Runway to Reality: AI Fashion Hackathon
Fashion Week is coming. It's time to build.
Join us for a full-day AI hackathon where developers, designers, and creative thinkers come together to build the future of fashion tech; no coding experience required.
Using Google's Gemini AI and Vonage's real-time Video API, you'll go from idea to working demo in a single day. Whether you're imagining a virtual try-on experience, an AI stylist, a live shopping platform, or something entirely new; this is your runway.
Schedule: What's happening
9:45 AM Doors open; check in, grab breakfast & coffee
10:15 AM Welcome & opening remarks
10:25 AM Keynote: Fashion Meets Technology; GDE guest
10:40 AM "What is an API?"; plain English explainer for beginners
10:50 AM Team formation
11:00 AM Challenge brief & judging criteria revealed
11:15 AM Workshop: "Build the Brain, Then Add the Voice"
12:00 PM Open build time begins
1:00 PM Mid-hack check-in
1:45 PM Submission reminder; get your Devpost entry in
2:00 PM Submissions close
2-2:45 PM Judging
2:50 PM Prize announcement & closing
What You'll Build
Your project will be powered by two layers:
Google Gemini; your AI brain. It understands images, generates style suggestions, and makes your app smart.
Vonage Video API; your communication layer. It adds live video so your AI experience becomes a real, shareable product.
You don't need to know how to code. You need a great idea and a team. Our mentors will help you build it.
The Challenge
Build a fashion-focused application using Gemini and Vonage APIs. Think:
Virtual try-on rooms
AI personal stylists
Live shopping streams
Outfit rating bots
Fashion Week lookbook senders
Teams of 2–4. One day. Real prizes.
Who This Is For
This event is designed for everyone; not just developers. We especially want to see:
Fashion designers and creatives with a tech idea
Developers curious about AI and real-time video
Entrepreneurs who want to build something at the intersection of fashion and tech
Anyone who's ever thought "there should be an app for that"
No prior coding experience required. Our mentors will be on the floor all day to help every team get something working.
Before You Arrive
To make the most of the day, complete these steps before September 12:
Set up your AI brain:
Create a free Google AI Studio account and grab your Gemini API key
Try uploading a photo of an outfit and asking Gemini "What style is this?"; just to see what it can do
Read this inspiration blog post; it's the exact pattern you'll be building on
Set up your comms layer:
4. Create a free Vonage API account
5. Watch this 10-minute intro to the Vonage Video API
Get your machine ready:
6. Install Node.js (LTS) on your laptop