AI-Generated Model in Vogue Ad Sparks Controversy Over Beauty Standards and Industry Diversity

What Guess's AI model in Vogue means for beauty standards

There's a new supermodel in town. She's striking, stylish... and not real. In August's print edition of Vogue, a Guess advert features a flawless blonde model showing off a striped maxi dress and a floral playsuit from the brand's summer collection. In small print in one corner, the ad reveals that she was created using AI. While Vogue says the AI model was not an editorial decision, it is the first time an AI-generated person has featured in the magazine. The advert has been met with controversy and raises questions about what this means for real models who have fought for greater diversity, and for consumers - particularly young people - already struggling with unrealistic beauty standards.

AI-Generated Models Now Appear in 'Vogue' Magazine

It is the dystopian nightmare many photographers feared: AI-generated images of models are appearing in the pages of illustrious magazines like Vogue. The ads inside Vogue are famous, but in August's print edition, one from Guess features a flawless blonde model in a striped maxi dress on one page and a floral playsuit from the brand's summer collection on another. But eagle-eyed readers noticed something was up, which was confirmed by small and subtle text in the corner of the ad, which notes it is AI-generated. Vogue says that it was not an editorial decision to include an AI model but confirms that it is the first time an AI-generated person has appeared in the magazine. Unsurprisingly, the move has caused controversy and anger. Seraphinne Vallora, a marketing agency, is behind the ad, which says that Guess co-founder Paul Marciano approached them with the idea. "There's been a lot of talk. A lot of misconceptions. And we get it, this industry didn't exist before," writes Seraphinne Vallora in defense of its work on Instagram. "This is real work, and it deserves to be recognized as such! It involves complex workflows we built ourselves." The two founders of Seraphinne Vallora, Andreea Petrescu and Valentina Gonzalez, insist that the company still hires photographers as part of the workflow. "We understand people may think AI will be replacing jobs, but in reality, it's just like any other tool in the design industry and it CREATES jobs, because these images are AI-Driven but made by HUMANS, CREATIVES, AND DESIGNERS." But as commenters demanded proof that Seraphinne Vallora did use a real photographer and other creatives, the company failed to answer those questions on social media. PetaPixel has also requested more information about the process. The BBC notes that despite the company's insistence that it uses human creatives, on its website it lists the benefits of working with as "eliminating the need for expensive set-ups, MUA artists, venue rentals, stage setting, photographers, travel expenses, hiring models". Guess's Instagram page has also been inundated with negative comments from people livid about the AI models. Tellingly, the brand has not posted the AI-generated images on the social media platform. There are also concerns over unrealistic body standards for women -- a problem that has plagued the industry for years. "Beauty standards are already being influenced by AI. There are young girls getting plastic surgery to look like a face in a filter - and now we see people who are entirely artificial," Sinead Bovell, a former model, tells the BBC. Guess is not the only fashion brand currently using AI models. H&M has started rolling out what it calls "digital twins", effectively AI-generated clones of models.

Subscribers to Fashion Magazine Vogue Disgusted When They Realize Where Its New Two-Page "Photo" Really Came From

