Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Management

Charting Digital Fashion: Categorizing Applications and Navigating Generative AI’s Transformative Impact

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Abstract

This conceptual study categorizes digital fashion applications through a forward-looking lens, addressing overlaps and ambiguities in existing classifications in light of Generative AI (GenAI)’s emergence. Drawing on an extensive literature review and real-world cases, we propose two key dimensions: digital-twin versus digital-only fashion, and non-realistic appearances versus highly realistic representations, resulting in eleven distinct applications. A novel matrix illustrates GenAI’s transformative impact across six levels, from high disruption in social media and gaming to more limited influence in physically aligned uses. While GenAI enhances creativity and operational efficiency, it also intensifies competition, prompting brands to emphasize visual engagement for digital-only fashion and service differentiation for digital-twin applications. Overall, the findings address gaps in current research, guide future investigations, and provide strategic insights for industry adaptation in the GenAI era.

Keywords: Digital fashion, Generative AI (GenAI), Digital-twin fashion, Digital-only fashion, Metaverse, NFTs

How to Cite:

Zhang, Y., Liu, C. C., Xia, S. & Zhao, R., (2025) “Charting Digital Fashion: Categorizing Applications and Navigating Generative AI’s Transformative Impact”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21527