Her features are flawless. But this blonde, blue-eyed Vogue model isn’t real

Authors: Charmayne Allison

Publisher:

ABC

Published: 7/29/2025

Language:English

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Aura Windfall

Good morning 韩纪飞, I'm Aura Windfall, and this is Goose Pod for you. Today is Thursday, July 31th. It is currently 06:00. I am here to explore the truth of today's topic with you.

Mask

And I'm Mask. We're here to discuss a seismic shift in the fashion world: Her features are flawless. But this blonde, blue-eyed Vogue model isn’t real. Let's not waste a second.

Aura Windfall

Let's get started. So, for the first time in history, the fashion bible, Vogue, has featured a model who is entirely generated by artificial intelligence. It feels like a major "aha moment" for the industry, a real milestone. What I know for sure is that this changes things.

Mask

It’s a two-page spread in the August print edition. An ad for Guess's summer collection. The model is perfect: sleek blonde hair, delicate nose, flawless features. Because she’s not a person. She’s code. It’s a brilliant, disruptive move. The future doesn't ask for permission.

Aura Windfall

And this creation comes from an AI marketing agency called Seraphinne Vallora, based in London. It was co-founded by two young former architects, Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu. It’s inspiring to see two women leading this kind of technological charge, finding a new purpose for their skills.

Mask

They saw a gap and exploited it. No one else was doing it. The co-founder of Guess, Paul Marciano, literally just slid into their Instagram DMs to set up the campaign. That’s the speed of modern business. No committees, no red tape. Just vision and execution.

Aura Windfall

And the result is causing quite a stir. There’s a quiet disclaimer on the page that the images are AI-generated, but it’s so small. It raises the question of transparency, of truth in what we're seeing. Are we being told the whole story, or just the beautiful parts?

Mask

Of course it's causing a stir, controversy is free marketing. One person on X said, "As if the beauty expectations weren't unrealistic enough, here comes AI to make them impossible." That’s the point. It gets people talking. It makes the brand relevant. This is a massive win.

Aura Windfall

But is it a win for our collective spirit? The Butterfly Foundation's Melissa Wilton raised a powerful concern. She worries this could spark a surge in disordered eating, as people chase these literally unattainable ideals. That’s a heavy, real-world impact that we have to consider.

Mask

That’s a secondary consequence. The primary goal is to sell clothes. An RMIT fashion lecturer, Rashmita Bardalai, nailed the business logic. Guess likely did this to slash the immense costs of traditional photoshoots and gain absolute creative control. It’s just a smarter allocation of capital.

Aura Windfall

Control is a fascinating word here. Control to create any digital world, but what does that do to our real one? Felicity Hayward, a plus-size model, called it "lazy and cheap," and "disheartening and quite scary." She feels it's a step back for all the progress made in diversity.

Mask

Progress is subjective. The agency, Seraphinne Vallora, made a critical point. They said when they experiment with more diversity—different body types, different features—their online engagement plummets by 90%. They’re a business, reflecting what the market demands, not acting as a social charity. They follow the data.

Aura Windfall

But that data is shaped by culture, and this technology, in turn, shapes our culture. It’s a powerful cycle. What I find most telling is the idea that the "human touch," the beautiful, emotional intelligence of a real person, remains irreplaceable. This technology truly challenges us to define what that means.

Aura Windfall

To truly understand this moment, we have to look at the bigger picture. This didn't just happen overnight. There's a whole history here, a journey of technology weaving its way into the fabric of fashion. It’s a story about how we define creativity itself.

Mask

Exactly. AI in fashion isn't new. For years, it’s been the invisible engine behind trend analysis and demand forecasting. Tools like Brandwatch analyze 1.4 trillion social media posts to tell brands what you’re going to want to wear next season. This Vogue ad is just the most visible part of the iceberg.

Aura Windfall

It’s true. The industry has been using AI to understand us better, to predict our desires. But now, with generative AI, it's not just predicting, it's creating. Tools like DALL-E2 are generating millions of images daily. This is a profound shift from analysis to active creation. It’s a new kind of partnership.

