The high cheekbones, the practiced gaze, the impossible fluid walk—strutting down the catwalk used to be a rite of passage for real models. However, the most important runways in fashion today are increasingly filled with designs that were never born, never sleep, and never age. The very framework of the fashion industry is being altered by these AI-generated avatars, and this change is not only significant but also remarkably successful.
Fashion weeks from Paris to Shanghai have changed their focus during the last five years. While some embraced full-on digital fantasy, others tended toward livestreams. This change was accelerated not only by the pandemic but also by the quick development of 3D rendering, machine learning, and synthetic storytelling. The models now realistically replicate physics, producing clothing in motion with astonishing accuracy, as noted by Anastasis Germanidis, CTO of Runway ML.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Topic | Can the Runway Survive Without Real Models? |
| Focus | Impact of AI, digital models, and virtual fashion shows |
| Industry | Fashion, Modeling, Technology |
| Key Examples | Balenciaga, Ganni, Lil Miquela, Runway ML |
| Notable Individuals | Ryan Chappell, Demna Gvasalia, Hailey Bieber |
| Industry Trends | Hybrid fashion shows, AI-powered avatars, immersive digital presentations |
| Societal Impact | Broader access, sustainability, transformation of creative labor |
| Source Reference (non-link) | Fashion Week NY 2025, Fashinnovation, Medium, The Conversation, Semafor |
Once social media sensations, virtual fashion muses like Lil Miquela and Noonoouri are now mainstays of advertising campaigns. They are sometimes more adored than their human counterparts and are signed and styled. Even though their fan base is artificially inflated, their impact is remarkably genuine. Even though they don’t have hearts, their carefully chosen aesthetics convey emotion, albeit a fake one.
Brands have significantly increased their reach and consistency by incorporating these AI-powered characters. Real models don’t cancel. Actual lighting is ineffective. However, virtual avatars are always pixel-perfect, never complain, and never get tired. This control is not only practical but especially advantageous for companies that thrive on theatricality, like Balenciaga. Stomping AI entities at their S/S 25 show evoked rebellion with a dramatic flair that rivaled Shalom Harlow’s peak in the 1990s.
Giorgio Armani took the lead during the pandemic with a livestreamed collection, which at the time seemed avant-garde but now seems prescient. Designers like Damara Inglês and Patrick McDowell went one step further with their immersive installations, engrossing spectators in intricate virtual playgrounds. These were sensory simulations rather than merely fashion shows, enabling virtual avatars to model materials that might never have existed in real life.
Brands learned through strategic experimentation that virtual shows are much more than just tricks. They can be produced much more quickly, are surprisingly cheap when produced in large quantities, and are very effective at handling international logistics. Ryan Chappell, the movement director, did more than simply coach models when Ganni needed to invoke contemporary witchcraft on the runway; he gave them a sense of purpose. Avatars are increasingly being given the same nuanced treatment in that narrative.
AI has emerged as a creative collaborator for up-and-coming designers and smaller fashion labels. Before a single swatch is cut, they can test draping, materials, and silhouettes by utilizing generative tools. It is a pre-visualization revolution that enables brands to generate ideas at a speed that was previously unachievable. This democratizes access to design, but it also calls into question authenticity.
Critics contend that something essential is being lost in the context of fashion’s emotional impact. There is nothing that can replace the visceral experience of watching Naomi Campbell walk the runway. That human spark cannot be completely replicated by any digital muse, no matter how photorealistic. Elaine Hamilton’s Quora remark, “A garment comes to life when it walks,” is still relevant today. Because fashion is about aspiration as much as aesthetics.
However, AI isn’t meant to replace that. It’s here to make it longer. Instead of discarding real models, designers are combining them with simulations. These days, hybrid shows combine algorithmic perfection with human expression. This duality, in many respects, makes the story more complex. It combines the dependability of code with the human dance.
Fashion might change even more in the upcoming ten years. Before we ask, AI stylists will suggest looks. Fitting rooms will be replaced by virtual try-ons. Additionally, we may be able to attend virtual fashion weeks from the comfort of our own homes with customized digital avatars. What was previously only available to the wealthy will now be widely available, a democratization that is already changing how people consume.
Hailey Bieber’s departure from conventional runway modeling is a sign, not a singular incident. A digital muse who doesn’t sleep, doesn’t age, and doesn’t stumble is gradually replacing the traditional supermodel as brands prioritize branding through influencers, stylists, and digital lookbooks. However, live fashion’s emotional legacy—the gasp, the applause, and the pulse—remains incredibly relatable.
Like all forms of art, fashion thrives on contradiction. It respects legacy while avoiding stagnation. AI models won’t ruin the runway as they become more realistic, incredibly resilient, and expressive. They will change it.
Can the runway function without actual models, then? Maybe not entirely. However, it may become more robust, inclusive, and creatively unrestricted than ever before by embracing digital avatars as partners rather than rivals.