Subscribers to the iconic fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue were horrified after spotting a double-page ad for the brand Guess, featuring a blonde model who didn't look quite right. Unsurprisingly, a small caption in the top left-hand corner revealed that the two images, which showed the fake model sporting two different looks, were "produced" by AI marketing company Seraphinne Vallora. Vogue isn't just another fashion rag; it's a flagship brand of Condé Nast's publishing empire, as well as a legendary magazine with a history stretching back into the 1800s. As such, users on social media reacted with outrage, vowing to end their subscriptions after the affront. "The downfall of Vogue," one user tweeted. "Their covers are trash. No creativity. and now using AI." Others warned it could set a dangerous precedent: a dystopian race to the bottom as former titans of style and cultural innovation become more concerned about bottom lines than human creativity. "Vogue, the biggest magazine in the world, allowed AI in their publication," another user tweeted, "which is going to set a precedent for all the other publications who quietly thought about it but were too scared of public backlash to do the same." The incident highlights how the use of generative AI, particularly in creative fields such as fashion or art, has generated a huge amount of societal blowback, with critics saying the tech is already putting human creators out of work by replacing them with an inferior product -- which, for good measure, was created by ingesting their work without permission. Others voiced concerns that using AI models could exacerbate the social issue of unrealistic beauty standards, in the most crass way possible. "Guess using AI models in Vogue is creating impossible and irresponsible beauty standards," Australian lawmaker David Shoebridge tweeted. "These digitally 'perfect' bodies don't exist -- but the mental health damage to young people will be real." As the BBC reports, Seraphinne Vallora was approached by Guess' cofounder, Paul Marciano, on Instagram. "We created ten draft models for him and he selected one brunette woman and one blonde that we went ahead and developed further," 25-year-old Seraphinne Vallora cofounder Valentina Gonzalez told the broadcaster, claiming that it was a complicated process to generate the images. However, the resulting work proved extremely controversial. "Either Guess is doing this to create a talking point and get free publicity or they want to cut costs and don't think about the implications of that," model Felicity Hayward told the BBC, describing the use of AI models as "lazy and cheap." Gonzalez defended her company's work, arguing that "we don't create unattainable looks" and that the Guess model "looks quite realistic." But judging by the reactions online, that rationale is failing to land. "'We didn't have money to hire actual models, so now we're helping other companies not hire models either!'" one Reddit user mocked. "Women are being held to unrealistic beauty standards by these magazines and now the beauty standards are going to be set by people who don't even exist?!" another user wrote. Others warned that Vogue is celebrating the death of human creativity by resorting to AI slop. "We're so f*cked creatively as a society," one Reddit user lamented. "Why put any time into learning to draw, paint, photograph, write when AI can do it for you instantly, and you can be churning out content immediately. It's f*cking devastating."

She's unreal: Fashion ad seen in Vogue stokes controversy by featuring AI-generated model, but the creators say 'we don't create unattainable looks'

