Lectra white paper explores how agentic AI is reshaping fashion

Artificial intelligence in fashion is moving beyond isolated uses such as content generation and trend forecasting. When connected to company data, product information and business workflows, AI is becoming a strategic tool that can help fashion businesses make decisions, automate complex processes and work together across the value chain.

This shift is the focus of 'The Intelligence Edge Is Here', the latest white paper from The Lectra Observatory, the research arm of French fashion technology company Lectra. The report looks at how AI is changing product creation, manufacturing, marketing, traceability and collaboration.

Beyond productivity

Discussions about AI often centre on efficiency. According to the white paper, its greater potential lies in helping organisations work in new ways: moving faster, breaking down silos and making better-informed decisions. The companies best placed to benefit, it argues, will be those that combine technology with high-quality data, industry expertise and connected ecosystems.

"The companies that gain a competitive edge from AI will not necessarily be those with access to the most advanced models. They will be the ones that can combine AI with trusted data, strong industry expertise, and connected workflows. That's where intelligence becomes actionable and where real business value is created," said Maria Modroño, chief marketing and communications officer at Lectra.

The report also looks at the rise of agentic AI, a generation of AI that can coordinate and carry out multi-step workflows across systems. Rather than only responding to prompts, these agents can move work forward by connecting data, processes and teams across the product lifecycle.

Five areas where AI is creating value

Drawing on insights from fashion executives, AI specialists and industry leaders, the white paper identifies five areas where AI is already delivering results:

• Product creation: identifying emerging trends, streamlining design, shortening development cycles and improving collaboration between creative and technical teams.
• Manufacturing: optimising materials and production planning, improving supply chain visibility, reducing waste and responding faster to changes in demand.
• Marketing: giving brands deeper insight into consumer behaviour and campaign performance, and making advanced analytics more widely accessible.
• Traceability: supporting compliance and sourcing decisions as sustainability expectations and regulatory requirements grow.
• Collaboration: connecting people, processes and information so teams can align around a shared source of truth and decide faster.

According to Lectra, the question for the industry is no longer whether AI will have an impact, but how companies can make the most of it.

Download the new white paper from The Lectra Observatory to discover how AI is reshaping the future of fashion and what industry leaders can do to stay ahead.