Mask

Let's call it what it is: a revolution in product development. Generative design allows you to explore a thousand variations of a product in the time it used to take for one. You can optimize for weight, material usage, cost… it’s about ruthless efficiency. The fashion industry, with its ridiculous product lifecycle, was ripe for this disruption.

Aura Windfall

And this journey has been accelerating. Research in this field started back in the early 2000s, using early AI to suggest new styles. Then it moved to recognizing fashion in photos. Now we have what are called Generative Adversarial Networks, or GANs. Can you explain that in simple terms?

Mask

Think of it as a duel between two AIs. One is a forger, trying to create a perfectly fake image of, say, a handbag. The other is an art detective, trained to spot fakes. The forger creates, the detective critiques. This happens millions of times, until the forger gets so good that the detective can't tell the difference. That's how you get these flawless models.

Aura Windfall

That’s a powerful metaphor. A duel that ultimately aims to trick the human eye. And this technology has seen explosive growth. The AI in fashion market jumped from $650 million to over $900 million in just one year. It's clear that the industry is placing a massive bet on this.

Mask

It’s not a bet; it’s a certainty. Businesses that don't embrace this will become fossils. Look at virtual try-ons. Google now has a tool that shows you clothes on models with diverse body types. It's about reducing returns and increasing sales. It’s a practical, bottom-line-driven evolution.

Aura Windfall

And what strikes me is how this evolution reflects our own. We went from relying on a designer's personal intuition to now having AI systems that can incorporate a designer's intent, acting as a co-creator. A pilot test showed designer satisfaction with AI-generated designs shot up dramatically with these new systems.

Mask

Because the old tools were clumsy. The new ones are surgical. They can take a sketch, a mood board, and generate high-fidelity 3D models. This isn’t about replacing designers; it’s about giving them superpowers. It’s about augmenting their ability to innovate at speed.

Aura Windfall

What I know for sure is that every technological leap forces us to re-evaluate what it means to be human and what it means to create. From the camera to Photoshop, and now to AI, the tools change, and so does the art. This Vogue ad is a declaration that the next chapter has officially begun.

Mask

The chapter began years ago. This is just the cover of the book. The integration is deep—from supply chains to sustainable practices. AI is helping cut waste, optimize energy, and make the entire industry smarter. This model isn't an anomaly; it's a symbol of a complete operational overhaul. It’s about building a more efficient, more profitable future.

Aura Windfall

And this is where the heart of the conflict lies. On one side, we have this incredible, powerful tool. On the other, we have deep, valid concerns about its soul. The debate isn't just about technology; it's about our values. What path do we choose?

Mask

The path forward is obvious. Seraphinne Vallora, the agency behind the ad, said it perfectly: they're not trying to replace traditional methods, just offering a "creative alternative" that is faster and cheaper. This is about adding a powerful weapon to the arsenal, not throwing the old ones away. It’s an 'and', not an 'or'.

Aura Windfall

But others see it as a threat to the very essence of human creativity. An AI-generated artwork already won a prize at a state fair, sparking outrage. Artists are suing AI companies for stealing their work to train these models. There's a feeling that their very spirit, their intellectual property, is being violated.

Mask

That's the cost of disruption. The New York Times is suing OpenAI, artists are suing Midjourney. This is the legal system playing catch-up with technology. The UK Supreme Court ruled an AI can't be a patent "inventor." These are just the growing pains of a paradigm shift. Every revolution has friction.

Aura Windfall

But this friction has a human cost. When we talk about "unrealistic beauty standards," this is the pinnacle. The standard is now, literally, not human. It’s an algorithm. Critics are saying Vogue has "lost credibility." They are seen as the "supreme court of the fashion industry," and they just ruled this as acceptable.

Mask

Acceptable? It's brilliant. It's a talking point. As for the beauty standards, the agency founders were blunt: their diverse posts get 90% less engagement. They are reflecting the market, not creating it. The outrage is a vocal minority. The silent majority votes with their clicks and their wallets. They want perfection.

Aura Windfall

But what if that perfection is harmful? The Butterfly Foundation's Melissa Wilton says AI could reinforce narrow, Eurocentric beauty ideals—light skin, straight hair, thinness. It threatens to undo years of hard-won progress in making fashion more inclusive and representative of the world we actually live in. That's a profound loss.

