'Robots need clothes': humanoids hit catwalk in Seoul - Fashion United
Increasingly dexterous robots have proven themselves capable of performing choreographed dances, participating in races, and even able to land backflips.
Key takeaways
- Figure AI has dramatically accelerated production of its third‑generation Figure 03 humanoid, moving from one robot per day to one per hour in just 120 days and reporting over 350 units built and an 80 % first‑pass yield, while its “System 0” controller now fuses visual and proprioceptive data to let robots navigate stairs and uneven terrain without real‑world fine‑tuning.
- NVIDIA unveiled the Isaac GR00T reference humanoid, built on a Unitree H2 Plus body, Sharpa five‑fingered hands and the Jetson Thor compute module, offering an open hardware and software stack for academic research.
- NVIDIA also partnered with Unitree to market a research‑focused humanoid platform that integrates the new Blackwell chip, with sales slated for later in 2026 and early adopters such as Stanford and ETH Zurich.
- At the Humanoids Summit in Tokyo (May 28 2026), Japanese and Chinese developers showcased advanced dexterous hands capable of threading needles, child‑like dancing robots, and adult‑size delivery bots, highlighting China’s rapid progress with companies like Booster Robotics, LimX Dynamics and Unitree supplying many of the showcased mechanisms.
- Meanwhile, industry leaders such as BMW, Toyota, Hyundai and Boston Dynamics are testing or deploying humanoid robots—including Agility Robotics’ Digit and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas—in automotive factories, emphasizing fleet‑management tools, OTA updates and fault‑diagnostics to integrate robots alongside human workers.
Increasingly dexterous robots have proven themselves capable of performing choreographed dances, participating in races, and even able to land backflips.
Financial services firm Morgan Stanley predicts the world could have more than a billion humanoids by 2050.
But fully automated robots -- using emerging physical AI technology -- are still rare, with most impressive displays remotely operated or pre-programmed.
South Korea Home News Fashion 'Robots need clothes': humanoids hit catwalk in Seoul
'Robots need clothes': humanoids hit catwalk in Seoul
By AFP
loading...
da de es fi it ja nb pl ru sv tr zh
There were no naked robots in sight at a fashion show held in Seoul with a high-tech twist, where pairs of people and humanoids hit the catwalk in matching outfits.
A tasselled blue Texan-style ensemble -- complete with a cowboy hat for the robot -- and a retro silver puffer jacket were among the looks showcased at the event on Thursday.
Each human model and their shorter android companion took turns to strut their stuff in unison on stage. The designs, including silky dresses and billowing space-age black trousers like those worn by rock star David Bowie in the 1970s, were carefully fitted to the robots' skeletal frames.
Galaxy Corporation, the entertainment company behind the display, said it was meant to ask: "How can humans and robots coexist?"
"We realised that robots, too, need to wear clothes," CEO Choi Yong-ho said.
"Just as every human being is unique, we believe that every single robot should also be distinct."
The clothes were designed by the company, whose spokesperson said it hopes to launch them under the brand name "MACH 33" at the end of the year.
The robot models at the Seoul fashion show appeared to be a humanoid made by Chinese startup Unitree, which are popular due to their relatively low cost.
Mentioned in this article