Vladimir Druts 💪

FRWRD Skincare™

Experience the magic of 🍄 mushrooms with FRWRD Skincare, a pioneer in the beauty industry. Our mushroom-infused products are perfect for sensitive skin and designed to streamline your daily routine. Come find out why our customers love us.

Featured in 📣 Byrdie, Elle, Martha Stewart Living, Buzzfeed, Nuvo and many other prominent publications.

🖤 Canadian Crafted, Globally Minded: Our Canadian-made serum represents a commitment to your skin's health and our planet's future. Each use revitalizes your skin and centers your mind, embracing eco-conscious beauty.

🌲 Empowerment in Every Routine: Enhance your skincare with our Ritual Card Deck. These affirmations turn daily care into a moment of mental strength and positivity, transforming your bathroom into a sanctuary of self-care.

Founder

Reclaim Time Ltd

Building the Future of Deep Work, through the world's most robust digital distraction blocker.

Advisor

DoneSquad.io

DoneSquad is a personal growth accelerator where small wins compound into big successes through squad-based accountability. Join Up, Step Up, Scale Up

Tequila Sunrise

Tequila Sunrise is a team of daring, creative and data-driven retention marketers, obsessed with helping you stand the f*ck out, create irresistible offers and turn one-time buyers into raving fans. Our clients see an average email revenue growth of 963.76%

Head of sales and marketing

Intangible

Storytelling is the oldest and most powerful marketing tool. We harness it's power to transform your brand's story into a powerful tool for engagement and impact, turning abstract ideas into memorable experiences with tangible results.

Key achievements:
🏆 Clutch Leader in Canadian B2B Service Providers for Video Production (2019, 2020).
🎯 Successfully overachieved funding goals by 150%-300% in crowdfunding campaigns.
📈 Generated viral content with millions of views and substantial media engagement.
📰 Secured client features in top-tier publications like FastCompany, Forbes, Gizmodo, and more.

Vladimir Druts

Helping Technical Founders Grow Through Tailored Marketing Strategies & Data-Driven Insights:

Product-Market Fit & Value Propositions: Struggling to find your market niche? I guide you through pivotal shifts and user testing to hone your messaging, ensuring it resonates deeply with your ideal customer.

Data-Driven Marketing Strategies: Stalled growth is not a dead end. Together, we'll dissect your data, aligning marketing efforts with your core business objectives to drive meaningful ROI.

Beyond Shiny Object Syndrome: It's easy to get lost in the latest trends. I help you maintain focus on what truly works, blending innovation with proven strategies for a balanced approach to growth.

Customized Marketing Plans: No one-size-fits-all solutions here. Expect a bespoke marketing strategy that leverages your unique strengths and market position, designed for measurable success.

Streamlining Lead Generation: Complex funnels? Cumbersome email campaigns? Let's simplify. By implementing automation and crafting compelling content, we'll ensure your leads not only grow in number but also in quality.

🌟 Client Spotlight: Justin Hunt of Poodll 🌟

"We sought Vladimir 's help at a time when our business had stopped growing and we were struggling to get back on track. Some consultants just fire off commonly spouted saas wisdom. But Vlad was great. He took the time to research our market and our business and to really understand it. Only then did he come back with his advice. His advice included some quick wins (e.g ways get leads at trade shows) but mainly it was an actionable set of steps and processes that we could use to get our business growing again. The results have been fantastic. Life still is not easy, but we have so much more clarity on where to put our energy and its working. I recommend Vlad without any reservation and am happy to talk with you about our experience."

Growth Consultant

Valeyo

Strategic Leader in Systems Implementation and Customer Experience Enhancement: Successfully managed large-scale SAP system implementation and LOS rollouts for new customers, significantly improved customer satisfaction and communication channels through a comprehensive implementation of ticketing system, and maintained an efficient knowledge base. Supervised and mentored a team of 4 Tech Desk Support Analysts to achieve organizational objectives.

Client Support Lead / PM / Subject Matter Expert

MicroAge

Dynamic Project Manager in Technology Infrastructure: Spearheaded the deployment of technology infrastructure across new TD banking locations in Ontario and Manitoba. Excelled in ensuring timely, accurate, and cost-efficient execution of each project. Demonstrated strong leadership in managing complex logistical challenges, adhering to strict timelines and budget constraints, and consistently delivering high-quality results.

Project Manager

Founder. Marketer.

What a man needs is not some tension-less state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. - Victor Frankel

fashionINSTA.AI

FashionINSTA is the first AI tool that generates .dxf patterns that are ready to be stitched. 

With over 15 years of experience in product development and pattern drafting, we know that all garments have only one thing in common - THE PATTERN. 