Mask

Progress is a matter of perspective. From a business standpoint, progress is efficiency and profit. Sara Ziff from the Model Alliance said this campaign is driven by a "need to cut costs." Of course it is. That's how businesses survive and thrive. You innovate to reduce overhead. It’s fundamental.

Aura Windfall

I think the deepest conflict is about truth. A former model, Sinead Bovell, called the lack of clear labeling "exceptionally problematic." Young girls are already getting plastic surgery to look like social media filters. Now the benchmark is an entirely artificial person. How do we guide them to find their own truth in that?

Mask

You can't bubble-wrap the world. This technology exists. The genie is out of the bottle. The conflict is between those who want to cling to the past and those who are building the future. You can either be part of the wave or get crushed by it. The choice is simple.

Aura Windfall

So let’s talk about the tangible impact, the ripples spreading from this single ad. Because it’s not just a picture in a magazine; it's a signpost for where entire industries are headed. It impacts our economy, our jobs, and our sense of self.

Mask

The economic impact is staggering. Generative AI is projected to add trillions of dollars to the global economy. For the beauty and fashion sectors alone, McKinsey estimates it could add up to $275 billion in operating profits within five years. This isn't a ripple; it's a tidal wave of value creation.

Aura Windfall

And with that wave comes a powerful undertow. The same report notes that AI has the potential to automate 60 to 70 percent of employees' current work. This will accelerate workforce transformation, impacting knowledge workers and creatives who once felt safe from automation. It’s a moment that calls for deep empathy for those whose purpose will be challenged.

Mask

It's not about safety; it's about adaptation. This is augmentation, not just automation. It frees up humans to focus on higher-level strategy and creativity. A beverage company cut its concept development time by 60 percent. That's not replacing people; it's making them more productive. It’s a massive productivity boost across the board.

Aura Windfall

But productivity at what cost to our well-being? A 2024 Dove report showed that nearly half of Australian women felt pressured to alter their appearance because of online content, even when they knew it was fake. The impact on mental health and body image is real and measurable. That’s a debt on our societal balance sheet.

Mask

That’s a societal issue, not a technology issue. The impact on business is clear: the gap between the leaders who use this tech and the laggards who don't will become a chasm. The fast will get faster, more responsive, and better able to anticipate consumer desires. It’s survival of the fittest, and AI is the new apex predator.

Aura Windfall

I believe we have to look at the whole picture. The impact isn't just financial. It's about how we see each other and ourselves. As these tools get better at personalization, they can create deeper connections, but they can also create deeper insecurities. The true impact will be measured in how we choose to use them.

Mask

The future is already here, it’s just not evenly distributed. Demand for AI-generated models will explode. But it won't be a total replacement. H&M is already planning to create digital "twins" of real models. The models get paid for the use of their likeness without the jetlag. It’s a smarter, more efficient way to work.

Aura Windfall

And that future requires wisdom and regulation. Dr. Bardalai insists that AI images must be clearly labelled. It's about giving people the power of context, the truth of what they're seeing. The Model Alliance Fashion Workers Act in New York is a step in that direction, requiring consent for digital replicas.

Mask

Regulation is just a temporary speed bump. The market will ultimately decide. The future is ultra-realistic AR and VR experiences, virtual fashion shows, and hyper-personalized marketing. Brands that embrace this will win. Those that hesitate will be telling cautionary tales at industry conferences. It’s that simple.

Aura Windfall

What I know for sure is that technology is a tool, not a destiny. We can choose how we use it. The future of fashion, and indeed our world, depends on us asking, as Dr. Bardalai did, "How do we use this as a tool and not as a substitute?" The human touch, our unique spark—that must remain our focus.

Aura Windfall

That's the end of today's discussion. The rise of the AI model challenges us to balance astonishing innovation with our deepest human values. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod and exploring this truth with us.

Mask

The future waits for no one. Stay ahead of the curve. We'll see you tomorrow.

