AI and fashion photography…Tool or threat to inclusivity?

Industry

7 Sept

A few weeks ago, I had one of those emails that make you do a double take. ITV Calendar News got in touch asking if I’d be up for an interview about AI in fashion photography. Random, right? They were filming a piece on beauty standards and representation after a Vogue advert featured AI models. The brand behind the tech had also said they wouldn’t be creating plus-size versions of their models…You can imagine how that went down.

In the end, they never got back to me regarding production schedules 💔, but the conversation is too important not to talk about.

So instead of an ITV interview, here’s my take via blog!

AI models…As models!

In the past few weeks, the fashion industry has been buzzing for all the wrong reasons. Guess ran an advert in Vogue using an AI-generated model. Blonde, flawless, and entirely not real. While the tiny print admitted the image was artificial, most readers wouldn’t spot it.

The BBC reported on it, pointing out the concerns this raises about beauty standards, diversity, and what it means for real models, photographers and the teams behind them.

The promise of AI

AI is changing the world and fashion is no exception. For businesses, it’s a powerful tool. It saves time, it saves money, and for brands working on tight budgets it could be a lifesaver. Catalogue and ecommerce shots are a good example. These can be expensive to produce, and technology utilising AI models could help brands keep costs down while still filling online shops with consumer-friendly imagery.

Used well, AI can take on some of the heavy lifting, leaving humans free to focus on the creative side – the part that actually makes people feel something. For me, AI works best as an assistant, not the artist.

The risks we can’t ignore

It’s not all good news, AI also comes with serious challenges. We’ve all seen how easily fake images and videos can spread. That dents trust in the public interest. There’s also the risk of jobs being squeezed out. Photographers, models, stylists, make-up artists – the very people who bring creativity and storytelling to life - are the ones who could lose out if AI is used without care.

And then there’s bias. AI tools learn from what already exists. If those datasets are filled with narrow ideas of beauty, race, gender, or body shape…that’s what gets reproduced.

Unfortunately, instead of opening doors, AI could reinforce old stereotypes.

Where representation fits in

This is the bit that worries me most. We’ve worked so hard as an industry to make progress with inclusivity, but it still isn’t perfect. Runway shows prove it – the vast majority of looks are still straight size, with plus-size models barely represented.

The “average” UK woman is often reported around a size 16, yet fashion imagery rarely reflects that reality. Clothes should fit people, not the other way round. When brands only represent one kind of body, they risk isolating huge parts of their audience.

If AI models don’t include different sizes, shapes, ages, genders and races, millions of people are cut out of the picture. That feels isolating, and at scale, it can be dangerous.

Moving forward

AI is here to stay. It can speed things up and save money, but it can’t replace authenticity. If brands want to adopt it, they need to do it responsibly – with inclusivity and representation built in from the start.

Technology should move us forward, not backwards. My hope is that AI becomes part of the solution: a tool that helps with the practical side of fashion while allowing more space for authentic, diverse, human-led storytelling.

Until then, I’ll keep doing what I do best – capturing real people, real stories, and making sure beauty isn’t defined by an algorithm.