Marina Pereira says AI will support fashion, not replace designers

Brazilian designer Marina Pereira argues that artificial intelligence will change fashion workflows but not the human judgment behind design, craftsmanship, and education. Her comments come as AI adoption rises across the industry and as her work appears in LoveShackFancy’s Spring 2027 collection at New York Fashion Week.

Why it matters: - Artificial intelligence is already reshaping fashion operations, from imagery to customer service. - Marina Pereira argues the industry’s core value still comes from human creativity, craftsmanship, and taste. - Her view reflects a broader debate over whether AI will speed up fashion work or flatten originality.

What happened: - Brazilian designer Marina Pereira, based in New York, spoke about AI’s role in fashion, design, craft, and education. - Pereira’s designs recently appeared in the LoveShackFancy Spring 2027 collection at New York Fashion Week. - A new feature on Pereira is available in Influencer Magazine. - New York Art Life previously profiled Pereira in a feature on embroidery design and print design.

The details: - Pereira has worked at Marchesa, Altuzarra, Sea New York, and LoveShackFancy. - She said AI can generate images quickly, but it cannot feel, remember, or touch. - Pereira said AI may support designers, but it will not replace them in the next ten years. - She said AI can help with routine work such as sorting research images, organizing line sheets, and suggesting colorways. - Pereira said the creative decision, the idea, the mood, and the final edit must remain with people. - In her studio work, Pereira creates tech packs with construction details, specs, and bills of materials. - She also attends fittings to judge proportion, comfort, and finish. - Pereira said small adjustments, such as sleeve length or embroidery placement, depend on touch, eyes, and experience. - At Marchesa, Pereira developed embroideries and drapes with the Head of Embroidery. - She worked on a gown worn by Georgina Chapman at the 2023 Met Gala. - She also worked on a dress worn by Da'Vine Joy Randolph at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. - Pereira said each bead and placement choice served a purpose, and the team tested scale, density, color, and placement repeatedly. - She said sameness is a risk when many designers use the same tools and data. - Pereira said originality will matter more as AI-generated images multiply. - She grew up in São Paulo and earned a Sigbol Fashion Certificate for Patternmaking in 2017. - She worked as an assistant designer at Gule in São Paulo before moving to New York. - Pereira earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design from Parsons School of Design at The New School. - Her thesis collection, EVA Autumn/Winter 2022, was featured in The Ritz Herald. - Pereira said Brazil gave her heart and New York gave her structure. - She said crochet and lace show the presence of the human hand, and customers can feel that difference. - She believes handmade surfaces may become a stronger signature of human creativity in an AI-heavy market. - Pereira works with pattern makers and sample makers in New York who bring decades of knowledge. - She said brands should use technology to save time on routine tasks and reinvest that time in artisans and quality. - She said art schools and the humanities matter more as AI handles more routine work. - At Parsons, professors pushed her to defend every design decision. - Pereira said that training taught her to observe, question, and build a point of view. - She pointed to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which expects creative thinking and curiosity to grow in importance through 2030. - She advised young designers to stay curious, learn new tools, master technical skills, treat every job as a school, and protect a personal point of view.

Between the lines: - Pereira’s argument is less about rejecting technology than about protecting the parts of fashion that depend on memory, culture, and judgment. - Her emphasis on embroidery, patternmaking, and fittings suggests that AI may be useful in preparation, but not in final creative decisions. - The push toward handmade surfaces could become a branding advantage as AI-generated visuals become more common. - Her position aligns with industry concerns that efficiency gains could come at the cost of distinctiveness.

What's next: - Pereira expects designers to use AI more often for research organization and factory communication. - She still expects people to drape fabric, debate proportions, and approve final samples. - Pereira wants to collaborate more with artisans and blend traditional handcraft with modern techniques. - She said technology can help with that goal, but it cannot dream for designers.

The bottom line: - Pereira’s message is clear: AI may accelerate fashion, but human hands and human judgment still define the work that matters most.