LITTLE GREEN DRESS

Tech Intersects Fashion in 2026

By Karee Joy

January 13, 2026

Technology is rapidly expanding and spreading its innovations across every industry, and fashion is no exception. There are two facets of tech that businesses everywhere will certainly be utilizing in 2026.

You can’t go anywhere in the digital world without hearing one of them. Those two letters, A and I. Gen AI is the frontrunner of “tech” in 2026 and the years to come. Though it is not the same as Automation, the second facet of tech that will be implanted in every industry, they work hand in hand. Leaders in the fashion industry hope that these technological advances will ride in on a white horse and save them from the unpredictable terrain of the industry. This column will discuss why and how these tech tools will be implemented in the fashion world, and the impact it may have on consumer sentiment.

An analysis conducted by McKinsey “projects that the global fashion industry will… post low single-digit growth in 2026” (source),especially in America. Small single-digit growth has been the norm in the industry over the past few years. Given the current volatile economic state, people just aren’t buying fashion like they used to. Consumers are becoming strict about the value of the products they buy vs the price they pay.

Fashion retailers see the numbers and want to make the necessary adjustments to keep their businesses afloat. If a business wants to keep up with the ever changing landscape of the fashion industry, AI and automation will be its accelerator.

Fashion retailers will offset losses in consumer sentiment by improving their customers' online shopping experiences. Technological advances in artificial intelligence will enable more personalized online shopping experiences, which retailers hope will build a loyal customer base. This has the potential to fill the gap left by the stunted year-on-year growth in fashion retail sales.

Even if the leader of a business is not too keen on artificial intelligence, they may find it necessary to adopt it to avoid falling behind competitors. It seems like the only way to keep up in this rapidly shifting terrain.

ZMO.ai, one of the top tools for retailers, will be used to hyper-personalize their shoppers' online experience. Shoppers will be able to upload their own likeness with tools like this, and get a really clear visual of how, let's say, a blouse will fit them. This will not only be a potentially enjoyable and memorable experience for shoppers but will also likely drive conversions and reduce the likelihood of costly returns.

In 2026, we will witness the beta implementation of automation services in the fashion industry. Automation and artificial intelligence will actually work hand in hand to streamline administrative processes for existing fashion employees. It will more accurately predict trends in style, color, and consumer sentiment. Retailers hope that this will reduce waste.

Unfortunately, in a production setting, there are already automation tools that can replace a human altogether. For instance, an automated sewing machine, fabric cutter, or button placer. We may see fast-fashion brands use more of these tools in 2026 to cut labor costs, reduce the risk of error, and enhance their competitive edge.

Whether gen AI tools are used by fashion businesses directly to benefit customers or not, the well-known toll that gen AI is taking on the environment is enough to polarize attitudes towards its implementation in 2026. An industry that has already been deemed “the worst” for the environment, employing another industry that can consume “…up to 5 million gallons of water per day…”( source), is generally not a good look.

Many people assume that AI or automation takes job opportunities away from real people. In the fashion industry, which feels especially criminal, seeing as 11% of the world's working population is employed there.

When an AI modeling agency like Serraphine Vallora replaces an entire production team to produce a fashion campaign for big clients like Guess for a Vogue U.S. issue, the backlash will be palatable.

The intersection of tech and fashion in 2026 will likely spark a surge in participation in existing “anti-tech” movements, particularly in the apparel sector. Think: slow fashion and a greater focus on local sustainable fashion designers.

Whether we like it or not, fashion will not be immune to the spread of AI and automation. Businesses find it necessary to use given the unpredictable, fast-paced nature of the market. Through hyper-personalized shopping experiences, automated trend analysis, and growing anti-tech movements, tech's intersection with fashion will surely spark everlasting change in the fashion industry.