product design to sales and marketing. Consequently, the entire workflow operates with enhanced efficiency and sustainability. During the design phase, cost calculations are made based on selected fabrics, and collaborative efforts with buying and merchandising teams are coordinated. In terms of driving efficiency and fostering innovation, I believe that AI will soon become integral to disciplines such as patternmaking and material optimization. Technological advancements in these areas are progressing rapidly.

Additionally, I would like to elucidate the conveniences provided by Refabric through several points:

• Trend Analysis and Forecasting: Real-time market trend analysis and future predictions from runways, social media blogs, celebrity trends, and more.
• Private AI Training: Customizes AI with the brand’s past data, fabrics, mood boards, attributes, and color palettes.
• Image-to-Design:  Converts images into editable design elements.
• Sketch-to-Design: Transforms hand-drawn, technical-drawn, and sketches into digital designs.
• Prompt-to-Design: Generates design concepts based on textual descriptions.
• Team Collaboration: Enhance productivity with tools that facilitate real-time collaboration across design teams.
• Prints Creations: Designs and creates custom prints for fabrics and garments.
• Color Code Integration: Incorporate precise color codes to ensure consistency and accuracy in design palettes.
• Attribute integration: Seamlessly combine sketch elements from an extensive library to perfect your design.
• Prompt-to-3D: Transform written prompts into detailed 3D designs, bringing concepts to life.
• Print Implementation: Directly apply prints onto designs for an instant preview of the finished look.
• Pattern Block Creation: Automatically generate pattern blocks from designs for streamlined production readiness.
• Lookbook/Linesheet Photo Shooting: Display clothing on a diverse model portfolio that embodies your brand’s style.

Thinking one step higher, do you see a role for AI in the backend and operational side of fashion? What challenges in the extended value chain, from CSR to costing, do you believe AI might be able to address?

The fashion industry stands at a critical juncture, marked by projected market value growth and an increasing emphasis on sustainable and digital innovations. According to “The State of Fashion 2024” report by McKinsey, an overwhelming 73% of fashion executives have identified generative AI as a priority, indicating a clear and decisive shift towards technologies that promise to fundamentally redefine fashion design and production.

The potential of generative AI in fashion is immense, with projections indicating that applications of this technology could contribute up to 25% of the industry’s future value. This shift represents more than just an enhancement of existing processes; it signifies the pioneering of new realms of creativity, efficiency, and sustainability. Refabric stands at the vanguard of this transformation, offering solutions and a new vision for the fashion industry.

Refabric is at the forefront of revolutionizing the fashion industry by advancing the digitalization of the product life cycle, emphasizing sustainability and innovation. Our commitment to integrating AI into every stage of fashion’s PLC ensures a future where design, production, and consumption are seamlessly aligned with eco-friendly practices. The sampling process reduces costs associated with labor and production. By engaging in on-demand manufacturing, production is tailored to items guaranteed to be sold, thereby eliminating excess inventory. Additionally, a more profitable collection emerges by combining past data with emerging trends. Refabric isn’t just predicting the future of fashion; we are actively building it, leading the industry towards a digitally enhanced and sustainable horizon.

Whether we look at the entire value chain or just a narrow segment of it, why do you think that now is the time to implement a different approach? Do you believe AI is mature enough for all these different personas across the product lifecycle to put their trust in?

I strongly believe that now is the opportunity for deeper involvement in the fashion and textile life cycle, with each passing day proving its increasing significance. Particularly, AI technology stands ready to revolutionize the manufacturing sector, offering optimization of production processes, enhancement of product quality, and minimization of waste. Through predictive maintenance, AI can anticipate machinery failures before they occur, thereby reducing downtime and maintenance costs. Moreover, AI-powered analytics can streamline supply chain management, forecast market trends, and facilitate more informed decision-making.

Simultaneously, machine learning algorithms hold the potential to significantly enhance quality control. By analyzing real-time data from the manufacturing process, AI systems can pinpoint defects or inconsistencies that may elude human inspectors, ensuring heightened product quality and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, automation driven by AI can undertake repetitive tasks, liberating human workers for more intricate and creative endeavors. This not only boosts productivity but also fosters innovation.

Hence, it is imperative for manufacturers, designers, and fashion brands to embrace integration with AI technologies, as it represents not just a necessity but a pathway to sustainable growth and competitive advantage in the industry.

What do you see as the near-term future of AI – both within your solution(s) and in general? Do you believe it will be a transformative class of technologies the way people expect?

We are rapidly progressing towards a real and significant transformation in the fashion workflow. AI technology is vastly different from what we have known so far. It holds immense potential to change how we operate on a daily basis, how we create, market, and sell our products. We are in communication with fashion retailers, manufacturing brands, and institutions both globally and locally. Everyone we speak to has high expectations and excitement for AI technology. They are eager to integrate the compact package of solutions we offer, from design to manufacturing, e-commerce to marketing, because, ultimately, everyone’s goal is to improve the workflow. There is significant demand, and we are doing our best to meet it.

We’ve actually selected the LVMH Acceleration Program at La Maison des Startups LVMH. This year-long program connects us with leading luxury brands, offering us unique opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and growth. Being selected for this program is a testament to the innovation and potential of Refabric’s technology. It places us on a global stage, allowing us to demonstrate our capabilities in enhancing fashion and textile operations with cutting-edge AI solutions.