In an era where virtual models appear in major fashion campaigns and in the pages of famous magazines, are the days of human models numbered?
Created by the London-based fashion company AI Seraphinne Vallora, Vivi is currently making waves in the fashion industry. She has been featured in the latest Guess campaign and in the pages of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.
For the agency Seraphinne Vallora, AI can reduce campaign costs for brands by avoiding expensive filming. The Guess campaign was inspired by the streets of Cartagena, Colombia, but it was conceived and produced in the United Kingdom.
When Paul Marciano, the founder of Guess, contacted Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu, the founders of Seraphinne Vallora, the two women set to work creating a new supermodel, ready to revolutionize the industry.
“Vivi is a model we created for Guess. In fact, when we work with a brand, we discover its DNA. A brand’s DNA is not just about its work, but also about its model. The model is an essential element that makes a brand what it is. Vivi embodies what Guess has always done in the past. She is a magnificent woman. She looks like a goddess. She is feminine and sensual ,” explains Valentina.
The models are slim, glamorous and of a beauty that corresponds to Western standards, but Seraphinne Vallora claims that her AI software can produce models of all ethnicities, sizes and weights.
However, she admits that it is the models who conform to “classic” beauty standards who generate the most interest on social media.
As the first AI model to headline a major fashion campaign, Vivi certainly stirred up anger in the modeling industry, but Petrescu explains: “We identified a real problem in the market. It is sometimes very, very difficult to create marketing campaigns, especially if they take place on location and if you need a variety of models, a variety of concepts in general. So companies need to create more content and faster . ”
Seraphine Vallora does not want to share too many of her AI secrets, but specifies that all her models are totally original and are not based on human models or celebrities.
However, during the mood board design phase, they can draw inspiration from human beings.
"We don't copy anyone. We start by drawing the face. We think about the small details, like the color of the eyes, the size of the lips, the eyebrows, the shape of the eyebrows ," explains Gonzalez.
"Next, we tackle the construction of the body. We literally design everything from scratch. And that's how we build the models. We don't copy anyone's beauty. We use references not in the design process, but rather to define the personality, the poses, or things like that which are more creative. In fact, we create a mood board of the atmosphere . "
What future for real-world models?
Simon Chambers, director of the Storm Management agency, is interested in AI and understands that it can be a useful tool for pre-planning shoots or reducing costs, but he believes that at the top of the scale, nothing can replace reality.
Although creative teams work together to produce AI campaigns, he believes that a lack of spontaneity cannot be beneficial to the creative process.
"Filming often involves moments of spontaneous creativity ," he explains.
"Photo shoots often involve spontaneous moments of creativity. The interaction between the photographer, stylist, art director, hairstylist, makeup artist, and model harmonizes, and it's often a question of timing. It's about human relationships. You know, fashion is a language. Language is a form of expression, the expression of a mood, an emotion, how people see the world, how they want to be seen and understood, and all of this can combine in a creative atmosphere to produce something truly, truly incredible."
Always on the lookout for great talent, Storm Management signed Cara Delevingne, Soo Joo Park and Fei Fei Sun, among others, when they were still unknown.
Vivi is an unknown model who suddenly became famous after collaborating with a major brand... Isn't that exactly what Storm is looking for? Simon Chambers doesn't think so!
"There's no point in representing a bunch of pixels if there's no story behind it ," he explains.
It would be a huge job to create and maintain a world around someone, around a creation, who could do a campaign from time to time. But then you have to fill the rest of their days - what they have for breakfast, where they go, you know, do they go to the cinema? Do they have picnics with their friends? I think I'd rather stick to real people, yes."
Seraphine Vallora understands the need to create a story, gossip, and a social media presence for her talents and plans to give Vivi exactly that kind of lifestyle, which her fans can follow.
The world is full of beautiful and talented people who would love to enter the fashion industry. Does Vivi take jobs solely to cut costs? Seraphine Vallora is quick to answer this question and emphasize that the agency works with photographers, stylists, and even models to refine its final images as part of a complex creative process.
"And we're not trying - again - to replace anything, but we're really trying to provide a real solution because in traditional photography, due to limitations, you can afford maybe two campaigns a year. But with AI, things can be faster and more flexible; we can deliver content all year round ," explains Petrescu.
