H&M agrees with the growing list of fashion companies that use artificial intelligence (AI) in their online communication. The retailer is going to make digital ‘twins’ of real models. These AI reproductions will be used in social media reports and marketing campaigns, provided that the models give permission for this. Thirty models, including Mathilda Gvarliani (known from the March 2024 cover ‘New York’ of Vogue Nederland) have already given permission for this. “She is just like me, but without Jetlag,” said Gvarliani in the photo of her AI-tweeling for H&M. In addition to enthusiasm, the choice is also received with criticism.
Jörgen Andersson, Chief Creative Officer of H&M shares in a message on LinkedIn about the choice to use AI to replicate models: “Creativity and radical curiosity have always defined who we are at H&M. Now we explore new terrain – generative AI – and we can discover our design, while we won new ways, we winks to be ways of ways, while we won new ways to be ways to be ways, we won new ways to be ways, we won new ways to be widely won, we won new ways to be widely won, we won new ways to be widely won, we won new ways to be widely won, we won new ways to be widely won, we won new ways to manimane ways, we are widely won, we won new ways to be widely displayed, we won new ways to be widely won, we widely display, we widely display, ways to be width. Approach.
But where change takes place often also sounds criticism. Fierce criticism comes from influencer Morgan Riddle. Via Instagram she expresses her concern about the possible impact on jobs within the fashion industry and the rights of the models involved.
FashionUnited has contacted H&M for more information about the use of AI technology. The retailer says: “We believe that by working with other creative people within the industry, such as agencies and the models themselves, we do this in a responsible manner”.
H&M underlines in an interview with Business of Fashion that the models keep control over the use of their digital replicas. In addition, they will be financially compensated in the same way as with their photos. Moreover, the first images of the AI models will be shared with water brands on social media, so that it is clear to consumers that it concerns AI-generated images.
The Swedish retail giant H&M is not the first retailer to use AI models. For example, Levi Strauss & Co.in collaboration with Amsterdam Startup Lalaland in 2023 released a campaign with AI-generated models. Fashion chain Mango launched its first campaign with an AI model in July 2024.
