Fashion tech firm Browzwear acquires AI model startup Lalaland from the Netherlands
In the world of fashion, a new player has emerged, aiming to address the long-standing issue of representation. Michael Musandu, co-founder and CEO of Lalaland, based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, established the startup with a mission to bring more diversity to fashion modelling, particularly for people of colour.
Lalaland specialises in AI-generated fashion models, a technology designed to support fashion companies' inclusion efforts by providing diverse, size-inclusive model avatars. This innovative approach has recently caught the attention of software firm Browzwear, which has acquired Lalaland.
Browzwear, renowned for its 3D design tools, allows fashion brands to prototype clothes without the need for physical samples. The acquisition aims to improve the accuracy of virtual body shapes for better fit prediction in Browzwear's software. Lalaland's AI team will also generate diverse, size-inclusive model avatars and automate product imagery, potentially reducing the need for traditional photo shoots.
However, the news of Levi's testing Lalaland's AI-generated avatars to showcase diverse body types on its website has sparked controversy. Critics argue that the move is a shortcut to the commercial benefits of diversity, while proponents see it as a step towards showcasing diverse shapes and sizes, potentially reducing waste by better matching consumer preferences.
Michael Musandu has been quick to clarify that Lalaland was never designed to replace traditional photo shoots or human models. Instead, he emphasises that Lalaland's technology aims to support, not replace, the role of human models in the fashion industry. Greg Hanson, Browzwear's CEO, has also confirmed that the Lalaland team is being brought fully "in-house."
The controversy highlights ongoing debates about the role of technology in the fashion industry. While AI-generated fashion models hold potential for inclusivity, current limitations in data and design often cause a negative impact on diversity and representation within the industry. Critics argue that AI models flatten intersectionality and erase complex diverse realities, effectively setting back the progress made in diversity over the past 15 years.
Despite these concerns, Michael Musandu remains optimistic. He sees the synergy with Browzwear as a "no-brainer" and believes that joining forces now will accelerate the positive impact Lalaland can have on the fashion industry. The debate, however, continues, with concerns not just about authenticity and representation but also ethical and environmental issues tied to AI deployments in fashion.
[1] [Article about AI and diversity in fashion] [2] [Article about the potential benefits of AI in fashion] [3] [Article about the controversies surrounding AI in fashion]
- In the realm of fashion, AI-generated models from Lalaland, a startup acquired by Browzwear known for its 3D design tools, aim to enhance diversity by providing inclusive, size-variant avatars, potentially revolutionizing the fashion business.
- The fusion of Lalaland's artificial-intelligence technology with Browzwear's 3D design tools has the potential to significantly impact the fashion industry, improving virtual body shapes for better fit predictions and automating product imagery, all while supporting, not replacing, the role of human models.
- Despite the promise of AI-generated models for inclusivity and diversity in fashion, critics raise concerns about the negative impact they might have, arguing that current limitations in data and design could erase complex diverse realities and set back progress made over the past 15 years, sparking debates about authenticity, representation, ethics, and environmental implications.
