{"id":3491857,"date":"2026-09-23T23:33:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T23:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/23\/vogue-showcased-robots-on-the-runway-at-vogue-world-and-the-audience-was-not-pleased\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T23:33:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T23:33:22","slug":"vogue-showcased-robots-on-the-runway-at-vogue-world-and-the-audience-was-not-pleased","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/23\/vogue-showcased-robots-on-the-runway-at-vogue-world-and-the-audience-was-not-pleased\/","title":{"rendered":"Vogue showcased robots on the runway at Vogue World, and the audience was not pleased"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

This week, Vogue World concluded its Milan edition featuring a group of robots\u2014potentially a glimpse into what attendees can expect when the event arrives in San Francisco next year.<\/p>\n

Vogue World is the magazine\u2019s yearly traveling spectacle, now in its fifth edition: part fashion show, part celebrity exhibit, part variety show, part advertisement sales opportunity, staged in a different locale each time. It has previously taken place in New York, London, Paris, and Hollywood. This year’s Milan installment was promoted as a homage to Italian craftsmanship and the \u201chuman element\u201d amidst a technological age, making the subsequent events rather odd.<\/p>\n

In the segment titled The Age of Intelligence, humanoid robots crafted by the Chinese company Unitree walked into the Galleria to the tune of Gigi D\u2019Agostino\u2019s \u201cL\u2019Amour Toujours.\u201d They waved their arms to encourage applause from the spectators. One even performed a lasso trick. They were unadorned. Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Valentino, was seen with a distressed expression that rapidly went viral.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Vogue World Milano concludes (fittingly Europoor-kitschily) with tiny bots dancing to L\u2019Amour Toujours while Alessandro Michele slowly suffers internally pic.twitter.com\/xicYWWl6VW<\/p>\n

\u2014 sascha (@SaschaAmato) September 22, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

I haven\u2019t seen any discussion regarding the actual fashion showcased at Vogue World Milan. Instead, it’s all about the robots. (These robots have gained global attention for their dance abilities and mishaps.) Similar robots also appeared on the runway at London Fashion Week, currently ongoing.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Vogue attracted attention when it announced that the next edition would take place in San Francisco, arguably one of the least fashionable cities in the U.S. The timing is not accidental. Anna Wintour has increasingly aligned herself with the technology magnates of today, and Vogue World Milan was partially sponsored by Meta Glasses, with further support from OpenAI.<\/p>\n

This was one of those instances that highlights how disconnected the tech world can be, and that not everyone endorses the swift uptake of new technologies, including Vogue cozying up to the symbols of the excessively wealthy\u2014who are becoming even more affluent\u2014during a cost-of-living crisis. This is before considering AI, mass surveillance, job displacement, and the energy crisis, all overseen by the same elites. For some, a robot on the runway is further evidence of the current world’s issues.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n
\n
\n
\n

We are all Alessandro Michele, watching front row at Vogue World Milan, experiencing an existential crisis about the state of affairs while robots awkwardly perform. At this point, numb to the despair. Madness.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Michael J. Miraflor (@michaelmiraflor) September 23, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\n
\n
\n

Just got off the phone with the creative director of Vogue World. The first question he asked me? \u201cSo you disliked the robots?\u201d \ud83e\udd2d
Full interview on Substack tomorrow \ud83d\udc40 https:\/\/t.co\/FTa3gumPgY<\/p>\n

\u2014 Louis Pisano (@LouisPisano) September 23, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\u201cI\u2019m frustrated by the celebrities applauding the entire spectacle,\u201d one tech entrepreneur messaged me on Instagram. \u201cIt\u2019s disturbing. People are genuinely losing jobs and livelihoods because of these technologies. They should stop promoting it. What are they even showcasing? Headphones?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

