Hun Kim, creative director at Karl Lagerfeld: “AI is no longer an experiment, it’s a necessity”

Redesigning the workflow

“When I first began as a designer, the process was always the same,” Hun Kim, creative director at Karl Lagerfeld, explained during his talk at the online Alvanon 3D Tech Fest last week, where he shared how Karl Lagerfeld has welcomed AI into its design process.

“We sketched ideas, chose fabrics, made technical drawings, and sent everything to sample rooms, today often overseas. Then came the waiting game: four to six weeks before the first prototype arrived, and longer if there were issues. By the time the sample finally arrived, the spark of the original idea was often gone. Fashion design required patience more than creativity. That was my reality before AI.”

Since last November, Kim has truly integrated AI into his work and it has ‘completely transformed’ his workflow. “Now, I create a hand sketch and use AI to generate a realistic image within minutes. When the prototype arrives weeks later, it’s remarkably close to the AI version. This means I can make design decisions four or five weeks earlier, saving time and adding flexibility. From the AI renderings, my merchandising team can see immediately what works and what doesn’t. It makes product planning smoother and builds confidence across the team.”

“The first time I presented AI-generated designs at the company, the reaction was astonishment. Everyone saw how powerful it could be.” Today, Karl Lagerfeld is also using AI for virtual models,AI influencers, and new ways of connecting with younger audiences on social media. “In fashion, where speed, clarity, and visual storytelling are everything, this is nothing short of revolutionary,” said Kim.

A look at the AI toolbox

Kim shared some of his go-to AI tools, noting that this is highly personalised. He uses Vizcom AI to turn his hand-drawn sketches into photorealistic renderings: “I upload my sketches and, with prompts about fabrication and ideas, it generates realistic images. It’s now even possible to create moving visuals, with models walking down a runway or through a city scene.”

For cinematic presentation videos, he turns to Runway AI, often combining it with imagery created in Vizcom. Kim also uses ChatGPT “to refine writing, gather insights, and structure presentations efficiently,” and is experimenting with Midjourney for “more cinematic and dramatic visuals used in small presentations or advertising.”

AI’s momentum

I see global companies moving fast,” Kim shares. “For example, CLO from Korea is combining AI with virtual draping and sewing to produce incredibly realistic digital garments. Soon, AI-generated designs may be wearable almost instantly. We already see 3D-printed shoes — so what’s next for wearables? It’s exciting to imagine.”

“If you want proof of AI’s momentum, look at Nvidia, investing over 100 billion dollars in OpenAI. That’s not science fiction; that’s real money shaping our future.”

“AI is no longer an experiment, it’s a necessity. It has become nearly impossible to imagine true efficiency without it.”

Karl’s legacy: endless curiosity“

Many people hesitate when it comes to working with AI, Kim noted. “They say, ‘I’m too old,’ or ‘It’s too complicated,’ or ‘It has nothing to do with my work.’ I hear this from many designers: ‘I don’t have time.’ But let me tell you: you can catch the big AI wave and you might even enjoy the ride.”

“The greatest lesson I learned from Karl Lagerfeld, with whom I worked closely for five years, was his endless curiosity,” said Kim. “He never looked back, only forward. Karl often said, ‘I’m not interested in my own past, only in today and perhaps tomorrow.’

As Karl always showed us: approach change not with fear, but with curiosity. AI isn’t here to limit our creativity; it’s here to expand it — to multiply our possibilities.”

The Alvanon 3D Tech Fest 2025 took place online on Thursday, October 9. The event’s video sessions are available to watch on the website.

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