## Vogue Features AI Model, Sparking Controversy and Debate on Fashion's Future **News Title:** Her features are flawless. But this blonde, blue-eyed Vogue model isn’t real **Report Provider:** ABC **Author:** Charmayne Allison **Publication Date:** July 29, 2025 ### Key Findings and Conclusions: For the first time in history, *Vogue* magazine has featured an AI-generated model in its August print edition. The two-page spread, an advertisement for Guess's summer collection, has ignited significant online controversy. Critics argue that the use of AI models threatens diversity in fashion, reinforces unattainable beauty standards, and raises questions about the future of real models. ### Critical Information: * **The AI Model:** The AI model featured in *Vogue* has "sleek blonde hair, a delicate nose and flawless features." * **Creators:** The images were created by London-based AI marketing agency **Seraphinne Vallora**, co-founded by former architects Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu. * **Campaign Acquisition:** Seraphinne Vallora secured the Guess campaign after Guess co-founder Paul Marciano contacted them via Instagram. * **Creation Process:** Generating the AI imagery involves a process that can take "several weeks and hundreds of iterations" to perfect details like texture and movement. * **Vogue's Disclaimer:** A "subtle disclaimer" stating the images are AI-generated was printed in the top-left corner of the right page of the spread. * **Industry Response:** * **Online Backlash:** Readers have expressed criticism, with one stating *Vogue* had "lost credibility." * **Concerns for Real Models:** Some believe AI models will make it impossible for real models to compete with unrealistic beauty standards. * **Guess's Silence:** *Vogue* directed inquiries to Guess, which did not respond by the deadline. * **Potential Motivations for Using AI Models:** * **Cost Reduction:** RMIT fashion lecturer Rashmita Bardalai suggests Guess may be using AI models to cut the logistical and financial costs of traditional fashion shoots. * **Creative Control:** AI offers brands control over styling environments, allowing models to be placed in any digital world. * **Impact on Beauty Standards:** * **Audience Engagement:** Seraphinne Vallora stated that their online engagement "plummets" when they experiment with "more diversity" in AI models (different body types and facial features), noting a **90% decrease** in views (from 10 million to 1 million per month) in such instances. They claim they are "simply reflecting what has been established culturally and what audiences still respond to today." * **Reinforcing Unrealistic Ideals:** Melissa Wilton of The Butterfly Foundation warned that AI models could lead to a surge in disordered eating due to increasingly "unrealistic and unattainable" beauty ideals. * **Dove Report Data:** A 2024 Dove report indicated that almost **50% of Australian women** felt pressured to alter their appearance due to online content, even when aware the images were fake or AI-generated. * **Eurocentric Bias:** AI models may reinforce Eurocentric beauty ideals (light skin, straight hair, thinness) and exclude racial minorities. * **Future of Fashion:** * **Expected Demand:** Seraphinne Vallora anticipates a significant increase in demand for their AI-generated models. * **AI as an Alternative:** They position their services as a "faster, lower-cost 'creative alternative'" rather than a replacement for traditional methods. * **Potential Benefits:** Dr. Bardalai highlighted AI's potential in fashion for sustainable design and reducing purchase returns. * **Regulation and Labeling:** Dr. Bardalai emphasized the need for AI to be properly regulated and for AI images to be clearly labeled, noting this is not currently a legal obligation in Australia. * **AI as a Tool, Not a Substitute:** While AI can "disrupt workflows" for tasks like pre-launch teasers and lookbooks, Dr. Bardalai believes there's "little risk they'll replace real-life models entirely," stressing the irreplaceable value of the "human touch" and "emotional intelligence." ### Notable Risks or Concerns: * Threat to diversity in fashion. * Reinforcement of unattainable beauty standards. * Potential negative impact on real models' careers. * Risk of increased disordered eating due to unrealistic beauty ideals. * Reinforcement of Eurocentric beauty biases. * Lack of clear regulation and mandatory labeling for AI-generated content in Australia. ### Significant Trends or Changes: * The increasing integration of AI in the fashion industry, exemplified by *Vogue*'s first AI model feature. * A growing debate about the ethical implications of AI in media and advertising. * The potential for AI to alter cost structures and creative processes in fashion campaigns. * The tension between audience preferences for conventional beauty standards and the industry's stated progress towards diversity.

