From AI-powered virtual try-on to smart performance features, technology is reshaping the fashion brief

At the third phase of the 140th Canton Fair, AI-powered virtual try-on, temperature-responsive colour, zoned heating and recycled fibres point to a more interactive approach to apparel design and selling.

Apparel suppliers are expected to respond to changing use cases, keep garments comfortable in daily wear and stand out in a competitive assortment. At the fair, performance, lifestyle and retail experience come together in one conversation, while technology is moving from hidden specifications into the product story.

One exhibitor presents an outdoor padded jacket which it says changes colour at 28°C, while a vest uses three heating zones to distribute warmth. Both features are easy to demonstrate, turning technical functions into product attributes that buyers can quickly understand. Their commercial appeal will nevertheless depend on comfort, durability, care requirements and a clearly explained use case.

Materials add another dimension. A representative of a Jiangsu exhibitor said the company’s collection uses recycled nylon and digital 3D garment modelling. Calling the 70th-anniversary edition unprecedented in scale, the representative said buyer attendance at this phase was stronger than at earlier editions. Meeting buyers from numerous markets in one place made demonstrations and order discussions efficient, with significant orders secured. The representative linked buyers’ trust and enthusiasm to the competitiveness of Chinese products and manufacturing. For buyers, material claims still require product-level composition, supporting test results and certification; a credible material story connects that evidence with performance and intended use.

A buyer from Canada said demand for outdoor clothing would rise as winter approached, adding that the innovative technical fabrics on show were well suited to outdoor use. The buyer was also impressed by China’s high-tech products and services, seeing them as an indication of future technology trends. The comments underline the purchasing question behind the technology: suppliers need to explain who a feature serves and in which conditions, while buyers must judge whether the benefit is relevant to their markets.

Digital presentation adds another tool to these conversations. The device is from an AI technology company based in Hangzhou, rather than a clothing brand. According to the company, its AI smart mirror combines virtual try-on, 3D body measurement and outfit recommendations, using visual AI, 3D human modelling and virtual styling. At the fair, visitors can preview garment, colour and styling changes in real time.

The company represents a different kind of fashion-facing exhibitor: one applying AI to retail, product presentation and sourcing. The screen does not replace hands-on trials or close examination of a garment, but it lets buyers assess digital tools alongside garments and see how Chinese AI could enter future fashion workflows.

The fair offers a snapshot, not a guaranteed forecast, but it shows Chinese apparel suppliers and technology companies broadening the brief from making a garment to shaping how it performs, appears and reaches a customer. The next opportunity may lie in combining scenario-specific functions, clearer material choices and digital tools that help buyers and suppliers visualise a product before production or purchase.