In March 2025, H&M unveiled one of its most ambitious—and controversial—initiatives: creating and deploying AI-generated “digital twins” of real-life models. These twins, developed in collaboration with the models and their agencies, will begin appearing across H&M’s social media and marketing content later this year. The fast-fashion giant plans to create digital versions of 30 different models, all of whom will retain ownership over their likenesses and be free to license their virtual selves to other brands, including H&M’s competitors.
A Disruptive Debut in Fashion AI
According to H&M’s chief creative officer, Jörgen Andersson, this strategy reflects a commitment to innovation and inclusion. However, it also acknowledges the unavoidable truth that artificial intelligence is reshaping how fashion content is produced. “People will be divided,” Andersson admitted. “But AI is coming either way.” For H&M, the goal is to be proactive: to bring human models into the conversation rather than work around them.
The initiative raises significant implications for how brands blend creativity, commerce, and ethics. On the one hand, H&M positions itself as a technological trailblazer, potentially streamlining content creation, reducing costs, and accelerating campaign delivery. AI-generated imagery can replace expensive photoshoots and, with the models’ permission, can be used and re-used across platforms without the logistical burden of scheduling and reshooting. In theory, it’s a marketer’s dream.
What Happens to the People Behind the Fantasy?
But dreams in fashion are often built on complex social and emotional dynamics. Digital twins introduce a broad spectrum of ethical and creative dilemmas that the industry—and consumers—are only beginning to understand. There’s concern over labor displacement, not just for models but for the entire ecosystem of stylists, photographers, and creatives contributing to image-making. While H&M emphasizes transparency by watermarking AI-generated visuals, the blurring line between real and digital raises questions of authenticity and trust. As model Vilma Sjoberg, one of the first to see her digital twin, put it: “It’s a picture of me, but it’s not me.”
Owning Your Likeness in a Digital Era
Ownership is another layer of complexity. While it’s progressive that models maintain control over their AI likenesses, critics argue this arrangement may mask deeper issues—like the normalization of modifying identity. In an industry long scrutinized for exploiting image and body, the arrival of flawless, endlessly usable digital doubles might accelerate a troubling shift: one where models feel pressured to digitize themselves to remain employable.
Representation also becomes a contentious point. AI offers the potential for broader inclusivity, but if not carefully trained and implemented, it can replicate bias or simulate diversity performatively. Using AI to display inclusive imagery without employing real people from diverse backgrounds could undermine genuine efforts toward equity in the industry. H&M’s attempt to navigate this space will likely be dissected closely.
A Defining Moment for AI in Fashion
Yet, this digital turn is a question of production and perception. In fashion, authenticity is currency. The brand’s willingness to experiment with transparency—marking which images are AI-made—is critical in maintaining consumer trust. Still, the modeling world has yet to confront the psychological toll of seeing an idealized, hyper-efficient version of oneself operating at scale. The mental health implications for talent in this new era deserve attention.
Despite the risks, the move marks a clear turning point. H&M isn’t just responding to AI trends—it’s attempting to define them. By placing human models at the center of its AI strategy rather than outside, the brand sets a precedent for how fashion might evolve in an age of digital identity.
What remains to be seen is how consumers, creatives, and models respond—not just to the images but to the more profound message behind them. Is this the future of inclusive, efficient fashion storytelling? Or is it the beginning of a new aesthetic detachment, where emotion, imperfection, and humanity are edited out of the frame? For now, H&M is betting that the answer lies somewhere in between.