Pattern is the core of every garment - it's how a designer's idea becomes a tangible good.

-> From the pattern depends if your customer will love your product, or will send it back, writing negative reviews.
-> From the pattern depends if the garment will cost you $50 or $500 in production
-> From the pattern depends if the garment is what the designer envisioned it to be


We love AI-generated fashion images, but we know they are worth nothing if they are not feasible in the real world. That's why fashionINSTA was born - we give you a tool that makes those images REAL GARMENTS.

Co-Founder & CEO

Teaching Digital Making of Fashion
- Introduction to AI tools for fashion - best use cases, available tools, and ways to always be up to date with evolving technology.
- CLO3D - from basics to advanced
- Patternmaking & fittings in CLO3D
- Adobe Substance and Unreal Engine for Fashion - showcasing garments in real-time app
- 3D + AI - how to take the best of two technologies to establish a fully digital product development process and unlock on-demand manufacturing

Lecturer - Digital Making of Fashion

Timberland, a VF Company

- Driving genAI tools implementation and development within Timberland Product Hub
- Serving as the in-house expert, enhancing the brand's 3D/AI skills and introducing innovative workflows.
- Delivering 100% of the collection in 3D (driving the team of 7+ external collaborators).
- Providing hands-on support in 3D sewing, adjusting fit and fabric, selecting materials, streamlining automation processes, and rendering, ensuring our presentations are of the highest standard.
- Took the lead on significant projects, including the creation of a 3D trim library for Timberland, which set a standard for all VF brands, and the development of a versatile 3D avatar that perfectly aligns marketing visuals with real-world fitting.
- Pioneering technology integration with a people-centric approach, emphasizing the importance of human touch in driving innovation. Advocating for leveraging technology as a tool that amplifies, not replaces, human creativity.
- I champion change management initiatives using the ADKAR method, ensuring that technology adoption is smooth and employees feel valued and guided in the process.
- Vigilantly test and adopt new technologies and industry practices, ensuring we're ahead of the curve and making informed decisions on training, software, and resources.

Skills:
Maya, ZBrush, Vstitcher, Adobe Substance, Garment Construction, Adobe Illustrator, Fashion Design, Textiles, Fashion, 3D Modeling, 3D, ZBrush, Substance Designer, Unreal Engine, Manufacturing Process Improvement, Analytical Skills, New Business Development, Product Management, Problem Solving, Generative AI, Photoshop, Computer Ethics, Project Management, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Business Analysis, Research and Development (R&D),

3D Apparel Specialist |  Vstitcher, Unreal Engine, Maya, Adobe Substance, AI, Process Innovation

E-THICAL Digital Fashion

At E-THICAL, I consistently harnessed my expertise to drive innovations in 3D fashion, ensuring our designs were not just visually appealing but also sustainable and inclusive. My dedication to the role ensured we remained at the forefront of technological advancements in the fashion industry. 

- I championed the use of cutting-edge technologies to foster sustainability in fashion. One notable achievement was transitioning from physical to digital samples, making the process 70% faster and reducing costs by 50% for our clients
- Managed and executed R&D projects, enhancing the quality and efficiency of our 3D design processes.
- Played a pivotal role in promoting digital samples over physical ones, highlighting their cost-efficiency, speed, and sustainability benefits.
- Collaborated with a team of specialists to innovate and implement 3D solutions, leveraging tools like Maya, ZBrush, Vstitcher, CLO3D, Unreal Engine, Adobe Substance Package.

Skills:
Unreal Engine, Maya, ZBrush, Vstitcher, Clo 3D, Adobe Substance, Photoshop, Project Management, Garment Construction, Adobe Illustrator, Product Development, Fashion Design, 3D Modeling, Substance Designer, substance Painter

Technical Director & 3D Fashion Developer | Unreal Engine, Clo3D, Vstitcher, ZBrush, Maya

Max Mara Fashion Group

At Max Mara Fashion Group, I began my role as a seamstress, mastering the fine details of garment creation. 
As I advanced, I further developed my expertise in pattern making, ensuring accuracy in every design. Recognizing the potential of digitization, I transitioned into 3D fashion development. In this role, I bridged the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern design techniques. Collaborating closely with designers, I translated concepts into 3D models, ensuring each digital garment mirrored the quality and standards of its physical counterpart. 
This blend of hands-on experience and tech-savviness enabled me to offer invaluable insights and solutions in the sample room, making designs come to life in both the physical and digital realms.

Skills:
Analytical Skills, Clo 3D, Problem Solving, Photoshop, Garment Construction, Pattern Making, Adobe Illustrator, Apparel Design, Microsoft Excel, Product Development, Fashion Design, Textiles, Fashion, 3D Design.