I accepted long ago that I have what can be generously described as 'a face for radio.' We can't all be supermodels, so I focussed on building other skills. However, that doesn't mean I think a career in modelling is a cake walk, or that models aren't also hard-working creatives like me. As such, with LLMs attempting to do what I do, I'm completely unsurprised to hear generative AI is now being leveraged in the fashion world too. Vogue is still one of the best-known print fashion publications out there, with their August edition featuring an ad for Guess that centres an AI-generated model (via BBC News). Vogue itself has been quick to clarify the ad was not an editorial decision, though has been reluctant to comment further on the situation. Mind you, I doubt the publication will mind if this controversy manages to sell a few more print issues. Looking halfway between Margot Robbie and Emily Ratajkowski, the 'model' is the creation of Seraphinne Vellora, an AI marketing agency with a focus on luxury and high-end fashion brands. The company's founders, Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu, told the BBC they were first approached by Guess over Instagram. Guess co-founder Paul Marciano asked the marketing agency to produce AI models to feature in the brand's upcoming summer campaign, eventually choosing two from a selection of 10 'draft' models that the agency then developed further (Marciano is also credited as the ad's art director). According to Gonzalez and Petrescu, the entire process can take a month from initial concept to completion, and cost a client brand like Guess somewhere around the low end of six figures. Let me be crystal clear: modelling is a real job. Making that level of poise look effortless in the moment is hard work just for a start, to say nothing about the behind-the-scenes upkeep. I would invite anyone still intent on insisting it's a doddle to try getting up on a catwalk themselves sometime. So yes, I do see this as another occasion where AI is being used to take control and opportunities away from human creatives. Seraphinne Vallora asserts it isn't trying to replace human models, and even offers models the service of creating an 'AI digital twin' so they never have to choose between two conflicting jobs again. For me, the obvious question that poking around the agency's website didn't immediately answer is "who retains the rights to the model's image and how easy is it to 'delete' an AI twin if a model wishes to stop using this service?" With regards to the Guess ad, Petrescu claims, "We're offering companies another choice in how they market a product," with Seraphinne Vallora's website pitching the agency as 'hassle-free' with "no studios, no logistics, no production chaos." You know, all that messy stuff that often comes with the territory of working with skilled, human creatives that could otherwise be remedied through proper, invested management. The co-founders argue they're actually creating jobs, as their work requires a reference shoot with a flesh-and-blood photographer and model so their AI can be trained on images of how a brand's products look in real life. I can only wonder, if an agency is already going to all that trouble (and charging brands six figures to boot), what is the point of the AI? Why not just shoot it for real? Although I can't claim to know the real motives, the most obvious, possible answer that comes to mind is control -- for instance, an AI model isn't going to veto a creative decision regarding her image like a human model might. An AI model also isn't going to complain about poor communication, long hours, or lacking compensation. There's also the usual hub-bub about how AI fashion ads could affect young people's self-perception and ideas about body image. The Guess ad, offering a standard of beauty that is expressly unreal, does feature a teeny tiny disclaimer close to the magazine's spine that declares the use of AI -- but I think I'm hardly off-base in saying this is easily overlooked. To relate this back to videogames, we've already seen bizarre beauty standards cause some folks to have a normal one about Aloy's face -- to say nothing about that leaked internal video out of Sony showing AI being used to puppet the Horizon Zero Dawn protagonist. This video came to light last year during SAG-AFTRA's extended strike, with Aloy actor Ashly Burch using this flashpoint to call for "common sense protections" for performers working in the videogame industry. It's yet one more example of AI being used as a replacement for real human creativity. Going hand-in-hand with the 'unattainable beauty standard because the featured model in the Guess ad is literally not real' issue, is also the subject of model diversity. The BBC broached the subject with Seraphinne Vallora's founders, and Gonzalez gave the following infuriating response, "We've posted AI images of women with different skin tones [on the agency's Instagram account], but people do not respond to them -- we don't get any traction or likes." The company also claims that their AI tech simply isn't advanced enough to generate a plus-size model, and Petrescu says, "We don't create unattainable looks -- actually the AI model for Guess looks quite realistic. Ultimately, all adverts are created to look perfect and usually have supermodels in, so what we are doing is no different." So, basically this is another example of an AI-focussed company deploying the 'it was broken when I got here' defense, absolving themselves of all responsibility for maintaining a poisonous industry status quo. Classic. But as tempting as it would be to dunk on this marketing agency for many more paragraphs, I think it's worth emphasising that leadership at Guess itself approached Seraphinne Vallora on this venture. As much as writing about it may play into the Guess game plan, I also still think it's worth highlighting the labour issue -- not that Guess makes anything that would actually flatter my all too human body, but it's just one more reason for me to look for wardrobe favourites elsewhere. So long as fashion house leadership thinks it's worth courting the controversy, AI models and agencies like Seraphinne Vallora will continue to proliferate, further shuffling flesh-and-blood creatives out of the labour loop... and that's all without getting into the deeply questionable labour practices of the fashion industry more broadly.

Diversity in fashion vastly improved in the last 15 years. AI models will set it back

The notoriously unrealistic beauty standards for women are about to get even less realistic. The star of a new ad for Guess in the latest issue of Vogue is a willowy, AI-generated model, whose synthetic status is only called out in a a fine-print caveat. Now that AI has hit the ads of fashion's bible, it seems only a matter of time before similarly unrealistic models proliferate throughout its editorial pages -- maybe even the cover. AI-powered marketing agency Seraphinne Vallora is behind the design of Guess's corporeally challenged vixen. According to the BBC, the process for generating such a model involves five AI-specialist employees, takes about a month to complete, and costs up to somewhere in the "low six figures." The result is a glossy, golden-tressed Aphrodite; an Animorph at the precise midpoint between Kate Upton and Margot Robbie, strapped into a striped maxi dress. What might be more striking than who she looks like, though, is who she doesn't look like -- and why. Beyond a six-figure price tag, offering no real savings from a typical photo shoot that employs real photographers, hairstylists, and makeup artists, it also threatens to further unravel the progress the fashion world has made in diversity over the past 15 years.