A fashion journalist friend simply replied \u201cNo,\u201d when I sought opinions on the robots and Vogue World San Francisco. Jason Johnson, founder of Culture Impact Agency, mentioned that Vogue has been attempting to foster ties with Silicon Valley for at least a decade, recalling when Jony Ive co-hosted the Met Gala in 2015. The presence of dancing robots at Vogue World Milan seemed inevitable, as does the upcoming Vogue World San Francisco and Jeff Bezos along with his wife, Lauren Sanchez, gracing the Vogue wedding cover and co-hosting the 2026 Met Gala.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cPublications are discovering new avenues to generate revenue, and tech is financially backed,\u201d he shared with me. \u201cVogue possesses the cultural impact and access that those tech individuals desire.\u201d Ultimately, both parties benefit, he stated.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, the manner in which Vogue is approaching this seems oddly unnatural.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The collection that occupies my thoughts daily and should be displayed at Vogue World San Francisco. <\/span>Image Credits:<\/strong>WWD \/ Contributor \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Muna Ikedionwu, founder of MKEDI, a strategy firm for early-stage startups, remarked that what intrigued her most about the robots is that they do not fully encapsulate the innovation and progress underway in the creative technologist realm. \u201cI\u2019ve witnessed remarkable examples of engineering and AI influencing fashion, shaping design and art,\u201d she remarked, adding that robots parading down the runway merely skim the surface of current developments at the confluence of fashion and technology. <\/p>\n

She highlights the artist duo AA Murakami, who designed Olympian Eileen Gu\u2019s bubble dress at this year’s Met Gala. They are fashion creators and engineers, Ikedionwu noted, referring to a presentation she recently attended about creating an \u201ceverlasting bubble.\u201d They are at the forefront of pioneering \u201cephemeral technology,\u201d she stated, \u201cthis concept of technology and innovation that resonates with the transient nature or the temporariness of art, humanity, and the soul.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Admittedly, when viewed in this context, the robots did seem quite dull. Whenever I contemplate the crossroads of fashion and technology, the Spring 2024 Schiaparelli collection comes to mind, featuring a robot baby constructed with Swarovski crystals and a gown made from vintage tech such as PC microchips. (I once joked about wearing that gown to Disrupt; see image above.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ikedionwu ponders if this robotic performance was an attempt to ease the general public into the idea of technology merging with fashion, a combination that has been quietly developing for years. If that was the goal, it seems it fell flat. However, perhaps Vogue World is reserving all the exciting elements for San Francisco.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n

This week, Vogue World concluded its Milan edition featuring a group of robots\u2014potentially a glimpse into what attendees can expect when the event arrives in San Francisco next year.<\/p>\n

Vogue World is the magazine\u2019s yearly traveling spectacle, now in its fifth edition: part fashion show, part celebrity exhibit, part variety show, part advertisement sales opportunity, staged in a different locale each time. It has previously taken place in New York, London, Paris, and Hollywood. This year’s Milan installment was promoted as a homage to Italian craftsmanship and the \u201chuman element\u201d amidst a technological age, making the subsequent events rather odd.<\/p>\n

In the segment titled The Age of Intelligence, humanoid robots crafted by the Chinese company Unitree walked into the Galleria to the tune of Gigi D\u2019Agostino\u2019s \u201cL\u2019Amour Toujours.\u201d They waved their arms to encourage applause from the spectators. One even performed a lasso trick. They were unadorned. Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Valentino, was seen with a distressed expression that rapidly went viral.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Vogue World Milano concludes (fittingly Europoor-kitschily) with tiny bots dancing to L\u2019Amour Toujours while Alessandro Michele slowly suffers internally pic.twitter.com\/xicYWWl6VW<\/p>\n

\u2014 sascha (@SaschaAmato) September 22, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

I haven\u2019t seen any discussion regarding the actual fashion showcased at Vogue World Milan. Instead, it’s all about the robots. (These robots have gained global attention for their dance abilities and mishaps.) Similar robots also appeared on the runway at London Fashion Week, currently ongoing.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Vogue attracted attention when it announced that the next edition would take place in San Francisco, arguably one of the least fashionable cities in the U.S. The timing is not accidental. Anna Wintour has increasingly aligned herself with the technology magnates of today, and Vogue World Milan was partially sponsored by Meta Glasses, with further support from OpenAI.<\/p>\n

