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@hanifaofficial

Collaboration? Fashion Show? Fashionable BLM collection raising money for charity?

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Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the fashion industry has seen a number of its brands and creatives finding clever ways to create compelling imagery. Art directors and editors alike forged through social distancing guidelines by photographing their cover stars over FaceTime, or having them shoot themselves at home. Now, Burberry is leveling up the way photoshoots are done in quarantine, with its latest release of the new TB Summer Collection, available online and in select Burberry stores today.

For her second campaign with the brand, Kendall Jenner photographed herself at home on the computer wearing a bodysuit covered in a print of the interlocking letters T and B-a nod to Thomas Burberry, the company's founder. This print can be found in a number of color ways on other pieces from the collection, including a hoodie, leather duffel bag, and bucket hat.

But the stills Jenner shot are just one half of this campaign. There's also an accompanying video in which a CGI version of Jenner-looking exactly like the model herself, with the 3-D likeness of Shudu, Lil Miquela, or other virtual influencers-wears clothing and accessories from the TB Summer Collection, posing with some of the lifestyle items included in the line, including a TB surf board and skateboard. The digital Jenner is set against a CGI background that resembles an empty pool, a minimalist environment with artful blocks placed here and there. Chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci teamed with photographer Nick Knight and art director Peter Saville for the campaign visuals, with Katy England handling styling.

A line of bags, done in a patent leather and a terry cloth version, are also available through this collection, bearing the "TB" insignia.

This isn't the end of the IRL model-a human Kendall Jenner was necessary to create a CGI version in the first place. But it is an artful and imaginative way to make advertisements during a time when the traditional photography has been limited, and could shape the way fashion uses technology in the future. But we won't get ahead of ourselves with this kind of forecast. After all, Burberry is getting back into the runway game for spring 2021, and will be holding a live show-albeit outdoors and with no spectators.

Related: The History Behind This Burberry Bag Riccardo Tisci Revived From the Archives

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A CGI Version of Kendall Jenner Fronts Burberry's Latest Campaign

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Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the fashion industry has seen a number of its brands and creatives finding clever ways to create compelling imagery. Art directors and editors alike forged through social distancing guidelines by photographing their cover stars over FaceTime, or having them shoot themselves at home.

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The Diigitals modelling agency is the first digital modelling agency created in 2017, and features 6 models, including Shudu (Shudu Gram)

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Unique models representated by the Diigitals. // Here at The Diigitals, we are utilising the rising accessibility of new technologies and taking the first steps into a new frontier of digital exploration. Within this collaborative hub, we will demonstrate the potential of 3D fashion modelling...

# data[].attributes.body
- Time management
- Adobe software skills (Photoshop, indesign, etc)
- Social media and content creation- creative ideas
- Had my work placement in an area I am interested in (PR, events, influencer marketing)
- Fast learner
- Dependable
- Motivated and hard working
- Presentation tools (powerpoint, prezi, canva)
- Noticing trends

# data[].attributes.body
- Presenting/public speaking- and creating engagement in presentations
- Working under pressure
- Thoroughly looking over and applying feedback
- Too much of a perfectionist- uses time which could have gone towards something else
- Underestimating how much time a task will take to complete
- Taking longer to push myself out from my comfort zone
- Creating new connections in the industry

# data[].attributes.body
- Social media assistant and content creation work
- Would like to develop knowledge in data analytics
- Would like to develop my presentation skills and knowing how to interact with an audience to create engagement
- PR, events, influencer marketing and management work
- Expand knowledge on the future of retail (with regards to technology, AR and VR, sustainability, etc) and apply this within a working environment

# data[].attributes.body
- Not as much industry experience when compared to peers
- Not as many industry connections when compared to peers- an obstacle in the way to a job
- Other people may be more confident in areas like: presenting, making connections, attending events, finding relevant experience linked to a specific job role, etc
- Others are more proactive in decision making while I would think for longer (which can waste time)
- Peers may work better under pressure and in pressured situations

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A diverse digital modelling agency, featuring models of different sizes, races, etc. for more inclusive brands.

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"30% of consumers overall say they will buy fewer clothes post lockdown"

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The nation's fashion stores are on lockdown and, while that has had a devastating effect on sales, it hasn't stopped them altogether. But what it most certainly has done is change consumers' behaviour in ways that will endure long after COVID-19 has been conquered.

We surveyed 2,000 nationally representative shoppers just after lockdown began to ask them whether they had purchased any fashion online and whether they intended to do so, plus, given time time reflect, how would this enforced abstention from physical shopping change their behaviour?

The results are contained in this exclusive report along with insightful commentary to help brands and retailers understand the consumers psyche at present, with responses helpfully broken down by demographic, and how consumers want brands to behave once this is all over.
Key findings include:

44% of 16-24 year olds have already bought fashion during lockdown, along with 40% of 25-34 year olds

18% of over-55s said they intended to buy fashion during lockdown, but when asked if they could be persuaded to do with a discount, 55% said yes

59% of 16-24 year olds continue to follow fashion brands on social media, while 18% have stopped

43% of consumers of all age groups said they would be more likely to support brands post-lockdown who had treated their staff well

30% of consumers overall say they will buy fewer clothes post lockdown

Click the ink below to access you FREE report.
IN FOCUS_COVID_REPORT_001

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In Focus: The COVID consumer - how fashion shopping is being changed for good - TheIndustry.fashion

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The nation's fashion stores are on lockdown and, while that has had a devastating effect on sales, it hasn't stopped them altogether. But what it most certainly has done is change consumers' behaviour in ways that will endure long after COVID-19 has been conquered.

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Mark Zuckerberg - need for data privacy with technology

“We have to balance promoting innovation and research against protecting people’s privacy and security.”

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Facebook founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has reiterated a need for greater regulation of technology companies.

In an opinion piece published in the Financial Times on Monday, Mr Zuckerberg said regulation is necessary, even at the risk of it impacting on his company's profits.

"I believe good regulation may hurt Facebook's business in the near term but it will be better for everyone, including us, over the long term," he wrote.

Mr Zuckerberg is meeting senior officials in Brussels this week to discuss new rules and regulations for the internet. His company on Monday published a new white paper calling for stronger regulation in the areas of elections, harmful content, privacy and data portability.

"I don't think private companies should make so many decisions alone when they touch on fundamental democratic values," the Facebook founder writes, adding: "We have to balance promoting innovation and research against protecting people's privacy and security."

Mr Zuckerberg warned that regulation can have "unintended consequences", particularly for smaller businesses that don't have the resources that larger corporates have. However, he suggested that allowing individual companies to set their own standards wasn't enough.

"To be clear, this isn't about passing off responsibility. Facebook is not waiting for regulation; we're continuing to make progress on these issues ourselves. But I believe clearer rules would be better for everyone." he wrote.

"The internet is a powerful force for social and economic empowerment. Regulation that protects people and supports innovation can ensure it stays that way," he added.

Facebook and other social media giants have come under increasing pressure to do something about their platforms being used to spread false and misleading information.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday, Mr Zuckerberg called for online content to be regulated with a system somewhere between the existing rules used for the telecoms and media industries.

"Right now there are two frameworks that I think people have for existing industries - there's like newspapers and existing media, and then there's the telco-type model, which is 'the data just flows through you', but you're not going to hold a telco responsible if someone says something harmful on a phone line."

"I actually think where we should be is somewhere in between," he said. - Additional reporting, Reuters

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Facebook founder reiterates need for greater regulation of big tech

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Facebook founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has reiterated a need for greater regulation of technology companies. In an opinion piece published in the Financial Times on Monday, Mr Zuckerberg said regulation is necessary, even at the risk of it impacting on his company's profits.

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"So, even once the government is saying these activities are OK, we can't expect the demand side to re-emerge overnight."

Beyond the aforementioned issues, Gates believes the COVID-19 pandemic will keep forcing us to push things digitally.

Gates cites Microsoft as having gone to virtual shareholder meetings even before the outbreak of the pandemic.

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Last week, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates went live on LinkedIn to answer questions about the novel coronavirus, including what we should expect life to look like over the next few months, and the next several years.

Speaking with LinkedIn editor-in-chief Daniel Roth on "This Is Working," Gates said it will be a while before many things get back to normal. And a lot about everyday life has probably been changed forever.

Gates said he believes the U.S. could begin opening back up in early June, if things go well. But he describes this "opening up" more as a "semi-normal" than a return to what many are used to.

