Desigual Leverages AI to Expand Creativity and Streamline Operations
The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in fashion has sparked curiosity and experimentation. Now, many brands face a crucial question: how can AI complement human creativity without diluting a brand’s essence? For Desigual, the answer lies in blending human intuition with AI’s capabilities to enhance, not replace, their creative process.
Since 2019, Desigual has been on a rebranding path, finding in AI a versatile tool to boost both creativity and market presence. Their open innovation programme, Awesome Lab, partners with tech start-ups to accelerate digital transformation. The latest focus on generative AI has led to projects that range from product design to personalized marketing campaigns.
AI as a Creative Partner, Not a Substitute
One standout collaboration is with Neural Fashion, a creative start-up. Together, they produced Desigual’s first editorial campaign featuring garments generated entirely by AI. Using tools like Flux and OpenAI models, the campaign showcased how AI can extend a brand’s visual language rather than serve as a mere aesthetic gimmick.
Sergio González, AI Lead at Desigual, emphasizes that AI is integrated across departments—not just marketing. From generating visuals and creative concepts to automating repetitive tasks in IT and finance, AI frees up time and resources for bigger, traditional campaigns. “The goal is to expand possibilities, not replace talent,” González explains. Human input remains essential—from art direction to retouching—ensuring AI outputs align with the brand’s vision.
Facing Technical Challenges Head-On
Despite progress, AI integration isn’t without hurdles. Some brands, like Labfresh, stopped using AI after encountering inconsistent results and poor social media engagement. Neural Fashion acknowledges these challenges, especially inconsistencies in AI-generated faces, but proposes a shift in approach.
Instead of forcing AI to mimic flawless human photoshoots, they suggest embracing its unique traits. This means creating visuals that celebrate AI’s quirks and connect with audiences in new ways. Their work with Desigual reflects this mindset, opting for visual stories that don’t rely on perfect model replication.
Adapting to AI’s Evolving Landscape
Neural Fashion’s Minerva Garcia points out that AI technology is rapidly improving. What seems limiting today could be resolved with tomorrow’s tools. Their strategy involves dynamically combining different AI models and resources, adapting to each campaign’s needs. This agility helps maintain a creative edge while navigating AI’s current constraints.
Co-founder Roser Bagó encourages creatives to view AI as a source of fresh ideas rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. Success comes from curiosity and openness, not expecting exact, finished results right away.
Future Directions: Consistency and Transparency
Desigual is exploring AI-generated images for product pages, focusing on maintaining consistent models using digital twins. This technology, already adopted by brands like H&M, creates digital replicas of real models for marketing while respecting transparency and fair compensation.
Desigual stresses the importance of honesty with consumers. AI-generated images are clearly labeled to build trust rather than deceive. This openness becomes part of the creative narrative itself.
- AI is a tool to amplify creativity, not replace human emotion and intuition.
- Successful AI integration requires embracing its unique strengths and limitations.
- Transparency about AI use fosters consumer trust.
- Agility in adopting new AI tools keeps creative projects fresh and relevant.
Desigual’s experience shows the future of visual communication is hybrid. Technology can free creatives from routine tasks and open new storytelling avenues without sacrificing the brand’s soul. For those in creative roles, this means AI offers fertile ground for experimentation—if approached with an open mind and clear purpose.
For creatives eager to explore AI’s potential in their workflows, training and resources are available at Complete AI Training.
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