This was one of those instances that highlights how disconnected the tech world can be, and that not everyone endorses the swift uptake of new technologies, including Vogue cozying up to the symbols of the excessively wealthy\u2014who are becoming even more affluent\u2014during a cost-of-living crisis. This is before considering AI, mass surveillance, job displacement, and the energy crisis, all overseen by the same elites. For some, a robot on the runway is further evidence of the current world’s issues.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n
\n
\n
\n

We are all Alessandro Michele, watching front row at Vogue World Milan, experiencing an existential crisis about the state of affairs while robots awkwardly perform. At this point, numb to the despair. Madness.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Michael J. Miraflor (@michaelmiraflor) September 23, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\n
\n
\n

Just got off the phone with the creative director of Vogue World. The first question he asked me? \u201cSo you disliked the robots?\u201d \ud83e\udd2d
Full interview on Substack tomorrow \ud83d\udc40 https:\/\/t.co\/FTa3gumPgY<\/p>\n

\u2014 Louis Pisano (@LouisPisano) September 23, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\u201cI\u2019m frustrated by the celebrities applauding the entire spectacle,\u201d one tech entrepreneur messaged me on Instagram. \u201cIt\u2019s disturbing. People are genuinely losing jobs and livelihoods because of these technologies. They should stop promoting it. What are they even showcasing? Headphones?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

A fashion journalist friend simply replied \u201cNo,\u201d when I sought opinions on the robots and Vogue World San Francisco. Jason Johnson, founder of Culture Impact Agency, mentioned that Vogue has been attempting to foster ties with Silicon Valley for at least a decade, recalling when Jony Ive co-hosted the Met Gala in 2015. The presence of dancing robots at Vogue World Milan seemed inevitable, as does the upcoming Vogue World San Francisco and Jeff Bezos along with his wife, Lauren Sanchez, gracing the Vogue wedding cover and co-hosting the 2026 Met Gala.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cPublications are discovering new avenues to generate revenue, and tech is financially backed,\u201d he shared with me. \u201cVogue possesses the cultural impact and access that those tech individuals desire.\u201d Ultimately, both parties benefit, he stated.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, the manner in which Vogue is approaching this seems oddly unnatural.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The collection that occupies my thoughts daily and should be displayed at Vogue World San Francisco. <\/span>Image Credits:<\/strong>WWD \/ Contributor \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Muna Ikedionwu, founder of MKEDI, a strategy firm for early-stage startups, remarked that what intrigued her most about the robots is that they do not fully encapsulate the innovation and progress underway in the creative technologist realm. \u201cI\u2019ve witnessed remarkable examples of engineering and AI influencing fashion, shaping design and art,\u201d she remarked, adding that robots parading down the runway merely skim the surface of current developments at the confluence of fashion and technology. <\/p>\n

She highlights the artist duo AA Murakami, who designed Olympian Eileen Gu\u2019s bubble dress at this year’s Met Gala. They are fashion creators and engineers, Ikedionwu noted, referring to a presentation she recently attended about creating an \u201ceverlasting bubble.\u201d They are at the forefront of pioneering \u201cephemeral technology,\u201d she stated, \u201cthis concept of technology and innovation that resonates with the transient nature or the temporariness of art, humanity, and the soul.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Admittedly, when viewed in this context, the robots did seem quite dull. Whenever I contemplate the crossroads of fashion and technology, the Spring 2024 Schiaparelli collection comes to mind, featuring a robot baby constructed with Swarovski crystals and a gown made from vintage tech such as PC microchips. (I once joked about wearing that gown to Disrupt; see image above.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ikedionwu ponders if this robotic performance was an attempt to ease the general public into the idea of technology merging with fashion, a combination that has been quietly developing for years. If that was the goal, it seems it fell flat. However, perhaps Vogue World is reserving all the exciting elements for San Francisco.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3491858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3491857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3491857"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3491857"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3491857\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3491858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3491857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3491857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3491857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}