"It won't be where you're doing large public gatherings or even filling up a restaurant," says Gates. "I do think that things like running factories, doing construction, going back to school--those things can be done."

But when it comes to other industries, including hospitality, sports events, and even real estate, Gates believes it will take much longer to recover.

"Will people want to go and travel?" Gates questioned. "Will they want to go to restaurants? Will they even think, you know, buying a new home is an appropriate thing? So, even once the government is saying these activities are OK, we can't expect the demand side to re-emerge overnight."

Gates believes it will require approval and widespread manufacturing of an effective vaccine before any of these changes begin to take place--and he predicts we're still 18 months away from producing that vaccine on a large scale.

These things will change for the long-term.

Beyond the aforementioned issues, Gates believes the COVID-19 pandemic will keep forcing us to push things digitally.

"There are a few things, like business trips, that I doubt will ever go back," Gates said. "I mean, there will still be business trips, but you know, less."

And other things, says Gates, will likely be changed for good.

For example, Gates cites Microsoft as having gone to virtual shareholder meetings even before the outbreak of the pandemic. As many other companies begin to follow this model, says Gates, he doubts they will want to go back to in-person shareholder meetings.

Gates also says as new software innovations emerge, things will continue to change. "What is a virtual courtroom?" he asked. "What is a virtual legislature? How do you create the logic?... In some ways, you can create something that's actually more efficient and better than what was there before."

So, if you're a business owner, how can you adapt to the new normal Gates has described?

How to adapt?

As an example, let's say you run a restaurant. Until social distancing restrictions ease up, you need to make sure you have a robust pickup and delivery service.

Stop asking yourself if you want to go that route. It's no longer an option. For now, it's pickup and delivery, or close down.

But unlike Field of Dreams, just building out your service doesn't mean people will automatically come. Make sure to adjust your website to prominently feature those new pickup and delivery options.

And don't forget the power of content marketing: Work on creating some YouTube videos that demonstrate you cooking some of your most popular dishes. Showcase your personality. Don't worry about people stealing your recipes and cooking your meals instead of ordering out: Some will, some won't. Your market is the ones who won't.

But a few great videos shared on social media may be all it takes to get you back in business.

As another example, let's say you're focused on conferences and events. Have all your speaking gigs canceled? Is your company responsible for putting on events?

Yes, everyone is going virtual. But not everyone has the ability to put on a high-quality show. Although the logistics of virtual conferences are much different than live ones, there's still a lot of work to be done behind the scenes.

Get familiar with technology, features, and effects that will separate your conference from the rest of the pack. Then, do a few for free, so you can hone your skills and create a portfolio. Once polished, use that portfolio to start selling your speaking or conference services to a huge, new market: the one that is suddenly looking for online training and events.

And let's look to tourism--the tourism industry is definitely one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. But maybe you can learn from "Greece From Home," a brilliant initiative by the Greek National Tourism Organization, in cooperation with Google.

This site too is built on the principle of content marketing: using great online content to create a relationship with potential customers. Through YouTube videos and other content, creators give viewers a chance to tour archeological sites and museums, experience beautiful scenes of nature, and even take "walking" tours or visit restaurants--all virtually, of course.

Done right, your content might be able to bring in revenue through ads or product sales. And at the very least, it's a way to keep in touch with your audience until they're willing (and able) to travel again.

Even if your business isn't in one of these industries, hopefully this sparks some ideas. The key is to redirect your efforts and use your time wisely.

Because very likely the new normal is here to stay. And the quicker you adjust to that fact, the greater your business's chance to survive, and possibly thrive.

Like this column? Sign up to subscribe to email alerts and you'll never miss a post.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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Bill Gates Says the Coronavirus Will Change Life Forever. Here's How to Adapt

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Last week, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates went live on LinkedIn to answer questions about the novel coronavirus, including what we should expect life to look like over the next few months, and the next several years. Speaking with LinkedIn editor-in-chief Daniel Roth on "This Is Working," Gates said it will be a while before many things get back to normal.

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The first fashion week event to go fully digital

The “cloud catwalk”

Shanghai Fashion Week (SHFW) has teamed up with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s online marketplace Tmall to broadcast its entire roster of runway shows online from March 24 to 30 on Taobao Live, Alibaba’s live-streaming channel

(As a result of coronavirus)

“This ‘cloud show’ avoids the convergence of people and saves venue and labour costs,” the insider said. “As 5G technology matures, many shows will be trying to get closer to young people through live streaming.”

viewers will be able buy items online while they watch, giving them the chance to acquire exclusive designs in advance. In addition, media outlets and viewers will be able to make comments during the live-streaming sessions.

The organisers will set up a green screen and use augmented reality technology to boost visual effects.

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Shanghai to be world's first fully digital fashion week

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Shanghai Fashion Week has teamed up with Alibaba's online marketplace Tmall to broadcast its entire roster of runway shows online on Taobao Live, with viewers able to buy items online while they watch.

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Анкета участника конкурса молодых дизайнеров
"Дай Пять! Дизайнер будущего"
Пожалуйста, ознакомьтесь с условиями конкурса "Дай Пять! Дизайнер будущего"
Подавая заявку, Вы соглашаетесь с условиями конкурса и гарантируете достоверность представленной информации Участвуйте в конкурсе юных дизайнеров "Дай Пять! Дизайнер будущего"
Создайте эскиз наряда звезды для красной дорожки премии "Дай Пять!" и пришлите его нам.
Профессиональное жюри выберет лучшие работы, и на их основе мы создадим модную коллекцию!
Весной 2019 года Вы увидите свой наряд на показе в рамках Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia в Москве.
Платье, которое придумаете вы, наденет настоящая звезда и выйдет в нём на подиум!
Возраст участников - от 10 до 16 лет
Окончание приёма эскизов - 15 февраля 2019 года.

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Main / Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia

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Анкета участника конкурса молодых дизайнеров "Дай Пять! Дизайнер будущего" Пожалуйста, ознакомьтесь с условиями конкурса "Дай Пять! Дизайнер будущего" Подавая заявку, Вы соглашаетесь с условиями конкурса и гарантируете достоверность представленной информации Участвуйте в конкурсе юных дизайнеров "Дай Пять! Дизайнер будущего" Создайте эскиз наряда звезды для красной дорожки премии "Дай Пять!"

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Sinead Burke, disability rights activist and teacher

- Sinéad Burke Has Gotten The Irish Words For 'Little Person' Printed In The Dictionary.

- "I didn't really get to choose what I wore. I was either in the children's department, or I was in the basics in womenswear, which was all that could be altered"

- "I quickly understood that in terms of the fashion industry, trends and being interested in being a traditional influencer that wears lovely clothes and gets photographed wasn't something I could participate in because those clothes were not in my wardrobe and designers did not consider me when they made them"

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Childline ambassador, chairperson Inclusive Fashion & Design Collective and generally eloquent gal Sinéad Burke is once again, bowling us over with her greatness.

Having liaised with Foras Na Gaeilge about translating the phrase 'little person' and sticking it into the foclóir, she's only gone and done it.

And with her blessing, they both settled on 'duine beag' (little person).

I've been liaising with @ForasnaGaeilge about introducing 'little person' to the Irish dictionary. Today, it's official. Is duine beag mé. pic.twitter.com/WO5PFfNBag

- Sinéad Burke (@TheSineadBurke) November 9, 2016

Maith an bhean!

What may seem as something relatively insignificant to a lot of people, made quite an impact on both the Irish community and little people all around the country. And, Sinéad was quite chuffed herself.

I wish I could repeat my Leaving Certificate, just so I could re-sit my Irish oral and introduce myself as a 'duine beag'.

- Sinéad Burke (@TheSineadBurke) November 9, 2016

She also got acres of praise from the Gaeilgeoirí of the Twittersphere.

Maith thú.

- John Moynes (@JohnMoynes) November 9, 2016

Gleoite! Maith sibh ????

- Doireann Ní Ghríofa (@DoireannNiG) November 9, 2016

maith thú!

- Coiste na bhFocal Nua (@coistenabhfocal) November 10, 2016

It seems she's made quite a significant impact on the Irish world, once more.

Sinéad Ní Búrca abú!
READ NEXT: Medical Emergency Forces Aer Lingus Flight To Return To Shannon Airport

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Sinéad Burke Has Gotten The Irish Words For 'Little Person' Printed In The Dictionary

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Childline ambassador, chairperson Inclusive Fashion & Design Collective and generally eloquent gal Sinéad Burke is once again, bowling us over with her greatness.Having liaised with Foras Na Gaeilge about translating the phrase 'little person' and sticking it into the focl

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Desert Island Discs - Sinead Burke, disability rights activist and teacher - BBC Sounds

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Catch up on your favourite BBC radio show from your favourite DJ right here, whenever you like. Listen without limits with BBC Sounds.