Controversy stirs over AI generated 'models' in new Guess ads appearing in Vogue

The newest issue of Vogue is sending shockwaves across social media -- not just because Anne Hathaway is on the cover amid filming for the "Devil Wears Prada" sequel, but for new Guess advertisements featuring images of AI-generated models. TikTok has erupted over the August 2025 issue of the famed fashion magazine, calling out the California clothing company's ads, as well as Vogue for featuring them. "The fact that they are using fake women in their magazines -- speechless," lifestyle creator Payton Wickizer said in a TikTok video. Another fashion-focused user, Marissa Spagnoli, addressed Guess specifically, questioning if the brand had forgotten its roots, which she pointed out included "bombshell" campaigns with the likes of Eva Mendes and Drew Barrymore. "This doesn't make me want to buy anything," Spagnoli said of the new AI model ad. Another TikToker said, "We want to look at real people in magazines -- all of these models are going to be out of work, all of these photographers are going to be out of work." ABC News reached out to Vogue and Guess for comment on the ads but did not immediately receive a response. The AI-generated models in the Guess ads were created by Seraphinne Vallora, a London-based AI marketing agency that created two different "models" for the latest Guess campaign, a blonde model dubbed Vivienne and a brunette model dubbed Anastasia. In an interview with "Good Morning America," Seraphinne Vallora's co-founders Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu said they are not in the business of replacing the modeling industry. "We are here to co-exist together, and we will always see photography, stylists and everyone involved in a photo shoot as incredibly important," Gonzalez said. "The heart of fashion is photography. We will never challenge that." "This is meant to just supplement and to add, you know, a new avenue of marketing," Petrescu added. The agency and Guess have also faced criticism for perpetuating what some describe as unrealistic beauty standards -- a longtime critique of fashion magazines and their advertisers -- which experts say can have a negative impact on young girls and women. "The more we're exposed to these images, they become normalized to us, and we start to basically idealize these images that don't actually exist," psychologist Dr. Rachel Hawkins told "GMA," adding, "then we compare to them and we feel inadequate." Seraphinne Vallora says its work is catering to its clients' visions and and creating content that people react to. "We are not here to change what their brand is. We are here to adapt to their needs and create something beautiful for each brand," Petrescu said. "What do people respond to? Beautiful women, things that look surreal, things that are very stunning," Gonzalez added. "And when we get this backlash, we're like, well, that's what you responded to. If you had responded to other types of beauty, we would have done that."

'AI models in Vogue?' Guess ad sparks uproar

Anna Wintour steps down as editor-in-chief of Vogue, a position she held since 1988. She remains in a global role at Condé Nast. Vogue and Guess are under fire for the label's use of an AI model in an advert within the magazine's latest issue. In Vogue's latest issue, a two-page Guess ad features a model sitting with at a table while wearing a pale blue romper detailed with creme floral mesh appliqué, and the same model leaning against a wall in a black-and-white chevron-patterned maxi dress, with a coordinating handbag. In fine print in the corner of the ad reads: "Produced by Seraphinne Vallora on AI." Reactions to the use of an artificial intelligence-generated model has been swift. Social media commentary have been harsh, especially toward Vogue, with calls to discontinue support for the magazine. "boycott Vogue NOW! they're pushing out models for AI, devaluing hard work and art of real people," one user wrote on X. "Had to end the Vogue magazine subscription I've had for years because the latest magazine used AI models ??? In Vogue? AI models in Vogue?" another person wrote. Others shared disappointment that a real model was not used. "so many models wanting to appear in vogue, only for them to end up using AI models," one person wrote. "No actual human being has body proportions naturally like this with that symmetrical of a face and that airbrushed of of skin," YouTuber Isabel Brown said in a reaction video. "There already was major societal backlash to magazines trying to make women look completely unattainable and not realistic whatsoever." Guess has yet to post the advertisement on its social media pages. That has not stopped commenters from calling out the clothing company on other posts. USA TODAY has reached out to Vogue and Guess for comment. Seraphinne Vallora responds to AI, Vogue backlash The one company that has come out about the ad is its creator, Seraphinne Vallora. Described as an "AI-driven" marketing agency, the company's work has also been seen in Elle, Grazia, the Wall Street Journal, FT Magazine and Harper's Bazaar, according to the company's website. "Why can't engineers, graphic designers, 3D artists, coders, architect -any kind of creative- build beauty too?" the company said in a July 27 Instagram post. "And funnily enough, we actually hire photographers and models as part of our workflow," the company added, "we understand people may think Al will be replacing jobs, but in reality, it's just like any other tool in the design industry and it CREATES jobs, because this images are Al-Driven but made by HUMANS, CREATIVES AND DESIGNERS." H&M made headlines earlier this year when it announced it planned to make digital clones of its models, though it's "exploring" how to do so in "a responsible way."

