Exploratory Study on the Application of Image-Generating AI in Fashion Design Education : Using the Sketch-to-Image Method

This study aims to explore the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the fashion industry and how it can be integrated into existing fashion processes and design education. The research methodology was divided into two phases: an exploratory case study and in-depth interviews. In the first phase, sketches from the early and late stages of the fashion design process were fed into a real-world image-generating AI tool. In the second phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with fashion design education experts to assess the general use of AI in fashion design, while focus group interviews were conducted regarding the outputs generated by Mind Print, a generative AI. The results of the exploratory case study showed that the degree of freedom of the input stimulus determined the variety of outputs generated: in the early stages of the design process, when creativity is required, it was found that hand-drawn stimuli with high degrees of freedom are appropriate, while in the later stages, when accuracy of realism is required, digital drawings with low degrees of freedom were suitable for refining design elements to produce realistic image results. Through in-depth interviews, it was found that the more frequently instructors used generative AI, the more it positively impacted their perceptions of practical usability. As such the study concluded that for the practical and effective use of AI, both instructors and students require training in the use of generative AI before it can be applied to the curriculum. In addition, this study examined the detailed step-by-step application of AI in the fashion design process, identified the attitudes of educators toward AI tools, and suggested ways to increase their intention to continue using AI. We feel it is significant that the study identified positive attitudes toward the use of AI in fashion education as well as the need for prior exposure to AI tools and support for AI adoption.