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Theo Paphitis: ‘Retail will never, ever be the same again’

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Theo Paphitis: ‘Retail will never, ever be the same again’

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- "People have adopted digital and online retailing by the masses"
- "Lockdown has accelerated the transition to online by at least 5 years"

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Paphitis: 'Retail will never, ever be the same again'

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Entrepreneur and ex-Dragons' Den star Theo Paphitis talks to the BBC about how coronavirus has hit retail.

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Fashion wants to be less racist, but I know there’s still work to be done

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“The fashion industry continues to support members of its community whose beliefs and practices are everything that we should be fighting against.”

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@galaxia.gram

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@brenn.gram

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@shudu.gram

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@dagny.gram

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@koffi.gram

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For the Balmain campaign, with Shudu

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@thisis.kenna

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@liam_nikuro

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@imma.gram

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@lilmiquela

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'Barbie just got even more diverse, as Mattel adds dolls with vitiligo and no hair'

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Mattel's new line of Barbies. (Mattel)

The company that has introduced millions of Barbie dolls to children across generations has unveiled new versions that look more like the children who play with them.

Mattel is now claiming to be the most diverse doll line, with its recent launch of dolls that have vitiligo, a prosthetic leg and a bald head. Even Ken, Barbie's companion throughout the decades, has a new look with longer hair that stops just below his shoulders.

In the promotional video for the new toys, a blonde and blue-eyed Barbie's plastic face is displayed with text that reads, "This is Barbie." The ad then shows a split screen of a brown-skinned Barbie with brunette hair and a prosthetic leg next to a black Barbie with textured hair and vitiligo. The camera pans across differently painted Barbies.

More skin tones!⁣
More body types!⁣
More unique looks!⁣
⁣
Express yourself with #Barbie #Fashionistas - the most diverse doll line. 💕 Shop now: https://t.co/zTVjMZsjVy. #WeAreBarbie⁣ pic.twitter.com/l176Wvzj0z
- Barbie (@Barbie) January 28, 2020

The new era of Barbies is a far cry from the milky-colored doll that made her first appearance at the American Toy Fair in New York City nearly 61 years ago. That's intentional, Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie and dolls portfolio at Mattel, told The Washington Post in a statement.

"We are proud that Barbie is the most diverse doll line on the market that continues to evolve to better reflect the world girls see around them," she said.

The United States was nearly 89 percent white and recognized only male and female genders at the time Barbie was introduced, according to census data. The nonwhite population today is nearly 24 percent, and more teens are identifying as transgender or gender nonconforming.

Mattel adapted its dolls to reflect the shift. It launched gender-inclusive dolls of various shades and hair types in September. The dolls met a growing need for gender-neutral toys, the company's vice president of global consumer rights, Monica Dreger, told The Post.

A spokesperson for Mattel told CBS News that its latest round of dolls is an attempt to show all forms of beauty.

The doll with vitiligo, a skin disease that causes loss of pigment in patches, was created with the help of dermatologists to make the doll's appearance more realistic, according to a company statement to The Post. Vitiligo can affect a person with any skin color, though it looks the most significant for people with darker skin tones.

Barbie fans requested a doll with vitiligo, McKnight told USA Today. The skin condition has been promoted and normalized by fashion models such as Winnie Harlow and Shahad Salman.

The doll with no hair is intended to encourage children who have experienced hair loss of any kind, according to the company.

The different looks, which are part of the brand's Fashionista line, were created to "better reflect the world girls see today," according to Mattel's website.

Over the years, Barbie has introduced a hijab-wearing doll in honor of Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, Barbies in the STEM field and Barbies representing different races and ethnicities. There are more than 170 dolls with different skin tones and hairstyles for children to choose and see themselves in.

While trying to give children more options, the brand hasn't always been successful.

A curvier, dark-skinned doll with purple hair received negative reviews on Mattel's website and mixed reviews from consumers on the sites of other retailers for an appearance that many said was reminiscent of blackface.

Other Barbies, however, have fared well with consumers.

A curvy black Barbie with an Afro and a Barbie who uses a wheelchair were top sellers for the brand last year, according to the company. In Britain, 1 in 4 dolls sold are Barbies with a wheelchair.

"Our commitment to better reflect the world drives a powerful conversation, and we know our efforts are resonating with eight consecutive quarters of growth and the Fashionistas category up double digits in 2019," McKnight said.

Hijab-wearing Barbie doll introduced in honor of Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad

She started climbing trees as a kid. Then this ecologist helped create scientist Barbie.

At Toy Fair, one toy store owner hunts for diverse dolls

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Barbie just got even more diverse, as Mattel adds dolls with vitiligo and no hair

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The company that has introduced millions of Barbie dolls to children across generations has unveiled new versions that look more like the children who play with them. Mattel is now claiming to be the most diverse doll line, with its recent launch of dolls that have vitiligo, a prosthetic leg and a bald head.

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@nubianskin

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"In order to create diversity you need a lot of diverse people. And if I can inspire people to create 3D models that will be in all shapes and sizes, I think that's a better way to look at it than trying to please everyone when you're just one person." - Cameron James Wilson

"I think within the modeling industry, we have come a long way in accepting women and men in all colors, shapes, and sizes," she said. "As a society, we have been more accepting of body image and so CGI models are going to have everything go in a different and negative direction." At New York Fashion Week, everyone has praised how models are starting to look diverse and inclusive, Markowski said, but also admitted photo editing and retouching is still a problem. "However, I do think CGI models will make it that much worse for future generations to come," she said. "I think computer generated models are too perfect and unrealistic, which will as a result go against the body positivity movement and what viewers want in fashion." - model and actress Jessica Markowski

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Computer-generated models and influencers have been materializing on social media over the last few years.

Cameron-James Wilson is responsible for seven of them, which he created for his digital modeling agency The Diigitals.

Shudu, who he calls the world's first digital supermodel, was inspired by his Princess of South Africa Barbie doll.

People in the fashion and marketing industries are concerned that CGI models could be used to promote unhealthy body images, or take work away from real living models.

But increasingly accessible CGI technology also opens up exciting avenues for 3D artists in the ever-changing fashion industry.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Cameron-James Wilson's biggest inspiration when designing Shudu, the world's first digital supermodel, was his Princess of South Africa Barbie.

"I was just following what I loved," he told Insider. "I wasn't thinking of the impact it would have."

Shudu is incredibly realistic, which is a testament to Wilson's skill in 3D art. When her image went viral on Facebook, then Instagram, it received thousands of comments speculating over whether she was a real person or not.

"It was all kind of organic," Wilson said. "It was never like I set out to make a model. It was just me following my artistic influences."

The influencer space has seen a massive influx of CGI characters in the last couple of years. Some, like lil Miquela, who has 1.6 million Instagram followers, are high profile - releasing music, "hanging out" with real celebrities, and even supposedly dating real human men.

Others, like imma.gram and Liam Nikuro, fly a bit more under the radar, slowly building large followings of people who may or may not realize they were, in fact, made on someone's computer.
Read more: Fake, computer-generated Instagram influencers are modeling designer clothes, wearing Spanx, and attending red carpet premieres
When done well, CGI images are so lifelike, it really is hard to tell at times. And right now, the decision to keep it ambiguous lies with the creator.

Wilson said he's made the decision to always be transparent about the fact Shudu isn't real. When he first started, he could gauge the quality of his work depending on how many people were duped. But when a brand started sending Shudu t-shirts, and truly believed she was trying them on, he knew he had to come clean.

"That was the point I knew this would be something people should be made aware of," he said. "It's quite frightening that technology has got to that point where people couldn't discern whether or not it was real."
Read more: An 84-year-old grandfather has become a highly fashionable Instagram influencer by modeling his grandson's clothes
The mystery behind a digital figure creates an interesting dilemma for ad regulation, because as it stands, CGI influencers don't have to abide by the same rules of the internet when it goes to #ad and #spon content. So if a digital model wears a label in their Instagram post, they don't necessarily have to disclose whether their creator was paid.

"The current advertising guidelines are very much focused on human influencers and there is no mention of CGI influencers," Jamie Love, the CEO of and founder of Monumental Marketing, told Insider.

"Brands could therefore benefit from this loophole to have their sponsored content appear more authentically in people's feeds."