AI model used for Guess advert in Vogue magazine

There's a new star model in town, and she was created using another generative AI model. In the August print edition of Vogue, an advert for Guess features a model wearing a striped dress and floral playsuit from the brand's summer collection. That model, however, isn't real, even if the clothes are. The model was created by company Seraphinne Vallora, whose founders told the BBC that they were asked to create the AI realistic model as part of the brand's summer campaign by Guess co-founder Paul Marciano. "We created 10 draft models for him and he selected one brunette woman and one blonde that we went ahead and developed further," said Valentina Gonzalez. Gonzalez and her business partner Andreea Petrescu said that generating an AI model isn't easy, and they charge up to low six-figures for a big brand like Guess. Complaints have arisen regarding the model's looks, saying that it enforces unrealistic beauty standards for women. However, the pair do not believe it is AI that is enforcing those standards. "We don't create unattainable looks - actually the AI model for Guess looks quite realistic," said Petrescu. "Ultimately, all adverts are created to look perfect and usually have supermodels in, so what we are doing is no different." When asked about making more inclusive posts, the pair say they do try, but users simply don't engage with those that challenge the beauty standards of today.

Vogue's AI ad is doing more damage than we think

Vogue readers were taken aback by a recent ad that openly admitted to using AI. With artificial intelligence permeating all creative outlets, sadly, it's no surprise that the technology has crept its way onto the glossy pages of a high-fashion mag, yet that still didn't stop staunch criticism from readers. Whether we like it or not, AI is becoming increasingly normalised in our lives, and while I believe there are mindful ways to use AI properly, it's extremely disappointing to see corner-cutting image generation taking away jobs. Most shockingly, Vogue's admission to using the technology only seems to confirm fears that we're on a slippery slope to AI being chosen over human creativity. The AI images appeared across a two-page spread in Vogue's recent August edition, promoting the luxury brand Guess. Featuring a smiling blonde model posing in various sunny scenes, the ads look fairly unassuming at first, until you notice the small disclaimer in the top left corner reading "Seraphinne Vallora on AI". A deeper dive reveals Seraphinne Vallora isn't just using AI for subtle tweaks, but all-out ad generation, "creating tailored AI-driven marketing" for clients. The agency's website goes on to explain that "creating 'AI models' (artificial women that do not exist)" is at the core of their work - a dystopian concept that many critics were troubled by. "Boycott Vogue NOW! They're pushing out models for AI, devaluing hard work and art of real people," one passionate X user wrote. "Vogue using AI means we're doomed," another added. "Guess using AI models in Vogue is creating impossible and irresponsible beauty standards. These digitally 'perfect' bodies don't exist - but the mental health damage to young people will be real," one user claimed. It's troubling to see Vogue embracing AI advertising, but it (unfortunately) feels like an inevitability as the technology spreads to all creative sectors, from graphic design to the film industry. While it might seem like a hopeless existential AI plague, the endless human-made artwork that continues to be made gives me hope that we can eventually strike a balance that prioritises man-made creativity over artificial intelligence.

Vogue Readers Freak Out Over AI Model in Guess Ad, Call it 'Disturbing'

Guess Advertisement Featuring an AI Model in Vogue Magazine Creates Buzz Among Readers Artificial intelligence has made a massive impact across various sectors, including healthcare, retail, finance, education, manufacturing, and software development. While these industries often dominate the headlines, it's worth noting that AI has also entered the fashion industry. It is now capable of generating AI models that look incredibly realistic. Recently, a two-page Guess advertisement published in Vogue's latest issue caught the attention of fashion enthusiasts and models. Social media was flooded with critical comments and even calls to stop supporting the magazine.