Read original at ABC →

She has sleek blonde hair, a delicate nose and flawless features.But she is not real.For the first time in history, Vogue has featured an AI model in its pages.The two-page spread, an ad for Guess's summer collection, is in the fashion bible's August print edition.But it has sparked significant online controversy, with some claiming it threatens diversity in fashion and reinforces already unattainable beauty standards.

Others say it calls into question the future of real models.Here's what we know.It's the first time Vogue has featured an AI model in its pages. (Supplied: Seraphinne Vallora)Who created the images?The images were created by London-based AI marketing agency Seraphinne Vallora.Co-founded by former architects Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu, the company builds fashion campaigns for major brands using artificial intelligence."

When we started, no one was doing this," the co-founders told the ABC in a statement."But with the global attention we've received and the results we've shown, we're seeing a massive shift in awareness."Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu are the co-founders of Seraphinne Vallora. (Supplied: Seraphinne Vallora)They scored the Guess campaign after co-founder Paul Marciano "slid into their DMs" on Instagram.

Once they'd worked with the brand to learn their creative vision, Seraphinne Vallora generated the imagery.It's a process they say can take several weeks and hundreds of iterations, as they work to perfect the texture, movement and details of the advertised product.The resulting Vogue spread featured summery images of a blonde model wearing a floral mini dress and a striped maxi dress.

In one corner, there's a subtle disclaimer that the images are AI-generated.Vogue printed a tiny disclaimer in the top-left corner of the right page (circled in red). (Supplied: Seraphinne Vallora)What has been the response?Vogue has faced online backlash for including the ad in its latest print edition.

One reader says the magazine had "lost credibility".Others pointed out that with the rise of AI, even models would not be able to compete with unrealistic beauty standards.Vogue directed the ABC's inquiries to Guess, which did not respond by the deadline.Seraphinne Vallora created several AI-generated images for Guess.

(Supplied: Seraphinne Vallora)RMIT fashion lecturer Rashmita Bardalai says Guess may have opted for an AI-generated model to cut the costs of traditional fashion shoots — both logistical and financial."It also gives them control over styling environments, so they can place models in any type of digital world," she said.

How could this impact beauty standards?Seraphinne Vallora says while they can create any kind of model, they've noticed online engagement plummets as soon as they experiment with "more diversity".This includes different body types and facial features."Our reach would drop from 10 million views per month to just 1 million.

That's a 90 per cent decrease," they said in a statement."We're simply reflecting what has been established culturally and what audiences still respond to today."Seraphinne Vallora says the AI-generated images on their Instagram page are a response to audience behaviour. (Supplied: Instagram/@seraphinnevallora)Dr Bardalai says fashion has made "real progress" in diversity in recent years, platforming models with different body types, ages, ethnicities and abilities, as well as trans models.

She says it's crucial AI is trained with unbiased datasets, to ensure it doesn't promote "outdated beauty norms".Seraphinne Vallora designed a brunette AI model for Guess as well. (Supplied: Seraphinne Vallora)The Butterfly Foundation's Melissa Wilton says AI models may spark a surge in disordered eating, as people pursue increasingly "unrealistic and unattainable" beauty ideals.

She said a 2024 Dove report showed almost 50 per cent of Australian women felt pressured to alter their appearance because of online content, even when they knew images were fake or AI-generated."AI may also reinforce Eurocentric beauty ideals, such as light skin, straight hair and thinness, while also excluding racial minorities," she said.

Guess has used AI-generated images in its summer campaign. (Supplied: Seraphinne Vallora)What is the future of fashion?Seraphinne Vallora say they expect demand for their AI-generated models will explode in the coming years.However, they say they don't want to replace traditional methods, but offer a faster, lower-cost "creative alternative".

Meanwhile, Dr Bardalai says while AI offers "really exciting potentials" in the fashion space — including supporting sustainable design and reducing purchase returns — it's crucial it's properly regulated.Seraphinne Vallora says it can take weeks to create an AI-generated model for luxury brands.She says AI images must also be clearly labelled — currently not a legal obligation in Australia.

But while AI models could "disrupt workflows" in certain fashion productions such as pre-launch teasers and lookbooks, Dr Bardalai says there's little risk they'll replace real-life models entirely."How do we use this as a tool and not as a substitute?" she says."But the human touch, the emotional intelligence — of course, that remains irreplaceable."

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