Sample Room Consultant | 3D Fashion Development, Pattern Design, Seamstress

3D Fashion Developer/Pattern Maker/ Sample Maker

Optimizing Fashion Industry processes with 3D & AI | Whispering the Secrets of Fashion Tech | Keynote Speaker & Fashion Geek

I am ambitious.
I am creative.
I am bold.

Let me introduce myself.

Instead of telling you what I love, 
I'll let you know what I hate!

→ I hate to be stuck.
Or you grow, or you die. 
Comfort zones are prisons.

→ I hate being late.
I am an innovator and learner.
Always trying to be ahead of the curve.

→ I hate people without an opinion.
You can't please everyone, so speak up.
Show who you are. Otherwise, you seem sneaky.

→I hate wasting my time.
Repetitive tasks can be automated.
Easy ones can be delegated. Do yourself what matters.

→ I hate it when everything is clear and easy
There is no space to play if all the puzzle pieces are in place.

Sylwia Szymczyk

If you're a fashion designer, AI might take your job.
But not in the way you think.

People keep saying: 
“But I’m creative.” 
“But I do research.” 
“But my touch is unique.”

Honestly?

Creativity? 
Companies don’t care about you being creative. 
They care about what sells.

Research? 
AI can scan millions of 
→ trends
→  pages
→  archives
→  lookbooks
In seconds. 
Sounds better than your Pinterest board or Instagram reel.

Your “unique touch”? 
Unless you were Karl Lagerfeld… 
Your style alone won’t save you.

AI doesn’t replace designers in creating better images. 
It replaces designers who stop thinking.

Today’s AI agents can generate thousands of visuals in minutes - and many look just like the ones designers proudly post on LinkedIn. 

If your workflow becomes “prompt → export → share,” you’re making yourself replaceable.

What AI cannot do is explain how a garment is made. 
How it should be produced.
How it’s constructed.
How it moves.
How it fits.

Fashion companies don’t sell images. 
They sell garments.

And designers aren’t hired to generate pretty prompts - they’re hired to give an initial direction that can be developed into a real product.

So yes, AI may take your job… when you stop bringing what AI can’t replicate:
→ Your understanding of construction 
→ Your knowledge of fabrics, fit, and feasibility 
→ Your skill to turn an idea into a feasible garment.

Either you deliver a starting point that truly works down the production line…

Or AI will replace you sooner than you think.

The future belongs to designers who combine creativity with technical thinking - not those who let AI think for them.

NO BS fashion AI | Seamstress @Max Mara → Innovation lead @Timberland → fashionINSTA founder

I spent 15 years in fashion. Last 5 in fashion tech.
There are 3 things both sides get wrong about each other
 
1. Speed
Tech thinks fashion is slow. 
Fashion thinks tech is naive. 
Both right. Both are missing the point. 

Fashion is slow because mistakes cost millions. 
Tech is naive because it's never dealt with fabric physics. 
The gap between these worldviews? 
That's where opportunity lives.

2. Good enough concept
Everybody knows the Pareto rule
20% of your efforts bring you 80% of the results

Doesn't work this way in fashion.
We cannot build an MVP in 4 weeks.
We cannot vibe-sew a garment and give it to our customers to try for feedback.

We are producing physical goods.
And those physical goods need to be properly engineered.

But

We can test the market before we start development.
We can evaluate colourways on-screen using swatches.
We can reuse what we already did instead of starting from scratch every time.

3.Automation
Automate what's repetitive.
Automate the whole admin stuff.
Automate what AI can tackle.

And techies are somehow right here.

But you cannot automate what you don't understand.
If you automate a broken process, you end up with broken automation.

If you cut too much, you flatten the output or destroy it altogether. And flattening is worse than destroying - you may not notice, but customers will.

The real issue? 
Neither side speaks the other's language. 

I've been in rooms where developers insisted their algorithm could "solve fashion" - then showed designs that were physically impossible to construct. 

I've also sat with pattern makers who refused to even look at 3D software because "that's not how we do things." 

Both are missing massive opportunities because they can't translate between worlds.

Stop expecting fashion to speak tech. 
Stop expecting tech to guess how fashion works. 
Start building bridges with translators who speak both.

That's why we built fashionINSTA_AI the way we did. 

We didn't just hire engineers who'd never touched fabric. 
We brought together people who understood both Python and pattern grading, who knew APIs and armhole curvature. 

Because the future is people who can translate between both worlds. 

When you have someone who's actually sat at a sewing machine AND written code, that's when you create tools that fashion professionals will actually use.

I hated patternmaking.
Really, I did for a long time.
 
But I wanted so hard to work in fashion. 
I wanted to see my garments come to life. 
I had no budget to pay someone else to do it for me.
 
