The Renaissance was a remarkable period in European history, bringing a trove of cultural, artistic, and scientific changes, mostly inspired by Antiquity civilizations. Now, AI is bringing Renaissance fashion back, along with a modern invention: the tracksuit.
If you’ve been following the news lately, you probably know that image-generating AIs have become all the rage. They still struggle with some details but they can already create stunningly vivid and creative (can we call them creative?) images, often bringing together seemingly incompatible things.
As if to illustrate this point, a Reddit thread of Renaissance tracksuits turned viral, showing how AI can dabble in fashion. The images were created with the Midjouney AI, just one of the several recent high-quality image-creating algorithms.
In the world of fashion, Renaissance influence is known for its elaborate and ornate designs. The intricate embroidery, rich colors, and flowing silhouettes of this time period have inspired countless designers over the years. But most people wouldn’t really think of blending Renaissance motifs with something so prosaic like tracksuits.
Renaissance is supposed to be ornate and celebratory, sportswear is supposed to be comfortable and simple. But somehow, aesthetically, they just work so well together.
Envisioned by an AI, these tracksuits are more than just a fashion statement — they’re a symbol of the innovation and creativity that algorithms can breathe into surprising areas. The design combines the old with the new in more ways than one. For starters, design-wise, they challenge us to think outside the box and reimagine what’s possible when you combine unexpected things.
But perhaps more importantly, they remind us of the immense possibilities that AI brings, even in fields considered as inaccessible as design. The AIs are no longer coming — they’re already upon us.
The even crazier part about this all is that just a few years ago, this would have seemed impossible. It’s only in the past couple of years that image-generating AIs started making waves, and now they’re coming in one after the other. In fact, the technology is so brand new that we’re only starting to figure out how we can best use it.
We’re not sure if AI will eventually step in decisively into design — after all, if you want to design clothes, it takes more than just pretty sketches — but the prospects are definitely there based on these early efforts.
If anything, the potential is even a bit scary. Renaissance tracksuits are one thing, but image-generating AIs can also be used for disinformation and other nefarious purposes.
Just recently, we’ve seen a strain of fake images of Trump getting arrested which may have confused people, and we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Current image-generating AIs have put several safeguards in place, but with more and more solutions popping up every week, it’s probably only a matter of time until these safeguards are dropped. In the meantime, however, AI is dipping its toes into fashion, and the results are stunning.
