Topshop comeback to continue in interactive AI catwalk link with THG Studios

Topshop’s comeback programme this year has included some ultra-high-profile events and retail links, and the ASOS-managed brand isn’t stopping yet with plans for “the world’s first AI-driven immersive, shoppable catwalk”.

It’s linking with creative agency THG Studios, which is key to the project and will also present the catwalk in collaboration with headline sponsor PayPal and technology partner Google Cloud.

It will happen on 26 February at the “state-of-the-art” THG Studios in Manchester and be certified by the WRCA (World Record Certification Agency). 

The event “aspires to set a new global benchmark for fashion experiences with this ‘Runway to the Future’ designed as an interactive experience, inviting its audience to become co-creators of the show itself”. Every step of the journey is intended to be “a point of interaction, discovery, and excitement”. 

Strategically scheduled between London Fashion Week and the Brit Awards, the company said the experience is designed as a “collision of physical and digital worlds, brought to life by Google Cloud’s immersive and shoppable technology, guiding guests through a series of immersive zones”. 

Attendees will “witness the future of fulfilment, engage with AI-generated models, and experience a new era of retail where every look is instantly shoppable. The experience will be shared with an exclusive guest list of top-tier creators, industry leaders and cultural figures”.  

The company clearly wants it to be more than just a fashion show, with the “unique forum, bringing together leaders from retail, technology and some of the most influential voices in the creator community. This is designed to spark collaboration and redefine the intersection of commerce and creativity”. 

THG Studios also said it expects to announce a series of other key partners soon, “further cementing the event’s status as a must-attend moment”.  

Hannah Pym, chief brand officer at THG Ingenuity (the THG spin-off that’s behind the Studios agency), said: “Uniting with an iconic brand like Topshop is a statement of our ambition. In collaboration with a global leader in digital payments PayPal, we are creating a new global benchmark for fashion experiences, fusing physical and digital to build connections that matter. The future of fashion is being designed right here in Manchester, and this event is a testament to the creative and technological power of the North, proving that innovation is thriving outside traditional capitals.” 

As mentioned, Topshop has been promoting its comeback this year with some headline-grabbing activities including pop-ups, retail partnerships and its summer takeover of London’s Trafalgar Square for a major catwalk show.