So I learned to enjoy the process.
And this is where the true magic happened.
 
I learned that beautiful sketches mean nothing if you can't make them IRL.
 
I learned that fashion is way more than most people think: 
→ it's optimization of time, space, and raw material usage
→ it's the way you show where you belong
→ it's dealing with cultural differences
→ it's engineering and much math
→ it's the way to express yourself
 
I wouldn't have learned any of this if I had stopped at sketching and dreaming.
 
And now, with fashionINSTA, I am even one step further.
 
I realized how much data patterns hide.
 
Everybody thinks it's about geometric shapes. Or about grading.
 
But those lines contain so much more.
 
Those curves, points, and lines tell your brand story.
 
They can tell you how much it will cost to produce.
 
They can help you decide whether it's worth bringing to life or better left in the digital space.
 
They can help you optimize all processes that come later.
 
All from a few tiny pieces of geometry - if properly made and properly read.
 
And I will be forever grateful for this "I have no budget" hard start in fashion.
 
Without it, I would never truly understand. 
And I would never build fashionINSTA.

Today is THE DAY!
Happy birthday to me 
And happy my birthday to you :)

Last year, I offered a webinar about portfolios. 
I was still working at Timberland and had seen too many horror portfolios not to speak up. 

About 50 of us showed up, 
We had a really meaningful conversation.

This year? Things are pretty different.
In one year, my life changed completely: 
→ No 9-5 job
→ No steady paycheck
→ We moved to another city
→ Some hard hits in private life
→ Some huge changes in progress
→ A company under my responsibility

But also...

I'm realizing my lifelong dream.
Since day one, when I entered the fashion industry, I wanted to make THE DIFFERENCE.
It took me 15+ years to figure out how.
I found it.

fashionINSTA IS THE WAY.

Sure, not yet. There's still so much to do.
But looking at our day-to-day progress and what we achieved in less than one year?
I know this is the right direction.

And today?

With 220+ people registered for the NO BS webinar about AI in fashion, I'll show you the why and the how.

And will let you try it. Finally.
So stay tuned.

Earthquake in the fashion industry today at 4 pm CET :)

→ Exclusive access for attendees only
→ Why we're repeating 3D's mistakes with AI
→ The pattern-first approach that changes everything
→ Live comparison of all major AI tools (spoiler: they all fail)

220 registered, 150 spots. First-come, first-served.
https://lnkd.in/dev3AhYc

Happy birthday to all of us!
Let's burn down the BS and build something real.

Pattern making is dying. And nobody cares.
The jobs AI will steal? Nobody wants them anyway.

I'm speaking with many people lately. 
Customers, investors, industry peers.
 
And these conversations make ideas flow in my mind.
 
What if the way we think about product development in fashion is wrong? 

What if we're trying to rise the dead? 

What if we're trying to save jobs, young generations aren't willing to fill?
 
Is full automation in PD process feasible?
 
Today, design with AI agents is absolutely viable. 
There are companies already working this way.
But their bottleneck? The PD process.
 
It's much harder to tackle. 
Mainly because no 2 companies do it the same way.
Product development automation is feasible to a point. 
But for most categories, human will be necessary.
 
And that might be our sweet spot.
 
Because we are actually living an irony in fashion:
 
We're blaming job markets and layoffs. 
But, fashion schools are closing technical departments. 
Why? No students willing to learn "math and geometry."
 
Pattern making departments? Empty. 
Technical design courses? Canceled. 
Construction classes? Ghost towns.
 
Young designers want to sketch and dream. 
Nobody wants to figure out how to actually make it.
 
Wait.

Should we automate these jobs away?
Or should we make technical courses interesting again?

Should we let AI fill the gap?
Or pay technical roles enough to become an "interesting alternative"?

A senior pattern maker in Milano makes €35K/year.
A junior UX designer makes €45K.
Both require 3 years of education.

Any wonder kids choose pixels over geometry?

So what's the solution?

Option A: 
Automate everything, let AI handle the technical work.
Option B: 
Pay pattern makers like software engineers.
Option C: 
Make technical fashion education as sexy as design school.
Option D: 
Accept the hybrid reality where humans and AI collaborate.

I'm building for Option D.
But maybe I'm wrong.

The future isn't AI replacing fashion jobs.
It's us deciding which jobs are worth fighting for.

Are we automating ourselves out of problems?
Or out of opportunities?

Should we save manual pattern making?
Or let it evolve into something new?

A seamstress who codes. This is who I became. 
And it changed everything for fashionINSTA.
 
15 years ago, I started sewing and drafting patterns.
Learning how garments actually come to life.
Measuring, cutting, stitching.
 
