If you thought the beauty standards perpetuated in fashion magazines couldn’t get any worse, you thought wrong. In the latest edition of Vogue, a spread for the brand Guess features a flawless AI model, making it the first time an AI model has appeared in the print magazine.
The images have sparked backlash and controversy online, with many worried that the emergence of AI-generated models will further perpetuate the unattainable beauty standards and limited diversity seen in the fashion world.
The images feature an AI-generated blonde model with blue eyes wearing items from the brand’s summer collection. In page margins, there is a teeny-tiny disclaimer stating that the images are AI-generated.
According to the BBC, Vogue says the decision to include an AI-generated campaign was not an editorial decision. Rather, it was the choice of the fashion brand Guess that sought out the help of London-based AI marketing agency Seraphinne Vallora. The agency was created by former architects Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu.
On its website, Seraphinne Vallora describes itself as “the world’s leading AI marketing agency for fashion and luxury brands”.
“We are the pioneers in creating editorial-level campaigns using advanced AI, delivering photo-realistic images, cinematic videos and digital models that bring your products to life,” their vision statement says.
While there has been widespread backlash about the use of AI in the campaign, Gonzalex and Petrescu have defended their work in a statement on Instagram.
“There’s been a lot of talk. A lot of misconceptions. And we get it, this industry didn’t exist before. WE CREATED IT. This is not ‘just prompting’. We wish it were that easy. Behind every image is a full creative team: engineers, designers, photographers, stylists, developers, and MODELS,” they wrote.
“This is real work, and it deserves to be recognised as such! It involves complex workflows we built ourselves. Its architecture, its visual direction, its fabric studies, lighting tests, real photography references — and yes, Al. But Al is just the tool. The vision and work is human.”
Gonzalez and Petrescu claim that prompting AI is only five per cent of their workflow, and that their process is complex.
“We’re the first company to do this at this scale in fashion, in Vogue, in global campaigns,” they continued.
“We realised.. It’s true what they say, if you’re going to innovate, you have to be willing to be misunderstood. It will take time for people to adapt to change, but once they do, they will see the beauty and advantages of this technology.”
Despite Vogue claiming the onus was on Guess’ decision to use the AI-focused agency in the campaign, unhappy readers have taken to the comment section of the publication’s social media to express their disappointment.
“Using AI???? Are we being fr right now????” commented one reader.
“I don’t pay for a magazine subscription to see AI-generated images. Literally wtf,” said another.
“Cancelled my subscription. Guess AI can replace your customers, too?” quipped another.
It’s not the first time the masses have slammed brands for using AI to sell clothes. Earlier this month, Melbourne-based fashion brand Atior was called out for using AI-generated images to sell clothes on online retailer The Iconic.
As the world learns how to use AI and wrestles with the limits of AI in life and art, I can’t help but think about a tweet by author Joanna Maciejewska.
“You know what the biggest problem with pushing all-things-AI is? Wrong direction,” she wrote.
“I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.”
Same, girl, same.
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