Fashion startup catering to diverse clientele through AI technology changes hands to new owners, now under a different company's umbrella.
In the world of fashion, technology is making strides to revolutionise representation and inclusivity. Browzwear, a digital apparel design software firm, has recently acquired Lalaland, an AI fashion model startup, with the aim of creating more diverse digital models for inclusive marketing.
According to Greg Hanson, CEO of Browzwear, Lalaland's hyper-realistic, diverse AI models supercharge trust and cut the time between concept and commerce. This partnership will enable brands like Levi's to feature diverse AI-generated fashion models, potentially broadening representation in ads.
However, this approach has faced criticism for being "artificial diversity," as it replaces human models—especially people of color—with digital ones, raising concerns about job displacement and authentic representation. A case in point is Vogue's use of an AI-generated model in a Guess ad, which was met with backlash for reinforcing dominant North American beauty standards rather than genuine diversity.
Seraphinne Vallora, an AI-driven marketing specialist, admitted that images featuring different skin tones or body types perform worse on social media, creating a cycle where sameness is rewarded and diversity marginalized. This amplifies underlying human biases through algorithms, threatening to undo the gains made over recent decades in inclusion.
Critics argue that AI models may make visibility harder for underrepresented groups, such as Black women, because AI-driven marketing tends to favor what is commercially successful rather than socially progressive. The controversy around Vogue’s AI model reflects broader worries about AI setting new, unrealistic standards of perfection, intensifying discrimination rather than reducing it.
On the other hand, proponents highlight that AI fashion models can showcase diversity in shapes and sizes, potentially reducing fashion waste by helping consumers find tailored fits. However, this promise is yet to be fully realised in practice and is overshadowed by concerns about reducing human modeling opportunities and erasing cultural authenticity.
Founded in 2019 by Michael Musandu and Ugnius Rimsa, Lalaland has been making waves in the industry. The startup has raised $4 million and worked with brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Levi's. Michael Musandu, Co-Founder and CEO of Lalaland, was listed in Forbes Europe 30 Under 30 in 2023. The Lalaland platform speeds up design-to-market timelines, reduces physical sampling, and supports sustainability by minimising waste.
As part of the acquisition, Michael Musandu and the rest of his tech team are being brought in-house by Browzwear. Lalaland was the only Dutch startup selected for Google's Black Founders Fund in 2021. The fashion brand Levi's partnered with Lalaland.ai with the intent to use AI-generated models and increase diversity in the fashion industry.
The incident adds to growing concerns about how AI may be reinforcing racial bias in fashion. As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial for the fashion industry to navigate these complexities, ensuring that AI is used to challenge and expand existing beauty biases rather than reinforcing them.
Image Credit: Arjan Benning
[1] BBC News [2] The Cut [3] The Guardian [4] Wired [5] Forbes
- The acquisition of Lalaland by Browzwear, an AI fashion model startup, aims to create more diverse digital models for inclusive marketing in the fashion industry.
- AI models, like those developed by Lalaland, can showcase diversity in shapes and sizes, potentially reducing fashion waste by helping consumers find tailored fits.
- However, the use of AI fashion models has faced criticism for reinforcing racial bias and potentially displacing human models, especially people of color.
- As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial for the fashion industry to navigate these complexities, ensuring that AI is used to challenge and expand existing beauty biases rather than reinforcing them.
