Last week, the dress code for the 2026 Met Gala was officially announced: “Fashion Is Art”. Although at first this may seem like a rather obvious idea, it will inevitably draw attention to some of the most important (and controversial) disputes and developments in fashion right now – including what it actually is that constitutes both fashion and art. As AI begins to sneak its way into every corner of our lives, including our runways and wardrobes, the Met’s unabashed reminder that fashion in an art form, not just a means for making money, comes to mind. The question of whether AI has a place in art of any kind, and whether AI-generated art can authentically express anything, grows ever more pressing. I find that fashion, an art form we must all physically interact with on a daily basis, is the perfect place to start considering your stance on this important issue.

“It seems impossible to ignore the way in which AI use is only amplifying the already concerning environmental damage caused by fast fashion”

It would be impossible for me to even begin to outline the various ways in which AI will impact the future of fashion. Mainstream brands are beginning to use AI models, advertisements, and creative directions, not to mention the involvement of AI in the parts of the production process which we don’t see. And, just as it’s difficult to outline all of the ways in which AI will change how fashion works, it can be difficult to make a definite judgement about the impact of these technological developments. As I begin to consider this, what seems immediately impossible to ignore is the way in which AI use is amplifying the already concerning environmental damage caused by fast fashion. So dire and so obvious, it feels as if this shouldn’t need restating (although clearly it does), but I urge you to look into the wealth of information about AI’s negative environmental impact before forming your opinion. Seeing AI involved with fashion certainly leaves a bad taste in the mouth – to say the least – when considering the environmental consequences. However, it is also important to consider the artistic implications of incorporating AI into your personal sense of style.

When I’m putting on clothes in the morning, I like to think about Adam and Eve, and what Elaine Scarry famously calls the “first cultural act wholly independent of God”: using fig leaves to cover their bits. This reminds me of how singular fashion feels as a distinctly human form of artistic expression, a practice of creatively adorning our bodies to ready ourselves for each day. Unless you want to be a naked recluse in your room, fashion is unique in being an art form which you have to interact with. Even if you don’t consider yourself an otherwise artistic person, these are artistic choices that you are making, every single day. It’s important not to underestimate how valuable this is, as AI allows us to neglect these artistic choices, and people begin to let AI dictate the clothes they buy and wear. It would certainly seem a less exciting moment to me if Adam and Eve had the facilities to consult ChatGPT to regurgitate a lazily constructed look for them. And this applies when using AI to predict trends, too – if someone can’t even be bothered to actually invest in creating a trend, why on earth would you want to wear it?

“Unless you want to be a naked recluse in your room, fashion is unique in being an art form which you have to interact with”

For as long as fashion systems have existed, clothes have been integrally important to the conception and communication of our individual selves in the eyes of others. Clothes are intimately connected to identity, emotion, experience, to name only a few significant aspects. All of this points to their particular relevance to the experience of being human, and allowing AI to have a place in this mode of expression entirely underestimates its importance. The Met are right, fashion is art, and I suggest that you ensure it remains so in your life. For example, today I chose to wear my Vivienne Westwood +5° graphic tee, a reminder of a NASA projection that just a five-degree rise in global temperature would make much of the Earth entirely uninhabitable – a rather fitting expression of my concerns as I consider how necessary AI truly is.

This can all seem pretty bleak, especially as a young person interested in fashion, or art in general. Even if you’d like to turn a blind eye to AI’s environmental impact (while you still can) and underestimate the importance of authentic artistic expression, it’s also difficult to get past the fact that most content born of the unholy union between AI and fashion is undeniably uncool. However, let this act as a welcome reminder to make space for your own creative expression, and embrace imperfection and messiness in your art. Becoming practically involved in fashion, whether that is through designing, sewing, modelling, or just taking care as you choose what to wear, can be a great way to remain fully creatively engaged in your life.