Artificial intelligence is changing the fashion industry

Large German companies such as the Otto Group and Zalando are already using AI models for product presentations, which can be integrated into various outfits and scenarios in a matter of seconds. The Spanish fashion house Mango recently caused a stir in July with a summer fashion campaign in which a completely AI-generated model was used. AI technology is used to create model avatars that look so realistic that even experts such as Marco Sinervo, CEO of a large German model agency, cannot tell them apart from real models. As a recent survey by the market research institute Appinio shows, 72 percent of respondents feel the same way: they also rate such AI representations as clearly realistic.

AI is causing a paradigm shift

Many fashion brands and design studios are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence to save time and costs, for example when creating digital backgrounds, whether for sports shorts in the gym or swimwear on the beach. Real models are currently still needed to photograph clothing and accessories, as AI cannot (yet) depict bodies correctly. Many therefore rely on so-called body models, in which the heads are replaced digitally afterwards. In future, these models are likely to be mostly replaced by AI, expects Michael Berger, Managing Director of the Beyond Studio design collective, which relies heavily on AI for photo productions. In many online stores in particular, the focus is on the product and not the model.

The increasing use of AI technology also raises questions in the fashion industry: Will there still be enough jobs for models, as well as photographers, in the near future if a large part of the work is generated by AI? Norbert Hansen, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Model Agencies (Velma), sees AI as a threat to the entire modeling industry. "These motifs could be completely replaced by AI in the long term," warns Hansen. For model agent Marco Sinervo, AI avatars mean a departure from real beauty ideals and the authenticity that many people actually want. AI is not sexy, and the use of AI avatars is more of a step backwards than an innovation. Fashion photographer Axl Jansen also expects the appeal of such campaigns to diminish and that many will turn away after the third or fourth AI fashion campaign. Some younger fashion photographers would even return to analog methods.

Image rights and mandatory labeling

Another area of tension is the issue of image rights. On the one hand, companies can use AI to change faces so that they no longer have to pay high fees for image rights. On the other hand, AI can also enable models to "sell" themselves several times a day without having to be physically present. This is because their faces would then be with the customer in digital form, and they would not have to be photographed for shoots themselves. However, the legal situation in Germany is still unclear, as it is not clear who is entitled to the rights to the AI-generated images in such a case.

The majority of respondents (81%) favor clear labeling of AI-generated content. Inken Paland, a social media expert specializing in AI, emphasizes the importance of transparency. Sinervo, on the other hand, is of the opinion that such a labeling requirement could quickly kill off the AI hype. Over time, AI avatars could become a commonplace feature, similar to cookies on websites.

The Appinio survey, which was conducted from August 5 to 6, 2024, questioned 1,000 people in Germany and is considered to be representative of the age and gender of the population nationwide.

(vat)