Last week, AI was sketching soccer jerseys.
This week? It’s taking over the runway.

I’m talking about the rise of AI fashion models — the pixel-perfect avatars that are already starring in campaigns for brands like Levi’s. No contracts, no jet lag, no “bad side.” Just endlessly programmable faces selling the dream.

It’s more than a gimmick. This is a billion-dollar shift in how fashion markets itself — one where synthetic humans are cheaper, faster, and (sometimes) more “diverse” than the real thing.

Inside this issue:

✅ Cover Story: The billion-dollar business of fake fashion models
✅ Swipe File: IKEA’s AR app is teaching furniture how to sell itself
✅ Spotlight: Ralph Lauren’s AI stylist app
✅ Runway Reel: Criminal as a model
✅ Fun Fact: 

🕒 Read time: 2 minutes — about the time it takes to approve a retouched campaign shot.

The billion-dollar business of fake fashion models

They don’t age, don’t complain, and never miss a shoot — but what does that mean for brands built on authenticity?

I’ll admit it: I once spent half an hour scrolling through a model’s Instagram before realizing she wasn’t real.

Not in the “curated influencer” sense. In the literally-pixels-on-a-screen sense.

Her name was Shudu. She looked like the next Naomi Campbell, had hundreds of thousands of followers, and landed brand deals. But she was created by a London photographer on his computer.

Back then, it was an art experiment.
Today, it’s an industry..

Meet fashion’s newest labor force: synthetic humans

AI-generated models — from CGI avatars to photorealistic deepfakes — are creeping into campaigns, lookbooks, and e-commerce sites.

Brands say the economics are too good to ignore:

• Lower cost: Booking a professional model for a day can run thousands. AI Platforms let brands generate AI avatars for a fraction of the price.

• Faster shoots: Instead of coordinating studios, stylists, and photographers, companies can produce dozens of images in hours.

• Consistency: Want the same “face” every season? No scheduling conflicts, no aging, no contracts.

Agencies are popping up around this idea.

Why this matters

Modeling has always been about aspiration. AI turns aspiration into simulation.

For fast-fashion, it’s a no-brainer: thousands of products, infinite model shots, minimal cost. For luxury? It’s trickier. Can a Gucci campaign still sell “authenticity” if the model never existed?

There’s also the cultural angle. Levi’s announced its AI model project as a way to display more body types and ethnicities without staging hundreds of photoshoots. The reaction? Critics said it raised questions about whether simulated diversity can replace real representation.

Translation: innovation is the new sponsorship deal.

The hidden economics

AI modeling isn’t just about faces. It’s about distribution and control:

• Influence gap: Human models come with audiences. AI ones don’t — at least not yet. (Though Shudu’s 240k Instagram followers prove there’s curiosity.)

• Rights: No unions, no “bad side,” no contracts. Once you create a synthetic face, you can use it endlessly.

• Scale: Retailers can show clothes on multiple sizes, ages, and skin tones without ballooning production costs. That’s efficiency — but also a shortcut with ethical landmines.

The irony here

Fashion sells individuality. Yet the industry’s new stars are literally carbon copies — programmable faces that can be endlessly tweaked.

And the kicker? Most consumers can’t tell the difference. Shoppers browsing e-commerce sites often don’t realize the models are synthetic. Those who do? Many don’t care, as long as the clothes look good.

So the industry that preaches authenticity is quietly powered by digital replicas.

What fashion founders should take away

1. Cost curves are collapsing. What cost thousands now costs hundreds — sometimes less.

2. Representation is programmable. Brands will be judged on whether they use AI to expand diversity or reinforce narrow beauty standards.

3. Humans still bring influence. AI faces don’t have real followers or cultural cachet (yet).

4. Narrative > novelty. Saying “we use AI models” isn’t compelling. Framing it as sustainability (less travel, less waste) or personalization (models that look like your customers) gives it legs.

Bottom line

In the 2010s, brands fought over celebrity collabs.
In the 2020s, they fought over credibility.
Now, in the AI era, the competition might be for identity itself.

Your next favorite model might not be human. But she’ll still sell you that $3,000 handbag — with a smile that never ages.

Swipe File (Real tactics used by real brands)

IKEA’s AR Experiment

What happened:
IKEA’s Place app lets shoppers preview true-to-scale 3D furniture in their homes through their phone cameras. Instead of guessing if a sofa will fit or whether a table works with the space, customers can see it instantly in context.

Why it worked:

• Utility first: The app tackles the biggest friction in furniture buying — size and fit anxiety.

• Confidence booster: When shoppers can see a piece in their room, they’re more likely to hit “buy.”

• Context matters: Visualizing items together helps customers imagine full-room setups, not just isolated products.

Lesson for founders:
Your product experience can solve a decision problem before the sale. When you remove uncertainty — whether it’s sizing, fit, or compatibility — you’re not just selling an item. You’re selling peace of mind.

The Runway Reel

This brand showcased a criminal as a model

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Spotlight

This week’s pick:
Ask Ralph: When a Luxury Brand Builds a Stylist Bot

Ralph Lauren just launched Ask Ralph, an AI-powered assistant that doubles as stylist and archivist. It’s not just recommending polo shirts — it’s channeling decades of brand heritage into personalized styling advice.

Why it matters:

• Shows how AI can extend luxury storytelling instead of diluting it

• Turns brand archives into living assets, not just museum pieces

• Signals a bigger shift: fashion houses training AI on their own aesthetics before the internet does it for them

📖 [Read the full article →]

A Final Note

Fun Fact

Fun Fact:
Before Comme des Garçons was a global avant-garde empire, Rei Kawakubo started by hand-customizing T-shirts in Tokyo.

Today, AI lets anyone test 100 variations in an afternoon. The constant hasn’t changed: the fastest to experiment always wins.

Let me know what you thought of this edition.Until next time,