robot takeover at Tulasi ss'27

It’s a phrase we hear constantly: AI is taking everyone’s jobs. This is particularly true of the fashion industry, with magazines laying off writers and junior designers increasingly being replaced in favour of virtual assistants. Are models next on the chopping block? 

“I think we still want to use the same number of models we use each season plus the humanoids,” says Tulasi Parmar, with a subtle laugh. It’s only moments after the designer made London Fashion Week history, becoming the first to send a robot down her runway at The Royal Horseguards Hotel in the heart of Westminster. 

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photography by Jimin Kwon

The eponymous brand launched last September and has since been going from strength to strength, most recently showing a completely virtual range at Digital Fashion Week. “There is a similarity in terms of proportion and ergonomics; you could have your avatar exist with your physical anthropometrics in the virtual world”, Parmar explained, drawing parallels between creating physical and digital garments. “Where it gets really special though is you’re able to do colour changing, customs and colour waves that defy the physical limitations of the real world”.  

In London, however, the refined collection of eight looks was entirely tangible. Always aiming to be as sustainable as possible whilst maintaining quality, Parmar explained, “we’re really proud to be partnering with Inversa Leathers all the way from New York City this season”. A brand specialising in ethical exotic leathers, their silver fin (an invasive species found in the Mississippi  River Basin) fish skin was utilised across multiple looks in various shades. 

It wasn’t all about the clothes; the accessories certainly caught the eye. “What woman doesn’t  want a lovely handbag and a lovely pair of shoes?” She noted, “So that’s really important in everything we do”. From Mongolian sheepskin bags to faux fur-embellished boots, not a detail went unnoticed. 

As beautiful as the clothing was (and believe me, it was), it was the robot, named Bob, that well and truly stole the show. “Sometimes I wake up and have these crazy frivolous ideas”, she divulged, “and I think in the future people will be thinking about what our humanoids are going to wear as much as we think about what we’re going to wear when we’re dressing ourselves in the morning, and we’re proud to be the first”. It was the making of a viral moment if I’ve ever seen one; every phone in the place went up, and gasps circulated the room. So, when you see a robot taking over London Fashion Week on your feed, make sure you remember the name Tulasi.

photography by Daniel Housley.