You can make a CGI image look however you want

In the fashion industry, the most common concerns are what CGI models mean for job security - and for setting realistic body standards.

"In the case of Shuru in particular; a CGI creation by a white man of a black woman, who is booking fashion campaigns from under the noses of actual living, breathing women of color," Jo Bromilow, a digital consultant for Newgate Communications told Insider.

"It's exacerbating the competition in an industry that's already notorious for not being pro-diversity but being extremely pro-short term novelty."

Wilson can only speak from his own experiences with his digital creations, and doesn't know how big brands and labels will use the technology in the future. But his digital modeling agency The Diigitals hires real people for many roles, including motion capturing.

"They have been very happy with the credit and payment they have received," Wilson said of the models he works with. "So if the models who help me create my art are happy with everything, they are the people I need to worry about."

There are several "muses" listed on The Diigitals website, including one model called Misty who Wilson said "stands in" for Shudu a lot.

"It has created a lot of opportunities for her," he said. "A lot of people speculate like this could be terrible for the modeling industry, but it's been two years and you can't really see any negative impact."

Even if some models did lose out in the future to digital designs, that would just mean more opportunities were created for 3D artists, he argued.

"At the end of the day, the art has been not very well recognized for many years, so to get the recognition in fashion is a big deal," he said. "And knowing the modeling industry, it's not a great industry. It puts a lot of pressure on people. So what would I rather be, a model or a 3D artist? I'd rather be a 3D artist."

Models think CGI influencers 'pose a threat'

Model and actress Jessica Markowski doesn't have such a positive outlook on the trend. She told Insider CGI models "pose a threat to our generation" because they might send public attitudes of what people should look like back in time.

"I think within the modeling industry, we have come a long way in accepting women and men in all colors, shapes, and sizes," she said. "As a society, we have been more accepting of body image and so CGI models are going to have everything go in a different and negative direction."

At New York Fashion Week, everyone has praised how models are starting to look diverse and inclusive, Markowski said, but also admitted photo editing and retouching is still a problem.

"However, I do think CGI models will make it that much worse for future generations to come," she said. "I think computer generated models are too perfect and unrealistic, which will as a result go against the body positivity movement and what viewers want in fashion."
Read more: 33 Instagram accounts to follow in 2019 that will actually make you feel good about your body
Model Talulah-Eve, who was the first transgender contestant on "Britain's Next Top Model," had never heard of CGI models before looking them up on Instagram.

"OMG I am so shocked!" she told Insider over email. "Like initially I thought there's no way this trend would catch on, but after seeing first hand and seeing that these virtual models are verified and have millions of followers, it's worryingly becoming a popular niche."

Talulah-Eve said she thinks CGI influencers are probably more satisfying to the younger generation who are "fanatical over this new trend."

"It's almost like their favourite cartoons are coming to life," she said.

'You can promote a stance of natural beauty from a position of fakeness'

The outlook for CGI models is not all doom and gloom.

While the image of Shudu was born from a Barbie doll, a toy which doesn't have the best reputation with body image, Wilson wanted to make sure his other designs represented a wider range of people with different looks and sizes.

That's why The Diigitals has a variety of models, including Bren, who has a curvier body shape and visible stretch marks.

"I wanted to show that 3D models aren't all about Barbies and they can represent reality," he said. "I want people to feel included in that space."

One of Wilson's more ambitious designs is called Galaxia, who looks a bit like one of the blue aliens from Avatar, which shows there really is no limit to what a character can look like.

"If you don't like my models, you can create your own," Wilson said.

"In order to create diversity you need a lot of diverse people. And if I can inspire people to create 3D models that will be in all shapes and sizes, I think that's a better way to look at it than trying to please everyone when you're just one person."

Trying to speak for the entire industry is, of course, a bit overwhelming.

It could be argued that the fashion industry is in such a polarized state at the moment, it's hard to keep up with what people want. On the one hand the public are asking for more inclusivity, and on the other, they still worship images of celebrities that have been heavily edited with Photoshop and Facetune.

Shudu is more natural in appearance, Wilson said, as she doesn't wear tons of makeup and her hair is short and untouched. He's also adjusted her body proportions over the years to make her look more realistic.

"Although she is completely fake, there is this natural and authentic look to her," he said. "So I still think you can promote a stance of natural beauty from a position of fakeness ... That's how I feel about it, other people might have different opinions."

CGI could change how the fashion industry works

CGI in fashion could also take the industry in many new and exciting directions. For instance, Wilson was able to work with a model who lives in Australia - something that would have been impossible at the start of his career when he was living and working from a shed in his mother's garden.

"I created a digital double of her and had her pose next to Shudu, and people couldn't really tell who was real and who wasn't," he said. "It allows Shudu to model with someone half way across the world who might not have the opportunity to come to me. I definitely couldn't, at the time, afford to go to Australia."

3D design could also replace the more traditional processes of making sketches and samples, which are wasteful and can take months at a time.

"With 3D programs you can cut that down to weeks or even a couple of days which is huge," he said. "You don't have to make all the samples and all the mockups. It cuts millions of tons of fabric waste. It's going to be amazing, but it's only just starting to be adopted."
Read more: 10 models who are breaking barriers in the fashion industry
There are also some potentially innovative applications for customers, like being able to digitally dress yourself up in clothing before buying it. People may be able to add designer labels to their Instagram shots without having to actually spend thousands on their look or relying on fast fashion.

"I think the next couple of years is definitely going to be a real changing of an industry," Wilson said. "It's going to be a total revolution in fashion. It's going to be almost like when photography was digitized; it's going to be that much of a transition."

CGI models mean 'total creative freedom'

For Wilson, it's not about partnering up with big brands or getting Shudu into the fashion magazines. His real passion is telling the stories of his characters and making sure they are kept to a certain standard. Because of this, he can't see himself letting go of the creative control of The Diigitals any time soon.

"Most of tech is based around scalability and selling this to every person on the planet," he said. "But I think you can have great success doing the complete opposite - there's something to be said for exclusivity."

He barely has enough time to devote to the few characters he has, "let alone if I was making a hundred of them," he said.

Leaving photography behind and designing 3D art was Wilson's chance to build something that was entirely within his control, which the increasing accessibility and affordability of CGI technology that made possible.

"The one thing I hate about photography is everyone makes you feel like you need them - hairstylists, makeup artists, art directors, stylists," he said. "I want something that's me, not me through the eyes of someone else."

Whereas a few years ago it would cost thousands to work on a specialized program, artists can now use DAZ 3D - the program Shudu was created on - in their own homes.

Wilson thinks this is an exciting avenue for many other artists who are struggling in the industry right now to take advantage of, both with finding work and with creating something they love.

"Creating Shudu, it was all up to me," he said. "I could get her hair to be this way or that way and it was my decision. There's no outside influence in it and that's what I really like about it - the creative freedom."
Read more: This artist morphs celebrities' faces together to create perfect hybrids - here are some of his favorites

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Models are worried that digitally-created influencers 'pose a threat' to the industry, but CGI could be the future of fashion

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Increasingly accessible CGI technology opens up both exciting avenues for 3D artists and concerns for models in the ever-changing fashion industry.

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​The month of June is finally upon us. This time last year, from New York to London, São Paulo to Tel Aviv, the LGBT+ Pride movement was in its stride, with unprecedented numbers of volunteers, artists, and supporters poised to descend on streets, to march in solidarity.

Equally as much a celebration as a protest, 'Gay Christmas' as it's sometimes referred to, is the one time of year where people from all demographics, race, religion, and sexual orientation can come together and celebrate acceptance, peacefully.

Any hope that Pride parades might be exempt from the clutches of coronavirus were dashed in March, when one by one, each parade body took to social media to announce their deepest regrets.

However, it was never the case that Pride 2020 would not take place - it was more a matter of how. 2020 still marks Pride's golden jubilee. It's been ​ 50 years since the inaugural pride parade in 1970, and 51 years since the Stonewall Riot, where members of the black LGBT+ community stood up against police brutality and oppression.

As Pride Month and Pride Lives Matter unite in solidarity, rather than succumb to the disappointment, a number of LGBT+ media brands, Pride bodies, and LGBT+ brand allies are welcoming this unique moment in time, to amplify queer rights.

The show must go on(line)

"I don't think any of us thought we'd be in this position," shares Brent Miller, Procter & Gamble (P&G) associate director, global LGBT+ equality - the first to hold the position at the multi-brand conglomerate.