I never planned to write code.
I've always wanted to ship my video game,
but the desire wasn't strong enough to leave fashion:)
 
But when I started building fashionINSTA, I hit a wall.
 
I knew exactly what the product needed. 
But I couldn't explain it fast enough. 

Back and forth with my CTO.
Meetings. Calls. Brainstorming sessions.

Trying to translate fashion logic into tech language. 
And still something got lost.
 
I got tired of it.
 
So I learned the basics. 
Syntax. Logic. How things connect.
 
I'm not a Python magician. 
But with AI tools available today, I don't need to be.
 
Now, when I have an idea, I don't schedule a meeting. 
I write basic code and ship it to my CTO. 
He expands and adjusts it.
 
No translation needed. 
No "what do you mean by that?" 
No weeks lost in miscommunication.
 
This is why fashionINSTA ships new features weekly.
This is why we respond to feedback in real time.
This is why we're insanely agile.
 
The coolest thing?
 
Now I understand how the tool I'm building actually works. 
The architecture. The logic. What's behind every feature.

I know what's feasible. 
What's too complicated. 
How pieces of the puzzle fit together.
 
Sounds familiar?
 
It's exactly like being a designer who understands construction.
 
You don't need to make a polished pattern ready for industrialization. 

But you know HOW IT'S MADE. 

So whoever comes after you has an easy time turning your idea into reality.
 
Same principle. Different industry.
 
You have a sketch. 
Beautiful, but useless on its own. 
You make the pattern. 
You cut and stitch it. 
Then it comes to life.
 
You have an idea. 
Exciting, but just words. 
You write the code. 
You debug it. You push it. 
Then you see your feature working.
 
Same magic. Different material.
 
Learn to speak both languages. 
It changes everything.

Fashion doesn't need more creativity.

We're drowning in it. 
Pinterest has 4 billion fashion images. 
Instagram adds 50,000 fashion posts daily. 
Every AI tool promises "unlimited design possibilities."

Meanwhile, what's actually happening?
→ 30% of samples never make it to production 
→ €210 billion wasted annually on overproduction 
→ brands sitting on millions of unused designs 
→ pattern makers recreating the wheel daily

We don't need more creativity 
→ We need better processes
We don't need more design ideas 
→ We need visual insights that drive decisions
We don't need beautiful previews of impossible garments 
→ We need designs we can actually manufacture

Yet every AI tool is selling you: 
"Unleash your creativity!" 
"Infinite design possibilities!" 
"Photorealistic renderings!"

You know what they don't tell you?

creativity without process = expensive chaos 
ideas without insights = pretty garbage 
previews without production = digital waste

The fashion industry wants to be more sustainable. 
But we keep creating tools that generate more waste. 
Just digital this time.

Tomorrow, on my birthday, instead of celebrating, I'm exposing everything wrong with AI fashion tools.

NO BS Talk About AI in Fashion November 14th 
4 PM CET | 150 spots only

What I'll show you (live): 
→ How fashionINSTA connects AI to real patterns
→ Why pattern makers can't use ANY of these designs
→ Why "creative" AI tools are killing fashion businesses
→ The exact mistakes we made with 3D (happening again)

We're already overbooked at 212 registrations. 
But, there are always no-shows, right?
First 150 to join the call get in.

No recording. No replay. 
Because changing fashion requires showing up.
https://lnkd.in/d36-2UMi

See you tomorrow (if you're fast enough!)

P.S. Bring your "creative" AI disasters. We can discuss why they'll never see production. Like the one in the image, can you see the issues close to the shoulder? Anything else?

I've been there - 2012, Sri Lanka, 3 garments sold. I know what pretty designs without execution look like.

€300K lost remaking .dxf patterns you already own | Find existing: 2 sec, Create new: 2 min | Seamstress @Max Mara → Innovation lead @Timberland → fashionINSTA founder

Your manufacturer owns your patterns. 
Yes. The ones you paid for.
 
I've been talking to a lot of brands lately. 
Especially US-based.
 
Same story. Over and over.
 
They moved manufacturing overseas. 
Fine. 

They let manufacturers handle pattern making too. 
Easier, right?
 
Then they signed contracts without thinking about the future. Now they're hostages.
 
They can't change the manufacturer.
They can't access their own patterns.
They can't even think about fit consistency.
 
Because if you don't own your patterns, what exactly do you control?
 
This is something companies are not sharing openly,
now that they know it was a huge mistake.
 
→ You pay for everything
→ You design the garment
→ You approve the development
→ But the pattern? Stays with the factory.
 
Why?
 
Because when you send a tech pack to a manufacturer, they create the pattern. And unless your contract explicitly states otherwise (spoiler: it often doesn't), that pattern is their intellectual property.
 
