Fashion Brands Push for AI Model Rights in Photo Shoot Contracts

AI-generated fashion models are upending the economics of retail marketing by cutting production costs by 90% or more, while forcing human models and agencies into a scramble over digital rights, unpaid image replication, and job displacement.

Retailers are adopting the technology to produce lifelike images for retail websites without the expense of traditional photo shoots. For the modeling industry, however, the shift presents an existential threat as brands push for broad contract terms allowing digital clones, face swaps, and the use of human likenesses to train artificial intelligence tools.

Reuters reported on October 27, 2026, that 15 model-agency directors were interviewed and more than a dozen confidential photo-shoot contracts were reviewed, revealing proposed terms from brands including Diesel, Calvin Klein, and L’Oreal. The unsigned documents outlined requests to swap a model’s face with another, create digital clones without additional pay, and use existing images to train machine learning models.

Contracts and Digital Replicas

Contractual demands vary across brands, ranging from facial modifications to complete synthetic replication. In a contract reviewed by Reuters, Diesel asked models to consent to the alteration of facial features and body proportions, the swapping of faces among participants, and the superimposition of a model’s face onto another person’s body.

The brand stated that it uses real models and has not replicated any model using AI, attributing the contract language to an unnamed partner production company.

Some agreements go further by requiring human talent to train their potential replacements. A draft contract from Calvin Klein asked models to accept, for no extra pay, that the brand might use unrecognizable images—stripping out faces, scars, and tattoos—to train AI tools.

French cosmetics giant L’Oreal asked for rights to use artificial intelligence technologies to modify, enhance, or adapt the appearance of cosmetic products, packaging, and shades, alongside retouching purposes.

AI Models Cut Production Costs for Fast-Fashion Retailers

The financial incentive driving the transition is substantial. About You, a fast-fashion retailer acquired by Zalando in July last year, closed its studio. Zalando cut more than 340 jobs overall, although the company said some employees had been retained in other roles.

About You launched Scayle Studios to provide digital imagery services to other retailers using AI-generated models, promising production cost reductions of more than 90%. Julian Jansen, vice president of marketing at About You, noted that they are saving so much money.

Fast-fashion players like Spain’s Mango have rolled out AI-generated models at scale, while luxury brands proceed more cautiously. Moncler experimented with an AI campaign in 2023, and Gucci posted AI-generated images on Instagram this year, though Moncler stated it does not currently use AI-generated models on its website or in campaigns. Gucci did not respond to requests for comment.

Gak warned that the industry risks being overrun by bots within two years as people lose the ability to distinguish between a real model and an AI model.

New York and UK Establish AI Model Protections

Legislative safeguards remain scarce internationally. The New York State Fashion Workers Act, which took effect in June 2025, made it illegal for companies to generate or modify model replicas without explicit consent. Sara Ziff, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Model Alliance, stated that AI accelerates the misuse of images tenfold, and pushed for similar statutory protections in other jurisdictions.

In the United Kingdom, the British Fashion Model Agents Association drafted an AI code of practice requiring model consent and ownership of digital twins. John Horner, head of the association, warned that without binding regulations in Britain or Europe, models remain exposed to exploitation by predatory agencies when signing long-term rights agreements.

Melanie Howard, partner and chair of luxury brands at law firm Loeb & Loeb, cautioned that sweeping and ambiguous language in current contracts makes it difficult for models to challenge the unauthorised use of their images.