"Last year's Pride was an overwhelming public display of visibility for the community. The challenge that we have this year is to maintain that visibility and use the momentum of Pride to help people connect to the community," he contends.

While it's hard to sugarcoat the disappointment, LGBT+ media brands and Pride organizers have been busy planning throughout lockdown, proving the pandemic to be a welcome shove into the foray of digital festivals.

Pink News was first off the mark, announcing its Pride plans back in March, and today (4 June) marks the first day of 'Pride for All. ' Running across its website and social media channels, the digital event intends to bring the LGBT+ community and its allies together through a range of interactive and original content including Q&As with celebrities, influencers and activists, panel discussions, music sessions, drag tutorials, lenses, and filters. There will even be a virtual pride march.

Condé Nast's LGBT+ brand Them has also ventured online, programming 'Out Now Live' - a programme of virtual events that include performances, speeches, storytelling, as well as messages from prominent members of the LGBT+ community.

The digital event builds on the success of 'Themfest' - a virtual music and arts festival Them created for the LGBT+ community back in late March.

"From the day we were sent home, within a week we started noticing essential LGBT+ community spaces shuttering up, compromising their income," Them's executive editor Whembley Sewell details of the mag's rapid response.

"So we immediately put together 'Themfest' as a point of levity, but also as a point of coming together. We hit the ground running with that. And, obviously, when it came to Pride, we had to act just the same."

Billed as '2020Capsule: A unique year in Pride, documented' - today (4 June) Gay Times has unveiled its plans for Pride 2020. It intends to capture this moment in history by collating a capsule to document the experiences, challenges, unity, and advocacy from this exact moment in time - to share with future generations.

To do so, Gay Times will work with community and commercial organizations to capture the experiences of LGBT+ people, through the medium of poetry, photo essays, letters, short films, and playlists. The Pride capsule will be donated in full to Queer Britain as part of its exhibition archive.

With physical parades out of bounds this year, event organizers have scrambled to host virtual marches in its place.

A megaphone for the LGBT+ community in the UK, Pride in London announced back in January that it was in full-ideation mode, as it mapped out 2020 plans with a new agency in tow.

Yesterday (3 June) alongside its agency Anomaly, it announced this year's theme - #YouMeUsWe - a cry out to all LGBT+ people to support one another and stand in solidarity as a community.

As the UK's largest Pride event, it has introduced a digital community hub with hopes to galvanize 30,000 people into 'acts of allyship' for those in other LGBT+ groups.

To mark the unveiling of its 2020 theme, Pride in London released a film that highlights the experiences of an array of queer Londoners, who speak candidly about their relationship with Pride, how they have been affected by its cancellation, as well as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the community.

Can online make up for the loss of physical parades?

"One thing that I think far too often goes ignored is the fact that not all Pride's are accessible. Whether it comes to age, to people with anxiety, to people with disability - in having a virtual pride and trying to make it as big and bold and bright as possible, you really enable people from all walks of life to engage with it in a new way," explains Them's Sewell on the benefits of a digital Pride.

"In some ways, I'm surprised we haven't been doing this all along," she adds, noting that while in previous years, major activations would take place mainly in New York City and Brooklyn, 'Out Now Live' is truly global in its reach.

During lockdown, traffic to Them's US site has grown considerably. At the close of last month, its unique visitors count was up 137% year-on-year, after receiving 1.27 million unique visitors in April, and 1.36million in May which were among the brand's highest ever traffic months.

She explains that being digital also means they can have talent from all around the world. Bob the Drag Queen, Vogue UK editor Edward Enninful, Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon, model Naomi Campbell and Whoopi Goldberg, are among the participating talent that will be dialing in from around the world.

In a similar vein to Sewell, Asad Dhunna, founder of the consultancy The Unmistakables and former director of communications at Pride in London, feels the main advantage of a digital Pride is that it can be global-by-design.

"The reach of a global Pride cannot be beaten by local Pride and the opportunity to feel part of a truly global community is on offer for the first time ever," he states. "It can feel more accessible. Some of the criticism of Pride is a feeling that you have to look a certain way, work for a certain company, be part of a certain class. Digital Prides negate that."

However, he feels that digital Pride offerings could never replace the physical event. "So much of what Pride stands for is the community coming together to be visible to the mainstream. That might be regulars who meet friends and their chosen families just once a year - there's a reason they call it 'Gay Christmas.'"

A trick of the light?

As with many high-profile movements, brands see World Pride Month as an ample opportunity to unleash their inner 'woke ' and like the rainbow (a trick of the light) each year brands are found guilty of pinkwashing.

Among major brand blunders over the years, we've had the distasteful M&S LGBT+ sandwich, Budweiser's demi-sexual drinking cups, alongside ample helpings of rainbow logo changes, with no houses in order.

Following a swathe of corporate messages in solidarity with Black Lives Matter this week, customers will be scrutinising brands even more closely this year, with calls to ensure any Pride communications herald intersectionality and inclusion.

In the wake of recent protests following George Floyd's death in US police custody around the globe, 75 LGBT+ groups have united in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, noting shared experiences of harassment and police brutality. Their message? Neither people nor brands can celebrate Pride's 50-year history, without acknowledging that the riot was originally led by people of colour who sought to end police brutality and oppression.

Advertisers that fail to acknowledge this will not pass by unnoticed.

Yet, without the potential to flaunt on an audacious float, analysts have pondered whether sponsors will even be lining up with the same enthusiasm for Pride 2020. And, with 89% of large multinational companies deferring marketing campaigns last month, will brands have any dollars spare this year to throw at Pride?

For, Chris Kenna, co-founder of Brand Advance and director of diversity and inclusion at Outvertising, the advertising industry lobbying group, it's a hard one to predict.

"As companies restart their engines and the economy jumps back into gear, there is going to be a realignment of all ad spend - that's inevitable," Kenna contends.

Dhunna also reckons brands will find it hard to justify Pride spending, at a time when budgets are being squeezed.

"The root of this comes from the tightrope that Pride stands between being a protest and a celebration - the latter being more palatable for brand managers," he argues.

Dhunna points to #PridePledge - a call from LGBT+ advocate Ashlee Marie Preston to companies, asking them to reallocate Pride marketing money to LGBT+ people affected by Covid-19. Sadly, it is yet to reach its target of 15,000 signatories.

And, while the Paddy Power's float at Brighton Pride has in recent years become an iconic staple of the parade, the betting giant has no concrete plans in place due to the lack of outdoor activities. Though, it promises that when society is up and running safely again, it will begin talks again with its partners Mediacom and The Gay Times.

Despite Diageo brands Absolute and Smirnoff normally playing a key part in Pride, it's Pride plans, this year are more low-key and focussing internally on employee celebrations.

"However, all hope is not lost on brands still want to engage the LGBT+ community," Kenna continues. "Covid-19 has seen brands look for purpose more than ever - ensuring their comms has actual value beyond 'buy my product."

Back in March, Pink News' founder and chief exec Benjamin Cohen aired the challenges of getting brands on board. "We think that it's a great opportunity for brands to be involved but I'm under no illusions that it may be a difficult one to pull off," Cohen said at the time.

However, while Cohen was buoyant about bringing Pride online, with or without sponsors, two months down the line and Pink News can boast H&M, Zipcar, GVC and Lelo as this year's sponsors. PinkNews previous brand partners and Pride sponsors include Amazon, Lloyds, Barclays, Deliveroo, Uber, Citi, Aegon, and LinkedIn.

Them editor Sewell claims the mag has not struggled securing brand interest. "Brands have been coming to us, which in this age, is a good thing," she asserts. "It's good to see brands care about the messages they are sending to the world right now, at such a crucial time."

As part of Them's 2020 Pride efforts, skincare brand Bliss will be participating in the #OurPrideNow campaign that Them. is launching during Pride month.

Last year, Them had six sponsors for its Pride activations, including HBO and Aeropostale. Two years ago, nearly half of Them's business took place in June, and last year. In June last year, Them took in a third of its overall business.

P&G's record for supporting the LGBT+ community is near-immaculate in its consistency - and Pride in the time of coronavirus is no exception.

"We see this as a moment that we need to lean in," insists P&G's Miller. "This is a moment that we need to reaffirm our support and move forward, because the support of the community is so well ingrained in the company. We see it as a continuation of where we've been, and hopefully, the accelerator where we want to go."

Last week (28 May) P&G released the findings of its first-ever LGBT+ Inclusion in Advertising and Media' study, collaboration with its strategic partner Glaad, the LGBT+ charity. The findings were accompanied by the last film in its series with CNN's Great Big Story, which saw Miller conversing with LGBT+ consumers and members of the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, touching on issues that the report raised.

