AI won't steal your job. But a Designer who uses it Might

French tailors rioted and destroyed a sewing machine factory in 1831 because they thought machines would end their livelihoods. Fast-forward to Melbourne Fashion Week 2025, and we're having the exact same debate about AI. History doesn't repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme.

What Went Down at Melbourne Fashion Week

This year at MFW, I stood on stage and made a case for something that apparently still needs defending: technology can amplify artisanship, not replace it. We examined the luxury tech stack, but really zoomed in on how local Australian artisans, the ones quietly supplying fabrics to Balenciaga, Chanel, and LVMH while bound by NDAs, can finally emerge from the shadows and build their own audiences.

The thesis was simple: automate everything that isn't your expertise, free up 80% of your time to actually create, and let simple tools like ChatGPT or Zapier multiply your productivity. Partner with tech-savvy problem solvers. Leverage platforms like Italian Artisan to reach global customers without sacrificing your unique story. Use tech to handle the grunt work so you can spend your days designing, not drowning in admin.

But the real magic happened in the round-table discussion that followed.

The Great AI Debate: Finding Middle Ground

Clare Press, sustainable fashion advocate and brilliant provocateur, kicked off what became one of the most honest conversations about AI in fashion I've witnessed. On one side: concerns about authenticity, environmental impact, Big Tech exploitation, and the fear that we'll all "go brain dead" relying on algorithms.

On the other side: the reality that designers who embrace these tools are freeing up significant time, competing more effectively, and actually becoming more creative because they're not buried in administrative drudgery. Business of Fashion profiled a copywriter who feared AI would threaten her job, instead, she learned to use it, became far more efficient, and earned a promotion.

The environmental concerns are valid, Google's data centre electricity jumped 17% in 2023 as AI usage surged. But here's the flip side: AI systems like "Octavia" have reduced fashion inventory waste by over 40% and optimised pattern-making to cut fabric waste by 60%, according to a 2024 Harvard ReVista case study. So which has the bigger impact?

Where we landed: AI is neither saviour nor villain. It's a tool that amplifies whatever you bring to it. Used thoughtfully, AI can handle your weak points (tedious admin, repetitive tasks, basic research) and amplify your strengths (creativity, storytelling, craftsmanship). The key word is thoughtfully. You remain the creative director, AI is your very efficient, occasionally clumsy intern.

Expertise must still be learned from first principles. AI won't magically turn a novice into an expert. But for designers who've mastered their craft and are drowning in busywork, AI can be the difference between burnout and thriving.

A Designer's Guide to AI

If you're curious but cautious, here's your entry point:

Step One: Audit your time. What's bogging you down that isn't actual design work? Formatting line sheets? Writing product descriptions? Scheduling social media? Sorting customer emails? Track your week and identify the busywork. These are your automation targets.

Step Two: Ask AI for solutions. Literally pose your problem to ChatGPT. "I spend five hours a week scheduling Instagram posts, what free tools can automate this?" One designer asked ChatGPT how to quickly visualise designs and got pointed to RepSketch, which offers drag-and-drop garment templates. That saved hours of sketching silhouettes from scratch.

Step Three: Implement with small steps. Don't overhaul everything overnight. Pick one task, maybe using an AI chatbot to draft product descriptions. Expect a learning curve. If you hit a hiccup, Google/ GPT it, watch a YouTube tutorial, or ask in online communities (Reddit). Or my inbox is always open. Each small win builds confidence.

And remember: you don't have to use AI as a creative design partner. Start with admin tasks only. Set your own boundaries. Maybe AI handles marketing copy, but your garment designs always start as hand sketches. That's 100% your choice.

Why It Matters Now

The fashion industry is splitting into three distinct categories, and understanding where you sit determines your survival strategy.

The Luxury Winners: Hermès, Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, these brands are absolutely killing it. They have money and they're brilliant storytellers. They've mastered the art of heritage narrative, artisanal craft, and exclusivity.

The Conglomerate Crisis: Then there's the massive middle, contemporary brands owned by conglomerates that are slowly losing their souls. Think of all those "affordable luxury" or "premium contemporary" brands that are starting to blend into one beige, logo-plastered blur. They have enormous advertising budgets, they plaster their campaigns everywhere, but consumers aren't resonating anymore.

The Little Guys' Golden Opportunity: Small businesses and independent designers are limited in resources but brimming with unique stories. You can't compete with Hermès, they've got centuries of heritage and endless capital. But you absolutely can compete with that soulless contemporary conglomerate for the growing cohort of consumers who are craving human connection through emotive storytelling.

Here's your edge: Gen Z and Millennials will drive 75% of global luxury spend by 2025, and they're channelling it into brands with authentic narratives. The resale market is growing five times faster than traditional retail because people want pieces with history, with soul, with story.

This is where AI becomes your secret weapon. You don't have a team of 50 handling your admin, customer service, social media, email marketing, and inventory management. But with AI handling most tasks, you, a creative designer, can compete like you do.

The playing field is levelling, but only for those willing to work smarter. AI won't give you a soul or a story, but it will give you the time to share the one you already have.

Pop-Feature

Mobiledock (Melbourne, AU)

What they do: This Melbourne startup turned loading docks from chaos to clockwork. Their cloud platform is "air traffic control for deliveries", carriers book slots, algorithms optimise schedules, and your distribution centre runs like a Swiss watch.

Why it matters: Fashion's seasonal inventory surges just met their match. Mobiledock users report 30% fewer loading bays needed and 40% higher throughput. For retailers, that's faster stock turnover and eliminated demurrage fees. Already deployed at Sydney's Barangaroo and Melbourne's Emporium.

Impact scorecard: 5/10. They've cracked a universal logistics problem with elegant simplicity. Any fashion distributor can implement it tomorrow. This is one of those hidden gems that never reaches headlines but is silently making everyone else look good.

Provocative Q: Do you still think AI is evil in creative spaces?

If you've got thoughts, hit reply, we love to chat. And if this made you rethink AI even a little, forward it to three mates who need to hear it.

See you in two weeks. Take care of yourself.

Grace & Rak