One thing that has constantly intrigued me, throughout studying fashion design in my BA then going on to be a fashion developer in London and Hong Kong, and even analysing trends in my MSc in business, was what is woke in a population. That concerns the “what?”… but my pest career focussed more on the “how”?.
Looking at the current “what,” this post focuses on a topic that particularly interests me: what is trending globally right now—AI. A strong example of this intersection between technology, fashion, and design is L’Oréal’s partnership with IBM. By integrating AI into beauty innovation, the collaboration enables more personalised, inclusive, and sustainable products, showing how technology can quietly enhance design and creative expression rather than overshadow it.
IBM and L’Oréal are exploring how AI can transform innovation. Using IBM Watson X, they’re developing AI assistants that simulate complex scenarios—originally for education, like classroom interactions—but for L’Oréal, the focus is on cosmetics. Custom AI models can help researchers design products faster, more creatively, and more sustainably.
Take lipstick as an example. Traditionally, it’s made in two stages: a highly opaque base delivers colour and a matte finish but feels dry and uncomfortable, followed by a second layer to improve wearability. The difference between products like Super Stay 24 and Mad Ink lies not in longevity—they both last—but in comfort. Mad Ink avoids the need for constant reapplication thanks to careful formulation.
L’Oréal has always been a science-driven company. Early liquid lipsticks in the 1930s were little more than stains; later formulas were heavier and less convenient. Over decades, L’Oréal’s chemists refined these products through trial and error, testing everything from colour and texture to durability under extreme conditions. Every lipstick is essentially a piece of technology, backed by millions of data points.
The collaboration with IBM, launched in early 2024, brings together two century-old innovators with strong scientific cultures. IBM works directly inside L’Oréal labs to understand researchers’ needs, creating custom AI models tailored to the company’s unique data. Unlike general-purpose AI, these models are smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient, allowing L’Oréal to leverage decades of research in a usable, targeted, and transparent way.
The potential impact is huge. AI can accelerate product development, expand creative possibilities, and make innovation more sustainable. By narrowing the gap between imagination and reality, it enables breakthroughs that were previously difficult or impossible. This approach isn’t limited to cosmetics—similar AI-driven strategies could help clothing companies fast-track design and fabric development, processing vast datasets and testing countless scenarios to support designers’ judgment.
L’Oréal also monitors early signals from fashion and social media to anticipate emerging trends, ensuring products meet both current demand and future tastes. Combining this with AI, the company is redefining what’s possible in beauty, showing how data, science, and technology can converge to drive innovation.
From decades of research to cutting-edge AI, L’Oréal is not just a cosmetics company—it’s a beauty data powerhouse, using technology to turn ideas into reality faster, smarter, and more sustainably than ever.