"We're working to use our voice, through media and our brands, to raise visibility," Miller explains. "Our voice won't be in a parade this year, but it's important to still bring it forward" confirming that P&G is "working to make sure that we maintain our level of investment in all the Prides around the world that we participate in. It's important that, while a celebration isn't happening, they still receive the support that they have from us."

HSBC is another professed LGBT+ ally sponsoring Pride events across the globe. Over the years, it has done valuable work in promoting queer rights and In 2016, the bank made history when it placed rainbow versions of its famous lions outside its Hong Kong headquarters to celebrate Pride. A decisive step for the organisation given Hong Kong's aversity to gay rights.

In 2017, the bank was praised for making it's lesbian, gay, bi and trans employees and customers feel valued by highlighting real employees sharing their lived experiences. When its trans lead of HSBC's UK Pride Network, Stuart Barette, told the bank that he found going to the bank "terrifying" because every time he did, he had to declare he was trans, HSBC listened - introducing non-gender specific titles for its retail bank account.

"While we can't celebrate in person, we're bringing people together from across the globe through a #24HoursOfPride campaign," shares Leanne Cutts, HSBC's group chief marketing officer.

She explains that this will include a series of local and global virtual events and a social media conversation running over 24 hours, going around the world from New Zealand through to Canada, to help bring together the LGBT+ community and its allies. Alongside discussing important topic areas on LGBT+ careers and evolving the ad industry, the virtual event will see drag queens, quizzes, talk shows and DJs from around the world.

"On the ground, as the lead partner of Birmingham Pride, we supported this year's virtual event and lit up our UK head office in the city with the Pride flag," Cutts continues. "While in Canada, 133 of our branches will be overhauling their window displays to show solidarity throughout June, July, and August."

While 2020 will go down as the year that Pride parades did not take place, its fair to say that it hasn't hindered a number of LGBT+ media brands, parade organizers, and LGBT+ brand allies from making it their mission to step out and make the community Proud.

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Pride 2020: LGBT+ titles and sponsors ensure the show goes on, virtually

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There's no question that 2020 hasn't lived up to expectations with the coronavirus outbreak pulling the plug on major events around the world. First came the Olympics, then Glastonbury, and before we knew it hearts across the globe lay devastated at the news that Pride parades were off until 2021.

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Visual Report
- App
- Website
- Instagram

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Fashion wants to be less racist, but I know there's still work to be done

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Fashion wants to be less racist, but I know there’s still work to be done

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“The fashion industry continues to support members of its community whose beliefs and practices are everything that we should be fighting against.”

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GQ Style Fashion Team

Luke Jefferson Day – Editor of GQ Style, Fashion Director of British GQ, Fashion Stylist

·      “It was like ticking boxes”

·      “Some of our best-selling covers are black covers”

Elgar Johnson – Deputy Editor and Fashion Director of GQ Style, Contributing Fashion Editor of British GQ

·      “I’ve seen a massive change in the industry”

·      “There is a lot more diversity on and off the catwalk, but there could be a lot more off”

·      “You felt like you couldn’t say anything because people would fire you on the spot”

·      “the more vocal you can be, the more this will change”

·      “brands could definitely all do better” with regards to racism

·      “this isn’t a trend”

·      “what you’re doing in digital usually mirrors what you’re doing in print. Until print changes, digital I can't see digital being any more forward"

Ben Schofield

·      “The best-selling Vogue cover was black”

Kit Swann

Gary Armstrong

·      “Codewords”

·      “We can’t be at the end of the conversation at the start of it”

·      “People need to start making statements”

·      “We’re at the start of a revolution”

·     “I think that the idea of a digital fashion world that exists outside of reality (even though its formed by reality) can be whatever they want it to be - it's free of all of the rubbish that the fashion industry currently has”

·      “It is a completely new arena for things to exist, so there is no reason why it wouldn’t then be completely multicultural, from the outset”

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Missguided faces backlash for using size eight models to advertise plus-size clothing

According to the brand, the reason it has used size eight models to advertise plus-size clothing has to do with coronavirus.

"Because of obvious circumstances, we've avoided booking additional models right now for ranges that have been extended from smaller sizes," a spokesperson told the DailyMail. "'Right across our plus-size ranges online you can see plus size models - in this rare exception, we're transparent online about the model's size."

- Plus sized Digi models could have been booked out as soon as the backlash begun to save this Missguided story

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Missguided faces backlash for using size eight models to advertise plus-size clothing - The Independent

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Missguided is facing criticism after customers noticed that plus-size clothing on the retailer's website is being modelled by size eight models.

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The U.K. economy shrank a record 20.4% in April as businesses and workers reeled under the lockdown designed to control the coronavirus pandemic.

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U.K. Economy Plunged by Record 20% Under Virus Lockdown - Bloomberg

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The U.K. economy shrank a record 20.4% in April as businesses and workers reeled under the lockdown designed to control the coronavirus pandemic.

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With or without green screens

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The London Fashion Week February 2022 schedule, running from 18th - 22nd , content includes designers collection launches, presentations, catwalk shows, films, conversations, podcasts and live events. Search the schedule and add to your calendar.

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John Lewis & Partners invites you to walk the virtual catwalk in LFW for the very first time with the #LFWCatwalkChallenge in aid of the BFC Foundation Fashion Fund for the Covid Crisis.

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London Fashion Week - John Lewis & Partners presents The LFW Catwalk Challenge

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John Lewis & Partners presents The LFW Catwalk Challenge at London Fashion Week 2020

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"They have the perfect angular cheekbones and ooze glamour most could never manage."

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Before he worked on the Balmain campaign, Cameron James-Wilson's model Shudu became popular because, initially, people weren't sure whether she was real or CGI after her posts began getting attention on Instagram.

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From Instagram to Balmain: The rise of CGI models

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They're computer generated to have the perfect look - but how much do real models have to fear from CGI influencers?

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"Shudu: the black digi-supermodel, who shot to fame after Fenty reposted a picture of her wearing Rihanna’s bright orange lipstick. 137,000 followers later, plus a handful of encouraging likes and comments from Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks and Alicia Keys, and Shudu is not just a piece of artwork."

Their avatar can then be sent on multiple jobs around the globe without the model being there in the flesh. “Once someone is scanned, they are, in a way, immortalised. A person’s career could last decades, centuries,"

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Steps to make humans and the VR community no longer mutually exclusive are also well underway. "CGI could become a massive benefit to real-life models, because there will be the potential for them to make very detailed scans of themselves," Wilson explains. Their avatar can then be sent on multiple jobs around the globe without the model being there in the flesh. "Once someone is scanned, they are, in a way, immortalised. A person's career could last decades, centuries," Wilson chimes back in. "If the technology to scan and capture Marilyn Monroe had been around then, her career could very much be still going today."

Wilson's career trajectory has allowed him to dream on this scale, but, for the rest of us, tens of questions around the ethics of this arise. Whose intellectual property are these scans? How can an individual, who is no longer alive, protect themselves from identity theft? The human rights standards the industry is struggling to maintain now would surely go out of the window, and the problem of counterfeiting in fashion would reach new heights.

For now, though, humans, Wilson believes, have nothing to worry about. With product development will come a greater understanding of how to license data securely. And, going back to the basics, CGI beings are native to their virtual world. A 3D model can't walk down a catwalk, or embrace a fan. And, crucially, humans crave this real emotion. "People like watching their favourite celebrity go out and get drunk - and be, well, human," he laughs.
Read more: Why Our Faces Are The New Social Currency
First and foremost, CGI "explores new realms of creativity and creates new opportunities in an industry which is inherently inclusive," Wilson surmises. "Instead of being a certain height, or a certain this, or a certain that, what if all you needed was imagination and a basic understanding of 3D to have a shot in fashion?" Let the debate continue to swirl.

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The Numerous Questions Around The Rise Of CGI Models And Influencers

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Steps to make humans and the VR community no longer mutually exclusive are also well underway. "CGI could become a massive benefit to real-life models, because there will be the potential for them to make very detailed scans of themselves," Wilson explains.

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"If beauty standards weren’t yet high enough, there are now uber-perfect models who don’t really exist"

"The absence of black, asian, hispanic faces in your brand only help to strengthen online discourse about exclusion and prejudice."

