AI is no longer just a tech industry talking point. In fashion, and particularly in streetwear, it’s quietly reshaping how things are created, styled and experienced. From designers using AI to generate graphics and product ideas to brands launching fully immersive digital campaigns, artificial intelligence is beginning to shift the way fashion is imagined and consumed.
Current Archive spoke with trend analyst Lena Harris, who’s been tracking AI’s impact across design, culture and fashion. She works with both emerging labels and established names to help them navigate where creativity meets new technology.
“I think it’s a real shift,” she says. “At first, it felt like a gimmick, people were using Midjourney to make mood boards. But now designers are building actual collections based on AI-generated ideas, and that’s changing how fast they can move. It’s also opening doors for people who might not have formal training but still have vision. So yeah, it’s more than a phase.”
“Right now, AI is being used at both ends of the industry. Independent designers are experimenting with AI to prototype prints, logos and lookbooks on a budget. At the other end, larger brands are investing in digital-first experiences. One of the most recent examples is Reebok Impact, a collaboration between Reebok and tech company Futureverse.
The platform allows users to upload a personal photo memory, which is then used to generate a custom digital trainer. The result reimagines classic Reebok silhouettes , including the Pump, Classic Leather and Club C, using AI to interpret visual stories. The final designs can be worn inside virtual worlds like Roblox and Fortnite.
It’s free for up to four digital pairs, and Reebok has made it clear that more projects like this are on the way. In a press statement, CEO Todd Krinsky described it as a milestone in the brand’s approach to blending creativity and innovation.
Lena sees this kind of move as part of a bigger cultural moment. “You’re seeing it from two sides,” she says. “On one hand, small streetwear brands are using AI to sketch ideas fast and cheap, no big team, no huge resources. On the other, big brands like Reebok are connecting with people through digital fashion. But the indie side is where it really gets interesting. That’s where culture usually starts.”
Right now, many people are curious about AI in design, even buying into it just because it’s something new. But Lena believes that novelty alone won’t keep it going. “What matters is whether the design actually hits,” she says. “If it looks good and tells a story, most people won’t care how it was made. But if it feels lazy or like it’s been done before, they’ll pick up on that straight away.”
Of course, AI in fashion does raise some tricky questions. Originality is one of the big ones. A lot of the AI tools being used are trained on existing imagery, so it’s not always clear where the line is between inspiration and copying.
“There’s definitely a risk that everything starts to look the same if too many people rely on the same tools,” Lena says. “The best outcomes come when AI is used to push an idea further, not to replace it.”
Looking ahead, Lena predicts more collaboration between people and AI, rather than one replacing the other. “I think we’ll see designers using AI to generate a load of wild ideas, then picking one and developing it into something real. We’ll probably see collections that only exist digitally, too, in games or virtual shows. It’s all still taking shape. And that’s what makes it exciting. There’s room to explore.”
For now, AI is just one more tool in the fashion creator’s kit, but it’s already starting to change the pace and the possibilities. For streetwear especially, where remixing the norm has always been part of the game, it might just be the next step.
