AI and the Changing Faces of Fashion Design – Insights from Africa Fashion Week London

Sunday August 10th 2025 is a very special date to remember as it represents the 15th edition of Africa Fashion Week London launched by Queen Ronke.

In this panel discussion, four experts will explore how AI is reshaping fashion design. From creative innovation to business strategy, the panel revealed the opportunities and risks of AI, including speed-to-market, profitability, and brand leadership.

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AI and the changing faces of Fashion design

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant concept — it is here, actively transforming the way the fashion industry thinks, creates, and delivers.
At this year’s Africa Fashion Week London, a dedicated panel discussion titled AI and the Changing Faces of Fashion Design brought together four distinguished speakers to explore how AI is reshaping creativity, operations, and the business models behind fashion brands.

The speakers are 

• Ifeanyi Nwune
• Daniel Getachen
• Dr Sandra Walberta Powers and
• Thierry Bayle

The panel, hosted in front of a full audience of designers, entrepreneurs, and fashion enthusiasts, will be as much about the future of creativity as it will be about building profitable and sustainable fashion businesses.

Let's do some forward thinking and make sure you check our follow-up blog post. Register.

AI: Creative Partner or Risk to Originality?
The discussion should open with the acknowledgement that AI can act as a creative partner — enhancing ideation, trend forecasting, and prototyping. However, it is clear that without the human designer’s cultural understanding, brand DNA, and storytelling power, AI-generated designs risk becoming generic. GFM Founder, Thierry Bayle will repeat that: “Creativity without commercial clarity is just a beautiful expense.”

From Design to Demand — The Business Case for AI
Another critical point was AI’s ability to help brands bridge the gap between inspiration and commercial success. From testing market sentiment before production to identifying pricing sweet spots, AI offers the chance to reduce unsold stock and increase profitability. But this requires more than just tech adoption — it demands a business mindset and an understanding of how data translates into decisions.

The Speed Advantage — and the Supply Chain Challenge
AI can radically shorten the time from concept to customer, but speed alone isn’t enough. Without supply chain alignment, the benefit is lost. The panel will need to stress the importance of pairing AI design tools with agile production models, including on-demand manufacturing, to reduce waste and respond quickly to market shifts.

AI Hallucinations — The Hidden Risk
One of the more thought-provoking moments came when the issue of AI hallucinations that will be raised. Hallucination — where AI confidently produces incorrect or misleading outputs — can occur in up to 20% of results, depending on the tool and prompt. In fashion, this could mean wrong trend predictions, flawed specifications, or inadvertent copyright infringement. The message was clear: AI is powerful, but it needs leadership, checks, and strategic oversight to prevent costly mistakes.

The Leadership Imperative
For sure, Thierry will conclude with a reminder that the most valuable asset in any fashion brand is still the person steering it. AI cannot replace leadership, strategic thinking, or the discipline to turn ideas into profit. As Global Fashion Management’s perspective highlighted: “Build your business mindset, sharpen your leadership, and let AI serve your vision — not the other way around.”

At Africa Fashion Week London, this session was more than a tech talk — it was a call to action for designers and entrepreneurs to embrace AI with both creativity and commercial intelligence. The changing faces of fashion design will be defined not by the technology itself, but by the leaders who know how to guide it.

Global Fashion Management is THE trusted Business Expert who will bring creative and critical thinking to ensure you build a financially sustainable fashion brand and business.
If you want to go far, go together!

The future of fashion belongs to those who blend creativity with commercial clarity.
Are you ready to lead in the age of AI? Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with Global Fashion Management to explore how we can help your brand thrive. 
We have partnered with AI expert to ensure you achieve your goal for 2025 and beyond.

PS - All panel discussions and the exhibition are free to attend.

Location: Space House - 1 Kemble Street Space House London WC2B 4AN
AI and Fashion Design Panel Discussion Start Time: 1.15pm - August 10th 2025