Forget the runways for a second. Kingpin was at Paris Fashion Week having a very different conversation. They were about how technology is fundamentally changing what it takes to build a fashion brand in 2026.

Fashion AI Expo put that conversation front and center. Pierre Cardin reimagined through generative AI. Virtual try-on extending collections beyond the physical show. Kingpin's CEO Harsh Sajnani took the stage as a key partner to demonstrate how AI is transforming the traditionally fragmented wholesale process into a scalable growth engine. Helping brands connect with the right buyers and expand globally with less friction and more precision.

In their own words

We sat down with Olga Gasnier, founder of Fashion AI Expo, to get her perspective on the partnership, what's coming next, and how you can get involved.

Fashion AI Expo brought together heritage houses, emerging designers, and AI innovators from Paris to Dubai in its very first edition. What was the vision behind creating this platform — and why is now the defining moment for fashion and technology to be having this conversation together?

Fashion AI Expo was created as a meeting point between creative industries and emerging technologies. Fashion has always evolved through innovation — from new materials to new media — and artificial intelligence represents the next major shift in how creativity, storytelling, and production are imagined.

What makes this moment particularly important is that AI is no longer just a technical conversation. It is becoming a cultural and creative one. Designers, brands, and technologists are all exploring how AI can augment human creativity while preserving authorship and artistic identity.

From Pierre Cardin's digital runway reimagined through AI, to virtual try-on, to psychometric-driven campaigns — the expo showcased real breadth of creative experimentation. How do you curate what makes it onto the Fashion AI Expo stage, and what does a brand or tech company need to bring to earn a spot in that room?

We look for participants who bring something tangible to the conversation — whether that’s a new creative workflow, a technology that transforms how brands connect with audiences, or a platform that improves how fashion businesses operate.

At the Expo we aim to balance three perspectives:

• creative experimentation from designers and artists

• technological innovation from AI companies

• real industry applications for brands and retailers

For example, we invited Kingpin because its technology addresses a very practical need for fashion brands. AI is often associated primarily with creative tools — image generation, digital fashion, or virtual experiences — but platforms like Kingpin demonstrate how AI can also support the business side of fashion by helping brands manage wholesale relationships and connect with the right buyers more efficiently.

Highlighting technologies that bring real operational value to brands is an important part of our curation philosophy.

Of all the technology platforms in the fashion space, what made Kingpin stand out as a partner for Fashion AI Expo — and what did you see in the live demonstration that felt genuinely relevant to the brands and designers in the room?

Kingpin stood out because it addresses one of the key challenges in the fashion industry: connecting brands and buyers in a smarter and more efficient way. What was particularly interesting in the live demonstration was how AI can transform wholesale processes — helping brands reach the right buyers and markets more effectively. In a global industry where relationships and distribution are essential, tools like this can significantly reshape how fashion businesses operate.

A great example was the connection created during the Expo between Kingpin and the Parisian brand Thalie, led by CEO Nathalie Dionne. Through conversations initiated during the event, a collaboration emerged to explore how AI-driven wholesale tools could support the brand’s international development.

Facilitating these kinds of meaningful connections between fashion and technology is exactly what Fashion AI Expo aims to do.

Fashion AI Expo is clearly building something bigger than a single event. For brands, designers, and innovators in our network who want to get involved, connect with the community, or explore what a partnership with Fashion AI Expo looks like — what's the best way to reach you and get on your radar for what's coming next?

Fashion AI Expo is designed as a growing international platform connecting fashion, technology, and creative industries. For brands, designers, startups, and partners interested in participating in future editions, the best way to connect is simply to reach out directly. We are always open to discovering new ideas, technologies, and collaborations that push the conversation forward.

The next editions of Fashion AI Expo are currently being prepared, including a curated workshop gathering in Paris this April and a larger Expo in Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival, bringing together an even wider community of fashion leaders, designers, and AI innovators.

You can reach me at partners@fashionaiexpo.com, and we will be sharing more details about upcoming partnerships and participation opportunities very soon.