Guess clothing and accessories brand became the first member of the fashion industry to place ads with fully artificial intelligence-generated models in one of the largest international glossy magazines. The campaign was created by a British agency specializing in generative AI solutions. In the center of the advertising concept were two digital models-a blonde named Vivien and a brunette Anastasia, depicted in Guess outfits.
Stylistically, the visual materials fully meet the standards of traditional fashion photography: from setting up lights to posing. However, at the bottom of each page there is a transparent note "Image generated by AI", emphasizing that the shooting was not carried out with the participation of real people. Representatives of the magazine's publisher stressed that AI models are not used in editorial materials, and we are talking exclusively about commercial advertising content.
Nevertheless, the launch of the campaign caused a wide discussion in the professional environment and the audience of social networks. The appearance of the hashtag #boycottguess was a reflection of the indignation of users who accuse the brand of promoting unrealistic standards of appearance and crowding out real models. Especially harsh was the criticism from representatives of the movement for bodily inclusivity. Well-known plus-size model Felicity Hayward described the initiative as a "step back" in the struggle for representation.
There are also concerns about the impact of such projects on the professional community. Photo and video shoots in the fashion industry are the work of teams of makeup artists, photographers, stylists, producers and assistants. Representatives of the Model Alliance organization pointed out that the commercial use of AI could undermine the economic sustainability of these professions and set a precedent for further reduction of live labor in the industry.
It is symbolic that the appearance of the first AI advertisement in an international fashion publication almost coincided with the departure from the post of editor — in-chief of one of the most influential figures of gloss-Anna Wintour. For the industry, this is a moment of transformation, where technology comes into direct contact with ethics and social expectations. Guess's solution may be the beginning of a new era — but the industry's and audience's reactions will show where it goes.