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Maybe you've seen them while scrolling on Instagram, then stopped and scrolled back in disbelief. "Them" being CGI-created models. Yep, if beauty standards weren't yet high enough, there are now uber-perfect models who don't really exist - even if they do have personalities and their own social media accounts.

And being avatars hasn't stopped them from being the faces of beauty labels or modelling in editorials for magazines. One of them even took over at Milan Fashion Week. Still, as you might imagine, reception to these new faces has been mixed - what do they represent? Is this just the creepy AF Pygmalion myth for generation Instagram? And what about the actual, IRL models they're putting out of a job? Here, two writers argue for and against the use of CGI models in fashion.

FOR - ANY REPRESENTATION IS GOOD REPRESENTATION
Text Dominic Cadogan
Besides being a trillion dollar industry globally, fashion has always been about creating a world of fantasy, a way for people to escape. Look no further than the breathtaking creations of Alexander McQueen, or Comme des Garçons. Surely, the sudden takeover of CGI models is just another facet of fashion's obsession with fantasy?

Digitally created, these new faces - including Lil Miquela, Shudu, and Nfon - aren't limited by genetics or reality; they can take any form their creators envision. To me, it's exciting. Discovering new models with interesting features is a big part of fashion, and now the possibilities are endless. Ours is an industry constantly obsessed with pushing forward and looking to the future - remember the "robots" at Chanel, and the fashion shoot with Sophia the robot? Don't forget that for its SS16 campaign, Louis Vuitton enlisted Final Fantasy's Lightning to front the collection - mostly to fanfare, if you go by the comments on the Instagram post. This feels like a natural next step.

The most recognisable name among this new wave of models is probably Lil Miquela. Since her first selfie back in 2016, she has now featured in shoots, took over Prada 's Instagram at its AW18 show, and modelled for Pat McGrath's make-up line. Not to mention the fact she's amassed just under a million followers on Instagram. It's hard to ignore the hype - also, she just looks fucking cool with her bangs, Princess Leia-esque buns, and freckled cheeks. Really, she's just like us - when she isn't infiltrating fashion, she spends her time taking selfies and hanging out with her equally-cool, but actually real friends.

She also has a boyfriend - another CGI model, who got a sprinkle more fuccboi in the mix than his other half. At a quick glance, he's like any other hypebeast, covering his face for selfies, and posting (terrible) memes on his Instagram account. See, they're not so different to us. To hate them just because they're holding a mirror up to the hyperreal, social-media obsessed state of society right now is ridiculous. They didn't create the conditions that allowed for them to flourish, we did.

"Shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that a dark-skinned, black woman is gaining popularity in fashion - even if she isn't real?" - Dominic Cadogan

On a surface level, people might argue that the invention of fake CGI models signals the end of the modelling industry as we know it, and that "real" models will soon be out of jobs. This isn't the case. E-commerce sites have photoshopped clothes onto digital bodies for years - but from catwalks to campaigns, actual models still get hired.

More seriously, there are those suggesting the creation of these CGI models is cultural appropriation. Particularly the photographer behind Shudu - described on her IG account as the World's First Digital Supermodel - since he is white, and male. Yes, it is problematic. Particularly as her likeness comes from models like Duckie Thot and Alek Wek, making it hard not to seem like fetishisation. But for those suggesting her creator is profiting from her, they are way off the mark. Shudu was never created for commercial reasons, and again, is a way for us to live through fantasy. Her legs go on for what seems like forever, and she can effortlessly go from serving African neck coils (and nothing else) to an ultra-sexy look, to twinning with her boo, Nfon with her natural hair.

Take a look at her Instagram, it is completely captivating. Rather than being cynical, shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that a dark-skinned, black woman is gaining popularity in fashion - even if she isn't real? That isn't to discredit or erase existing or new black models and, in fact, could help promote conversations around diversity in fashion.

It shouldn't go unmentioned that all of the CGI models currently are the forefront are POCs, which is more that can be said for the majority of runway shows. If this is the new frontier of the modelling industry, these numbers are looking very favourable.

AGAINST - BRANDS LOVE POC'S AESTHETICS BUT NOT POC
Text Kemi Alemoru
I'm someone that exists on the fringes of what is fashionable. For example, I don't actually own any luxury items and spend Monday-to-Friday throwing together the first things I see strewn across my floordrobe. Nevertheless, even though I don't feel a part of the industry I know what is trending and right now people of colour are having a "moment".

For years, all-white campaigns were something you'd never bat an eyelid to. Now, a make-up ad or streetwear campaign without any people of colour looks incredibly out of touch. You see this in how something as simple as swatching cosmetic collections is inherently political post-Fenty Beauty, with companies being dubbed "embarrassing" if their darker shade range is limited.

Just this week a " colonialism" themed fashion line modelled by a white man sparked outrage for being so obviously tone-deaf. This is probably because young people have become increasingly empathetic towards race issues since social media has made debates more accessible. The absence of black, asian, hispanic faces in your brand only help to strengthen online discourse about exclusion and prejudice. In short, it's just not good for your brand to exclude people of colour (POC) right now.

This backdrop is impossible to ignore when considering the rise of CGI influencers of colour. Some commentators think the likes of Lil Miquela and Shudu are a clever comment on authenticity on social media or the fashion industry's obsession with perfection. However, there's a danger that this is just another vehicle for brands to cash in on what is popular without having to give props and jobs to POC.

Take Lil Miquela. Her feed is very of-the-moment oscillating between streetwear looks and pivotal pop culture moments like celebrating Lena Waithe's Vanity Fair cover after becoming the first black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing. She's vocal about social issues in Bushwick, Brooklyn - an area of New York where only 9 per cent of the population is white. Aided by her ethnic ambiguity, the Spanish-Brazilian Californian has enough cultural cache to talk about racial issues like Black Lives Matter while managing to look socially conscious, rather than aggressive or divisive. If Miquela was actually real, her radical passion and ethnicity might work against her. Luckily, she is a pixelated simulacrum - an embodiment of what is popular - without the burden of actually having to exist. So she's picking up brand partnerships at quite a rate, while influencers of colour remain largely ignored by luxury brands.

In February, Prada and Miquela teamed up for an Instagram takeover. Until recently, the brand's record on diversity has been questionable - before Jourdan Dunn in 2008, the last black model to walk for the brand was Naomi Campbell in 1993. While Miquela was taking over on IG, Sudanese-American model Anok Yai became the first black model to open a Prada runway show in more than 20 years. So while it's props to Prada for helping Yai make her way into the industry, couldn't they have given their social media accounts to an IRL POC?

"Brands can borrow Shudu's deep melanated skin, Nfon's wide sculpted features, and Miquela's feisty online persona without the hassle of smashing the glass ceiling to let POC reach the top" - Kemi Alemoru

This isn't an isolated issue. In 2016, a Fashion Spot report found that almost 80 per cent of models in luxury brand ads were white. Yet, the "world's first digital supermodel" Shudu, has 99.5k followers and a burgeoning career. She has already modelled Oscar de la Renta jewellery, Fenty lip shades, and has a host of viral shoots with her male counterpart Nfon.

Shudu and Nfon are the brainchild of London-based photographer and digital artist Cameron-James Wilson who t old Harper's Bazaar that Shudu was his "art piece". "She is not a real model unfortunately, but she represents a lot of the real models of today. There's a big kind of movement with dark skin models, so she represents them and is inspired by them," he explained. "Obviously some models like Duckie (Thot) were definitely big inspirations for her as well." Funnily enough, Thot has been vocal about how difficult it was to get her start in the industry because of her shade.

What Wilson is inadvertently saying is that black people are trendy right now, not because the industry wants to improve its shocking record diversity, but purely because people love the black aesthetic. It's objectification in its purest form. Now brands can borrow Shudu's deep melanated skin, Nfon's wide sculpted features, and Miquela's feisty online persona without the hassle of smashing the glass ceiling to let POC reach the top.

In the past, I've argued against the boring backlash of calling individuals out for appropriation when they borrow from black culture. Enjoying someone else's culture is a natural way to appreciate differences and develop culture in music, fashion, and beauty - if you cite your influences then it's all good. However, what I do take issue with is a whole industry that clearly favours black and minority ethnic aesthetics on anyone but minorities.

To champion a coded character over POC influencers and models looking for jobs is nothing short of fetishisation. As Naomi Campbell told GQ recently: "We're not a trend." If you like what women of colour represent, and how they look, then hire them. They should be remunerated and championed. Until then, your CGI imitations only prove that you love the looks of POC, but not the reality of us.

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Are CGI models taking jobs away from real people of colour?

