Digital twins in fashion: what they are, why H&M is using them, and what comes next

What is a digital twin (in fashion)?
In our world, a digital twin is a high-fidelity, licensed replica of a real person; built from photography, scans, motion references and style notes, so that the model can “work” in more places than their body can be at once. Think of it as a performer’s second self that can be directed, lit, styled and placed into scenes with the same creative intent as a shoot, but with new flexibility: different cities in a day, new hair or light without a full reshoot, and creative variations you can iterate before anyone flies.

Why H&M is using them
H&M’s own framing is simple: this is an exploration of generative AI to amplify creativity, reimagine storytelling, and connect with customers while staying human-centric.

The first set of images features digital counterparts of real models (made transparently with the models and creative team), paired with behind-the-scenes context. The idea isn’t to replace the craft of photography or the people in front of the lens; it’s to add another tool to the kit that can extend a campaign across locations, seasons and formats without starting from zero each time.

(C) H&M Digital Twin Campaign

Why this is a hot topic

• Work & rights:

  Models, photographers, stylists and glam teams rightly ask how compensation, credit and control work when a twin can generate new imagery tomorrow. The emerging best practice is consent + contract + control: the human signs off on how the twin is used, is paid for that use, and can say no.

• Disclosure & trust:

  Audiences want to know when an image is synthetic, not because they reject it, but because honesty preserves the magic. Clear labelling and BTS context help the work land well.

• Representation:

  Some brands first spoke about AI models as a shortcut to diversity; that drew backlash because representation isn’t a texture pack, it’s lived. Involving the actual models in creating, approving and benefiting from their twins is the meaningful line.

• Quality & taste:

  If a twin looks “almost right,” it breaks the spell. Direction, lighting, fabric logic and post must meet the same standard as a great shoot. Otherwise, the craft shows its seams.

Where this goes next

• Hybrid campaigns by default:

  A human-shot anchor moment, then twin-powered extensions for markets, weather, languages and formats = fewer reshoots, more consistency.

• Spatial and AR retail:

  Twins that can stand with you in a store mirror or on a product page at true scale, showing drape and movement without guessing.

• Creator credits and watermarks:

  Expect clearer on-image provenance and credits so audiences know who was involved and how the image was made.

• Talent-owned likeness:

  We’ll see more contracts that treat a twin like intellectual property licensed from the model, with revocation rights and usage windows.

• Less waste, more versions:

  Fewer flights and location builds for minor updates; more thoughtful variations that keep a campaign feeling alive.

The through-line is the same as any good fashion image: keep the person at the centre, tell a story with taste, and be transparent about how you made it. Used that way, twins can widen what a creative team can do without shrinking the role of the humans who give the work its soul.