At MAPP Fashion Decoded 2026, more than 170 senior leaders from fashion retail, tech and ecommerce came together to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the industry in real time.
Our Head of Industry Engagement and Partnerships, Sadie Clayton, was there to take part in the conversation and reflect on what it means for the next generation of fashion talent.
Recently I attended MAPP Fashion Decoded, an event exploring how artificial intelligence and agents are reshaping fashion retail – from how consumers discover products to how brands create content, manage delivery and build strategy. With more than 170 senior leaders from fashion, tech and ecommerce in the room, it was one of those rare days you leave genuinely energised.
The room was full of ideas and the speakers were extraordinary. We heard from teams across the industry including Google, Primark, Pinterest, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger and Very, to name a few. Each brought a different lens, from visual discovery and personalisation to supply chain intelligence and AI-assisted creative production.
What became clear very quickly is that AI is no longer something fashion is preparing for. It is already embedded in how we shop, how trends are seeded, how collections are marketed and how brands communicate at scale.
I was also interviewed at the event, speaking about how I use AI in my own life, as an artist, a cultural communicator and in my role at LCCA. It felt important to bring an education perspective into what is often a commercially led conversation.
Because while brands are moving quickly, there is another question that is not always asked loudly enough: what about our students?
What happens to the next generation of fashion talent if they graduate without the tools or frameworks to navigate an AI-shaped industry?
I believe fashion educators have a duty of care when it comes to AI literacy. Our students are entering a workplace that is being fundamentally restructured. Styling, buying, marketing, design, communications – every discipline is being touched.
If we send graduates out without an understanding of how these tools work, what they are good for and where their limitations lie, we are not preparing them. We are failing them.
AI literacy is not about turning fashion students into technologists. It is about ensuring they can think critically, use tools confidently and understand the implications of the choices they make – and the choices machines make on their behalf.
My biggest takeaway from the day came from Heather Clark (Head of Fashion & Luxury, Pinterest UK): “If you don’t have a strong sense of self, you will struggle to make decisions.”
When algorithms surface endless options, when tools can generate infinite variations, when data can point in multiple directions at once, the people who stand out will be those who know what they stand for, what they value and what they are trying to say.
That clarity is what allows you to cut through the noise.
Sadie continues conversations like those at Mapp Fashion Decoded through LCCA’s original series MAKING IT: Fashion Careers Unlocked. Each episode focuses on connecting with industry professionals to explore real career journeys in fashion. You can catch up on the full series on LCCA’s YouTube channel .