The manufacturer now has: 
→ Your competitive advantage.
→ Your construction methods
→ Your block library
→ Your fit secrets
 
And you?
 
You have invoices.
And NONE of the above.
 
No wonder every season feels like starting from scratch. 
You're not building on your heritage. You're renting it. 
Season by season. Factory by factory.
 
Meanwhile, your manufacturer has 50,000 patterns from 100 brands like yours. 

Never cross-referenced. 
Never shared. 
But recycled.
 
Your competitor's style is your "new" development. 
You're paying to recreate what already exists. 
In their servers. From your competitors. 

And your competitors are getting your bestseller patterns with just slight changes. 

This is how it works: if there are enough changes to the pattern, they are not covered by your NDA. 

But the perfect fit you adjusted for months remains on them.
 
The most insane part?
 
Brands accept this like it's normal. 
Like it's inevitable. "That's just how fashion works."
 
Bull$*it.
 
VF owns its patterns.
H&M owns its patterns.
Diesel owns its patterns.
Max Mara owns its patterns.

And many many more do OWN their IP.
 
Because they demanded it. Contracted it. Enforced it.
 
Your patterns are your DNA. 
Your fit is your differentiation. 
Your blocks are your brand.
 
Why would you let someone else own them?

PS: I expose more industry "normals" that are actually insane in my NO BS Fashion AI newsletter.

PS2: Post intent is not to blame on manufacturers - business is business, and everybody covers their own back.

Calling BS on your AI strategy (spoiler: you don't have one)

A lot is happening in this space right now. 
Many tools. Much confusion.
And another bubble that's about to burst.

When I speak with fashion companies, I'm scared.

Freelancers trying 1000 tools, mastering none.
Pattern makers getting AI images they can't produce.
SMEs chasing shiny objects that will never bring ROI.
AI projects that ADD work instead of cutting lead time.
Enterprises paying $500/month for NanoBanana wrappers.

Remember 3D in fashion? 
2018: "This will revolutionize everything!" 
2023: Teams laid off, back to physical samples.

We're doing it again. With AI.

From now on, I'll be sending a weekly newsletter. 
Speaking the BS some folks are trying to sell you.

You can love me or hate me for it. 

But I'll be honest. 
I call it "brutal honesty as a service" :)

Not to roast anyone. 
Not to break anyone's dreams.

To help fashion actually take advantage of AI. 
Not become another playground for bubble companies.

"But Sylwia, you're building an AI tool!"
Yes. We call fashionINSTA the NO BS fashion AI tool. 
And it is. Fortunately, not the only one.

And this is what the NO BS fashionAI series is about.

Many ways AI can help fashion exist. 
Many ways AI brings nothing but noise exist too.

The NO BS fashion AI series will cover:
→ What metrics actually matter (hint: not renders per hour)
→ How to evaluate any fashion tech in 90 seconds
→ Why your AI strategy is failing (it probably is)
→ Real case studies from real implementations
→ Which tools actually work (spoiler: very few)

First issue drops next week: "You pay for this 50EUR a month. You can get the same results for FREE."

Ready for some truth?
Comment below, and I'll share with you the link to subscribe. 

The fashion industry deserves better than pretty pictures. 
We deserve tools that actually work.
We'll cut through the BS together.

P.S. Already got hate mail about calling out specific tools. Good. If you're selling smoke, you should be worried.

P.P.S. If you missed NO BS fashion AI talk with 180+ attendees, this newsletter is your second chance!

Fashion loses €20B annually to fit issues.
 
The solution isn't better measurements. 
It's understanding ease.
 
Every brand measures everything. Body scans. Size charts. Measurement databases.
 
Still, 30% return rates for fit.
 
Why?
 
Because fit isn't about measurements. 
It's about ease.
 
The space between body and fabric. 
The difference between wearing and wearing comfortably.
 
No measurement captures this. 
Every pattern maker knows it.
 
Ease is context: 
→ 2cm for a shirt 
→ 10cm for a coat
 
Ease is fabric: 
→ Negative for stretch 
→ Positive for woven
 
Ease is intention: 
→ Fitted, relaxed, oversized
 
Ease is cultural: 
→ Italian slim 
→ American comfortable
 
AI trained on measurements misses all of this.
 
So stop obsessing over body scanning. 
Stop chasing measurement precision.
 
Start understanding ease intelligence. 
How much space. Where. And why.
 
Pattern makers know this intuitively. 
AI needs to learn it explicitly.
 
The most precise measurements + wrong ease = returns. 
Approximate measurements + right ease = satisfaction.
 
Your fit issues aren't measurement problems. 
They're ease problems.
 
The company that cracks ease cracks fashion's biggest problem.
 
