Swedish fashion retailer H&M is using digital “twins” of fashion models in their marketing campaigns and social media posts, with the models’ consent. The models themselves will own the rights to their twins, according to the company.
H&M Spring Summer 2025
Fashion models’ jobs will not be endangered as they are integral to the process of creating and using these AI-generated digital twins. H&M is working directly with fashion models and their agencies to create digital replicas that it will use in AI-generated images in social-media posts and marketing campaigns. The models themselves will own the rights to their twins, according to the company.
Jörgen Andersson, Chief Creative Officer of H&M, shared a post on LinkedIn about the decision to use AI to replicate fashion models: “Creativity and being radically curious have always defined who we are at H&M. Now, we’re exploring new territory – generative AI – and discovering how technology can unlock new ways to showcase our design in innovative ways, while still staying humble to our human-centric approach.”
The pace of creativity and digital innovation is rapidly increasing in fashion and there is a race among fashion brands to innovate and stay ahead of the curve. However, AI-generated imagery at H&M will not affect models’ livelihood as they will have ownership of digital twins. “…we’re using digital twins created through generative AI, developed closely together with models and their agencies. What’s key is that the creative process and outcomes remain firmly controlled by the people involved,” says Jörgen Andersson.
H&M Spring Summer 2025
H&M is focusing on digitalisation. “Through our omni-model we are continuing to integrate the physical and digital sales channels, making it easier for our customers to find what they are looking for,” explains CEO Daniel Ervér in the H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB three-month report 2025. “The upgraded digital store was rolled out to more markets in the quarter and has been well received by our customers. Upgrades to our physical stores continues to be given high priority. In addition to rebuilds of key stores in several major cities, we are expanding customer experience upgrades to more stores in more markets during the year.”
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The Fashion Workers Act
Historically, management agencies hold power of attorney over the fashion models they represent, which makes them vulnerable to exploitation. The Fashion Workers Act will create labour rights for New York-based fashion models, once it goes into effect in June 2025. The Fashion Workers Act will close the legal loophole by which model management companies have escaped accountability and also create labour protections for models.
The law, which will go into effect in June 2025, will grant models access to contracts with their clients, increased transparency into expenses, safeguards against harassment and abuse, and a formal channel to report violations without fear of retaliation. The new law will also provide recourse for the unauthorised use of digital images and AI. It calls for written consent for the creation or use of a model’s digital replica, and highlighting the scope, purpose, rate of pay and duration of such use.
This new law which affords labour rights to models in New York, sends a message to workers across the $2.5 trillion fashion industry that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect just like everyone else who works for a living. Several models who are familiar with the inner machinations of the industry saw up close the way in which the power imbalance between models and the management agencies led to financial exploitation and sexual abuse.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
