It’s the question buzzing through the corridors of fashion weeks, PR offices, and influencer meet & greet events, is artificial intelligence here to take our jobs, or to make them easier?

When I asked fashion designer Amit Aggarwal, he didn’t blink: “AI is a friend to us designers, not a threat.” For him, technology is an enabler, not a rival. But when I spoke to some bridal couturiers, the tone shifted. They admitted they were intrigued but also a little unsettled, wondering what exactly AI might mean for the industry, having built their career on. And then there are labels like Papa Don’t Preach by Shubhika, who jumped headfirst into the metaverse long before the rest of us stopped gasping. For her, embracing tech isn’t a debate, it’s a runway strategy.