That's the €20B opportunity.

2 beautiful things happened yesterday 
during NO BS fashion AI talk

Over 180 people showed up
Some of them couldn't get in
(I will connect with you personally!) 

Chat flooded with questions. 
Real interest in what makes us different.

Couldn't answer everything 
We're doing a full fashionINSTA session soon 
Showing the complete workflow

In the meantime, I'm stitching the shirt I made during the session and sharing the whole process with you.

What else happened? 
Something even more important.

Saw people from leading fashion AI tools active in Q&A while I was testing the same workflow across 5 platforms

And that's great

Really hope the main message landed
→ A big chunk of those tools deliver beautiful visuals
→ We all know it's an early stage for AI in fashion
→ Pace of changes is insane

but

If the visuals are  not helping us make better garments
If they don't fit in the process we have in place
If they don't speak our language
If tools aren't intuitive

They're useless

Time to start the dialogue between fashion and tech 
Now. Before it's too late 

before fashion companies think this is another bubble

This technology has huge potential, 
and can literally change fashion

But we need more than automated Photoshop 
And way more than visuals that are impossible to make

Beautiful AI visuals don't solve any problem. 
They just move the problem down the line.
 
You can't send them to manufacturers. 
(They'll laugh in your face without a tech sheet attached.)
 
You can't send them to technical teams. 
(Get ready for endless back and forth and disappointment.)
 
You can't give them to merchandisers. 
(They'll assume the final garment will look exactly the same. And you can't guarantee that.)
 
So yes, they look good. 
It feels good to make something that looks real.
 
But does it feel good to move your job to others who have to figure it out?
 
Fashion companies sell garments. Not visuals.
 
Designers are paid to deliver input that helps PRODUCE a garment. Not to create pretty pictures that go nowhere.
 
There is something you HAVE TO KNOW
 
AI agents can generate 1000s of images per second. 
And they're as good as your AI generations. 
Trust me, they are even better. 
And definitely faster.

Auto-prompting is at levels you can't imagine.
Agents scrape data and understand market demand.
They know how to prompt to get the results they need.

Your taste won't save you anymore.
After all, mass has no taste, and mass decides what sells.
 
So if your only skill is "making things look nice" - you're already replaceable.
 
"But it's not my job to make patterns or tech packs."
 
Sure.
 
But it IS your job to deliver comprehensible input that gives the next person clear instructions on how to proceed.
 
If you think designers just sketch - you're wrong.
Today, more than ever. Sketching won't save you.
 
The designers who survive AI won't be the ones who generate the prettiest images.
 
They'll be the ones who understand what happens AFTER the image.
 
Learn the process. 
Or get replaced by it.

And share it with your designer-friends. 
Transferable skills are your new weapon. 
Trust me on this one, you won't regret.

We started building what everyone wanted. 
Ended up building what no one would actually use.
Short story of fashionINSTA sketch2pattern tool.

After initial hype,
65 people on paid beta
and over 1200 folks on the waitlist...

We pivoted from "sketch to pattern" to "pattern intelligence."

→ Reason #1: "Cool tool, but I'd do it differently"
 
Every pattern maker who tested our generic AI said the same thing. "That's nice, but the armhole should be done my way."
 
Because there's no "right" way to make patterns. 
That's how we survive as pattern makers. 
That's our value.
 
Generic AI creates generic patterns. Professionals don't do generic.
 
→ Reason #2: The €90,000 discovery
 
One client uploads 10,000 patterns to our system. 
Our AI tags each with 750 data points. 
Suddenly, they see it: 20% of their "new" designs already existed.
 
They were spending €450,000/year on patterns. €90,000 of that? Recreating what they already owned.
 
Pattern graveyard → pattern goldmine.
 
→ Reason #3: From "tool to play" to "tool to work"
 
Generic AI is Instagram for fashion→pretty pictures, zero production value.
 
Our beta testers were brutally honest: "We'd use it to play, not to work."
 
Playing doesn't pay bills. Production does.
 
We changed everything:
 
Threw out our entire codebase. 
Started from scratch. 
Built pattern intelligence that learns YOUR way.
 
Now, pattern makers aren't fighting the AI. 
They're teaching it.
 
Your sleeves. 
Your armholes.
Your construction methods. 
750+ tags per pattern mapping your brand's DNA.
 
What this means for fashion:
 
→ Pattern makers keep creative control 
→ Brands preserve their fit heritage  
→ 70% faster pattern development 
 
Curious how your competitors are using pattern fashionINSTA intelligence to cut development time while preserving their DNA?
 
Drop me a DM, happy to share some interesting use cases!

