AI Models Hit Catwalk

H&M is pioneering the use of AI 'digital twins' of models in its advertising campaigns, opening new avenues for the fashion industry. These photorealistic avatars, generated from extensive photos of real models, showcase clothing in various settings and poses without the need for physical photoshoots. This approach offers increased speed and cost efficiency, potentially reducing campaign lead times and costs significantly.

The initiative also addresses ethical considerations by ensuring models retain ownership and revenue share of their digital likenesses. H&M clearly labels its digital models to maintain transparency with consumers. While some industry observers suggest the role of photographers may evolve towards art direction and dataset curation, H&M emphasises that humans remain central to the creative process.

Other retailers are also exploring AI, with Mango launching an AI-powered fashion assistant. H&M plans to further explore AI campaign strategies, applying the technology across different cities. This move reflects a broader trend of embracing AI to enhance storytelling and customer engagement within the fashion sector.