Fashion Photography in the Age of AI: Why Human Creativity Still Wins

Fashion photography is evolving, and AI is playing a growing role. From digital models to AI-assisted campaign shoots, brands are experimenting with ways to cut costs, speed up content creation, and (arguably more importantly) mass-produce a wider variety of content to feed our ever shortening attention spans and accelerated creative fatigue. And watching over this trend, fashion brands and creatives have long been faced with a question: can AI replace human photographers altogether?

In my humble (albeit biased) opinion? Absolutely the f*ck not.

AI can generate hyper-realistic images, sure. Gone are the days of sloppy yet hilarious spaghetti eating by AI Will Smith and we have seen truly near perfect AI imagery . But when it comes to real fashion storytelling, there’s no substitute for human creativity. Editorial photography isn’t just about showing clothes, it’s about energy, movement, and the feeling an image can create. Without that, brands risk losing the emotional impact that makes fashion imagery unforgettable.

How Fashion Brands Are Using AI, And Why It’s Not Quite Working

A few major players have already tried swapping out real models and photographers for AI-generated visuals, bringing on outrage, backlash, and at times fascination.

Reported by Business of Fashion, H&M recently announced plans to introduce AI-generated models, creating "digital twins" to showcase clothing online. On paper, it sounds efficient. Sure, AI can generate endless variations of models without needing a studio, a team, travel budget, or trying to put all parts together at the time that works for all. But aside from ethics and consumer deception theorising (more on that later), here’s another problem: these images don’t feel alive. The movement looks unnatural, the expressions lack depth, and there’s something oddly off about how AI-generated fabric sits on an AI-generated body (heard of uncanny valley?) The human touch that makes fashion feel aspirational, effortless, and real? Completely missing. (Source: Business of Fashion, March 2025)

Balmain was one of the first luxury brands to dip into AI with its "Virtual Army" campaign back in 2018, featuring fully AI-generated models. While it turned heads at the time, it ultimately felt more like a tech experiment than a fashion moment. It lacked the unpredictability that makes editorial photography so compelling. (Source: Harper's Bazaar, 2018)

Then there’s Levi’s, which tested AI-generated models to increase diversity in its marketing. The intention was good, but the backlash was immediate. Consumers questioned why a global brand would choose digital diversity over actual diverse models. It highlighted a key issue: AI isn’t just replacing people, it’s removing perspective. (Source: The Cut, 2023)

The Problem with AI in Fashion Photography

Fashion photography has never been just about aesthetics. The best campaigns make you feel something. They capture a mood, an attitude, a moment that sticks with you long after you’ve turned the page or scrolled past it. AI-generated images struggle to achieve that.

One of the biggest reasons is authenticity. Consumers today are hyper-aware of when something feels too polished, too staged, or just… fake. Editorial photography, at its best, thrives on imperfections. The way natural light falls slightly unevenly on skin. A model caught mid-motion in a way that wasn’t planned but just works. The small, human moments that make an image feel effortless. AI smooths out these edges, but in doing so, it removes what makes fashion photography feel real.

Then there’s the question of energy and presence. A great fashion image isn’t just about posing, it’s about interaction. The chemistry between a model and the camera, the way fabric moves as they walk, the instinctive adjustments a photographer makes in the moment. AI doesn’t react. It doesn’t read the room, adapt to the energy, or know when to break the rules to create something unexpected.

Creative direction also plays a massive role. AI can generate an image, but it can’t interpret a brand’s story the way a photographer can. The best editorial photographers aren’t just shooting clothes, they’re crafting a visual identity. They know how to translate mood, how to shape light, how to create an image that goes beyond just looking good and actually says something. That level of intuition and creative instinct isn’t something an algorithm can replicate.

AI & Human Creativity Can Work Together, But Not Replace Each Other

This doesn’t mean AI has no place in fashion. It can be useful in concept development, testing compositions, and even post-production. Some brands are using AI-generated imagery alongside traditional photography, using it as a tool rather than a full replacement.

But fashion photography is built on storytelling. And real, human-led storytelling isn’t something AI can do, at least not yet, and not in a way that resonates. My favourite example of human creativity directing AI capabilities within fashion is non other than Olivia Bossert. Having discovered her through her courses, I soon fell in love with her work, her art philosophy, and her art itself. Using photography, AI and more traditional mediums, she truly creates one of a kind work, and leading in a direction we are all strive to be heading towards: a world of empowered creativity.

The Future is Human...Ish

Without a doubt, AI will continue evolving, but one thing won’t change: people connect with people. Whether you’re a fashion brand, designer, or creative, the most impactful imagery will always come from collaboration, spontaneity, and instinct. AI is not taking away those jobs. It's creating opportunities for those who can master it. Just like social media democratised content creation, AI can help more artists create and enrich our lives - design, fashion and all.

For brands that want to create photography that connects, captures not just fashion but feeling, the key isn’t to replace human creativity but to lean into it. If you’re ready to create something with real impact, reach out today and let's make it happen!