The 5 fashion tech lies everyone believes. 
(And why they're killing your business)
 
Lie 1: "AI will replace workers" 
Reality: 
AI amplifies workers. 
If it replaces them today, you'll pay the bill later.
 
Lie 2: "Digital is faster" 
Reality: 
Digital is faster... after setup.
And setup needs a trial-and-error stage.
 
Lie 3: "Cloud solves everything" 
Reality: 
Cloud solves a lot of problems.
But it creates new ones.
 
Lie 4: "Automation means less work" 
Reality: 
Automation means different work.
If implemented well, you do more meaningful work.
 
Lie 5: "Fashion resists technology" 
Reality: 
Fashion resists bad technology.
Fashion is curious, but do not have patience.
Fashion is looking for solutions, but often gets fluff.
 
These lies drive terrible decisions.
 
Companies fire experts before having AI that works.
Automate without having what automation requires.
Rush digital transformation without training.
Move to cloud without integration planning.
Build tech without fashion input.
 
Then blame the industry for "resisting change."
 
Really?
 
Fashion tech succeeds when it: 
→ Integrates with existing workflows, not create new ones
→ Enhances human expertise, not replaces it
→ Solves real problems, not theoretical ones
→ Speaks fashion language, not tech jargon
→ Is built WITH the industry, not FOR it
 
Stop believing Silicon Valley's fashion narrative. 
Stop focusing on what is "visible" and fancy.
Stop fearing failure - you WILL fail.

Start testing and learning.
Start listening to pattern rooms.
Start speaking with your people.
Start asking where they struggle.
Start observing how they work.

Fashion doesn't need disruption. 
It needs translation.
 
Build bridges, not walls.
 
That's where opportunity lives.

Shaping the Future of Fashion Tech through Content, Community & Conversations | Director at PI Apparel | Editor of Seamless | Fashion Innovation & Aliph Advisor & Council

AI x Design: Collaboration or Collision?
Free and Online
11AM NYC/4PM UK/5PM CET

We’re closing out the year with a big question: is AI elevating creativity or eroding it?

Designers today are juggling new roles: curator, conductor, digital producer, visualiser. And AI is speeding up ideation, pattern work, tech packs and concept-to-consumer storytelling.

But where’s the line between amplification and over-reliance? And how do you keep the “human stamp” when algorithms can generate faster than ever?

On Dec 9, we’re bringing designers, technologists and brand leaders together for a sharp, one-hour conversation on what AI is changing - and what still firmly belongs to the designer.

Free to attend. Final session of the year.
 
👉 Claim your free pass: https://lnkd.in/ebzEHE2S

#ai #fashion #fashiondesign #innovation #technology #apparel #footwear Safir Bellali Mattia Giorgi Nick Grills Sean Lane Sylwia Szymczyk

Client: "We need AI yesterday!"
Also client: "Fill out this 67-page security assessment first"

Welcome to enterprise fashion tech, where everyone wants innovation but nobody wants to innovate. 

Last week: 
Innovation Lead loves our demo, wants immediate implementation. During the demo, we started discussing their particular use cases and custom roadmap.

This week: 
IT needs SOC2 certification.
Legal needs 3 months to review our terms.
Procurement says we're not in the approved vendor list.

I've been on both sides - from the sewing floor to the tech implementation meetings. 

The difference between companies that survive and those that don't isn't about who has the biggest innovation budget. 

If you need a 6-month approval process before you can spend it, you invest time in technology that can be obsolete the day you will finally be able to use it, or in one that simply does not align with your process/need.

NO seller out there will tell you it is not for you.
Unless it is evident, but with AI it's not always the case.

Agility beats budgets. Always.
If you can start with a new tool in 2 weeks,
You put yourself on the front line.

Did it work? 
Great, go for a bigger commitment.

Is it not for you?
You discovered it in 3 weeks, not 6 months.

That's why we're now offering quick proofs of concept that fit within corporate card limits. 

Because sometimes you need to show results before you can navigate the bureaucracy.

Want to see what AI-generated patterns that actually work look like? DM me.

This will be a super interesting conversation!

I help Fashion Design and Business Leaders slash sampling costs & de-risk production with digital design tools, So they can scale sales without the guesswork.

Is Generative AI Shaping Fashion Design, or Just Creating the Illusion of It?
…is about the role of AI in the design process, asking whether it’s actually contributing to creativity or just creating surface-level outputs. It touches on how we create, think, and feel about design and image-making in fashion.


🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://lnkd.in/eP_cZYbT

Katarzyna Kanturska, Leila Nyberg-McAleer and 7 other attendees

Is AI Shaping Fashion Design, or Just Creating the Illusion of it?

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The Battle

Vladimir Druts 💪

Sylwia Szymczyk

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Sylwia Szymczyk's LinkedIn Performance

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