Briefed: AI fashion campaigns, innovation or mere imitation?
Gucci, Prada and Loewe imagery can be generated in seconds
Brands are increasingly embracing AI, particularly in their social media communications, and, as technology advances, creatives can now explore a company's archives while generating their own unique interpretations with remarkable speed.
Pushing AI to generate newness
Take Sybille de Saint Louvent, a Paris-based independent creative director whose AI-generated brand campaigns have attracted thousands of followers on Instagram and the attention of luxury houses such as Gucci.
At first glance, these projects - like the Prada campaign above - are immediately recognizable. Burberry, for example, exudes a distinctly British essence, complete with the iconic trench coat. The Loewe image features a tomato, a playful nod to the viral ‘So Loewe’ meme, while the crisp, clean, Italian-inspired Gucci ad exudes familiar luxury. We know these images. We know these brands.
Therein lies the potential issue. These campaigns impress in execution, yet on deeper inspection, they feel flat, one-dimensional, and, some might argue, soulless. AI can replicate a brand’s existing aesthetic with remarkable precision, but can it push beyond imitation to generate something truly new?
Entirely AI-driven campaigns feel anecdotal
Fashion has always been cyclical, with artisans, designers, and makers drawing from the past to create newness. In that sense, what we’re seeing with fashion and AI now feels familiar.
“Where AI marks a radical shift is in the dialogue it creates between creatives and the machine,” explains Laurent François, managing partner at 180, which counts Dior and Chopard as clients.
“We often frame AI-generated content in opposition to an ‘analog’ approach to craftsmanship. But the reality is far more nuanced: an entirely AI-driven campaign already feels anecdotal - if not outdated - compared to the full creative potential AI can unlock.”
It’s also clear that as viewers, our eyes are becoming more adept at distinguishing what is over-fabricated by AI versus what is genuinely crafted.
“With AI, entire worlds and systems can be brought to life,” continues François. “Much like in game design, fashion communications can now craft immersive narratives and experiences, drawing in customers, insiders, and internal creative teams alike. A dream not just to watch, but to step into.”
Expanding creative possibilities
For brands, the challenge isn’t just about leveraging AI to mimic the familiar. The real opportunity lies in using AI to expand creative possibilities, pushing beyond aesthetic replication to create something exciting and immersive. But how?
Fashion is often dismissed as vacuous, but that’s simply untrue. “The best fashion imagery has a clear point of view and story to tell,” brand consultant Susan Pratchett tells me. “It’s multi-layered and has to be decoded. That’s what great creative directors and artists bring to the work.”
Pratchett explains that AI campaigns are only as good as the inputs being given. While AI can replicate existing aesthetics with ease, it often simply follows trends and replicates what is already out there rather than being prompted to create something that is new and drives fresh emotion and connection.
“It’s interesting to look at where AI can potentially create shortcuts and efficiencies in the short term. For example, imagery that doesn’t necessarily need to create depth and storytelling but is simply showcasing product, such as a lot of e-commerce imagery,” she continues. “Ideally, these efficiencies then allow for more time, craft, and budget to go into brand storytelling work.”
For AI to generate the same storytelling and depth seen in the best fashion imagery, it must move beyond regeneration and replication, crafting its own narratives and inviting viewers to look deeper.
For example, in 2023, Moncler Genius partnered with Adidas Originals to launch ‘The Art of Explorers,’ which showcased AI-generated adventurers alongside mixed-media sculptures. This project merged fashion with digital experiences, debuting at London Fashion Week.
Burberry has also utilized AI to breathe new life into archival images from decades past. One notable example is a 1982 photograph by Lord Lichfield, captured in Brighton, England, depicting a couple huddled under an umbrella.
“Use the disconnect that AI often generates much more deliberately,” Pratchett continues. “Treat it like a modern-day trompe l’oeil, creating layers and stories that consumers need to decode, something that needs to be explored beyond the surface.”
Is AI the fast fashion of tech?
There are clear parallels between AI and fast fashion; both regurgitate what’s already out there at a rapid pace. “It’s copying, but without the craft, understanding, and knowingness that elevate the originals. That’s why they feel familiar, but flat,” Pratchett says. “But this is still so early in development, and even when it gets it wrong, it still marks an exciting moment in time.”
People are exploring, experimenting, learning, and unlocking new avenues of creativity. While AI has its limitations, it remains a powerful tool - one with vast potential that thrives best when combined with human ingenuity and imagination.
What comes next, though, is up to us.
It’s interesting also to think about taste. Meaning how can it produce pieces of ‘bad’ or ‘good taste’. Does that responsibility lie on the person prompting it rather than on AI