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Maybe you've seen them while scrolling on Instagram, then stopped and scrolled back in disbelief. "Them" being CGI-created models. Yep, if beauty standards weren't yet high enough, there are now uber-perfect models who don't really exist - even if they do have personalities and their own social media accounts.

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"CGI is going to play more of a part in photography as we go forward"

"CGI will future proof us"

"Need to showcase product at the lowest possible cost, but high volume - so went down a green screen route"

"The models look really stiff, you won't get inspired by it"

"CGI allows you to shoot whatever you want, whenever you want"

"It's going to mean usage rights are going to have to be fully reconsidered"

"This week ASOS are testing showing an outfit on a size 8-18 model using artificial intelligence"

"I can get my size 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 models and then I can shoot those without having those models in the studio at a fraction of the price"

"The consumer can see the outfit on whatever size model they want"

"Although CGI models are in their infancy at the moment, you'll find they become more mainstream"

"You can ask for a model of a certain height and size, and this can be created for you - that's the power of artificial intelligence"

"Forward yourself 5 or 10 years - do we need supermodels?"

"We are in a culture now where people are wanting to see real body shapes more relevant to them. The fashion industry traditionally has said 'I need ultra thin models on our catwalks', and there's a big movement to stand up and not accept that anymore".

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"There's a decline in car ownership among younger consumers"

"Influencer engagement is dropping, from 4% to 2.4%"

"At the moment you can only really use CGI on dresses"

"When we used it originally, we didn't see that much of an uplift. We saw it in terms of positive customer engagement and people using it, but in terms of actual sales it didn't come through"

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This Robot Is Now the Lead Actress in a $70 Million Sci-Fi Movie

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This Robot Is Now the Lead Actress in a $70 Million Sci-Fi Movie

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Chief executive of the British Fashion Council- Caroline Rush interview

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Chief executive of the British Fashion Council- Caroline Rush interview

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With CNBC’s Tania Bryer

The digital London Fashion Week was turned around in 8 weeks

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The chief executive of the British Fashion Council, Caroline Rush, tells CNBC's Tania Bryer about the "devastating effect" of Covid-19 on the fashion industry, and the challenges and opportunities in making London Fashion Week digital for the first time ever.

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British Fashion Council on Covid-19 and digital London Fashion Week

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The chief executive of the British Fashion Council, Caroline Rush, tells CNBC's Tania Bryer about the "devastating effect" of Covid-19 on the fashion industry, and the challenges and opportunities in making London Fashion Week digital for the first time ever.

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"Who doesn't want to live in a society that isn't so riddled with inequality that the race riots in America and the protests that followed around the globe don't feel like a painful necessity to change the status quo?"

"If we are going to evolve, to a place of greater fairness and safety for our planet and its people, our future cannot look exactly like our past. We are going to need a genuine rethink about many areas of our lives"

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What would some of history's most celebrated fashion photographers make of the new-season collections? Take a trip through time, as Framestore - London's Oscar-winning digital studio - adds autumn/winter 2020 pieces to iconic images from the British Vogue archive. Fashion editor: Laura Ingham. Jewellery editor: Rachel Garrahan

Adding computer-generated modern fashion to historic images.

A first of its kind for Vogue, and an innovation in fashion imagery.

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"The familiar patterns of our lives have been broken, the future is unknowable, and all of us are searching for signs and wonders, for reassurance, for hope, for things that make sense to us when everything seems desolate"

"The pandemic has led us to discover new ways of working and living"

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In California, Dr Kate Broderick - a Scots-born biological engineer at pharmaceuticals company Inovio, who has working to develop vaccines against deadly diseases such as Ebola, Lassa fever and Mers - says this is unlike anything else. "Nothing in my career could have prepared me for the extent of the devastation that coronavirus has presented to the whole world" she says.

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Jacques Fath A/H 1951-52. Photo John Deakin. Mannequin Barbara Goalen. | Vogue photo, Vintage fashion models, Vintage glamour

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Nov 3, 2017 - Jacques Fath A/H 1951-52. Photo John Deakin. Mannequin Barbara Goalen.

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MANOLO BLAHNIK was being his usual infectious irrepressible self as he unveiled his spring/summer 2010 collection in Soho yesterday.

"I hate celebrities," he revealed to VOGUE.COM. "All those pointless girls - I won't name names, but you know who I mean. They are 'famous'. Ridiculous. I like women with style: actresses like Uma Thurman, icons like Audrey Hepburn. I like women with style to wear my shoes."

Women with style of any degree at all would surely be happy to sport a shoe from Mr Blahnik's latest collection; a melee of colours and inspirations, perfectly fused with his signature delicate exuberance and presented with tea and cakes.

CLICK HERE FOR A SNEAK PREVIEW OF MANOLO BLAHNIK SPRING/SUMMER 2010

CLICK HERE TO SEE MANOLO'S TAKE ON JACOBS, CLUMPY CLOGS AND EINSTEIN'S TONGUE

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MANOLO BLAHNIK was being his usual infectious irrepressible self as he unveiled his spring/summer 2010 collection in Soho yesterday. "I hate celebrities," he revealed to VOGUE.COM. "All those pointless girls - I won't name names, but you know who I mean. They are 'famous'. Ridiculous.

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Kate Moss by Corinne Day

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Why Kate Moss shot by Corinne Day in 1993 is the only beauty note you need this spring: https://t.co/gllOSjo17B https://t.co/BaRKMZz1b2

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Why Kate Moss shot by Corinne Day in 1993 is the only beauty note you need this spring: https://t.co/gllOSjo17B https://t.co/BaRKMZz1b2

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Why Kate Moss shot by Corinne Day in 1993 is the only beauty note you need this spring: https://t.co/gllOSjo17B pic.twitter.com/BaRKMZz1b2
— British Vogue (@BritishVogue) April 12, 2016

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Why Kate Moss shot by Corinne Day in 1993 is the only beauty note you need this spring: https://t.co/gllOSjo17B https://t.co/BaRKMZz1b2

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Why Kate Moss shot by Corinne Day in 1993 is the only beauty note you need this spring: https://t.co/gllOSjo17B https://t.co/BaRKMZz1b2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
Why Kate Moss shot by Corinne Day in 1993 is the only beauty note you need this spring: https://t.co/gllOSjo17B https://t.co/BaRKMZz1b2

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In the 1950s, Anthony Denney was described as one of Britain's "arbiters of taste" and "the Dior of the interior decorating world". But the photographer and stylist, whose artfully dressed room sets and fashion spreads once filled the pages of Vogue and House & Garden, has been largely forgotten.

Now his life and work is the subject of an exhibition by the National Trust at Rainham Hall - the Regency house in east London where he lived in the 1960s - in an effort to raise him from the footnotes of domestic design history.

Denney was born in Norfolk in 1913 and studied painting at the Royal College of Art in the mid 1930s. In 1940 he married the author Diana Ross and the following year Faber published her children's book Uncle Anty's Album, illustrated with Denney's photographs. The Times Literary Supplement's reviewer said the book's surreal pictures of china dolls were likely to baffle children but would "delight sophisticated adults".

One adult who was delighted was Vogue editor Audrey Withers, who was sent a copy by Ross and hired Denney when he was decommissioned from military service in 1947. From there, Denney expanded into its publisher Condé Nast's other titles.

Denney's painter's eye and his talent for styling interiors - he ran a business decorating the homes and yachts of private clients alongside his photographic work - made his pictures distinctive.

"His work is stunning and subtle," says Felice McDowell, associate lecturer in cultural and historical studies at the London College of Fashion. "The colours stand out from other fashion pages of the time."

Luxurious backdrops were not a novelty in the fashion press, she adds. "But what Denney brings is consistency in that theme; it's his signature style."

Playing to this strength, Withers created a new Vogue series for him: "Clothes in a setting", which gave equal weight to the fashion and the ideal rooms - often Denney's own, or those of his friends and clients - in which they could be worn.

His single-mindedness in making an interior picture-perfect would extend to rearranging the furniture in other people's homes. The National Trust exhibition features objets d'art, such as a violin or a modernist tapestry, which he would take with him as props to add colour to a room. One brass-trimmed orange glass egg recurs in several magazine spreads.

The Daily Telegraph in 1959 compared him to Christian Dior. Like the couturier whose "New Look" used fabric with a profligacy that was a reaction to the privations of the war years, Denney and his Condé Nast colleagues offered a technicolour vision of a post-austerity future. Initially this brave new world of style would have been unaffordable to all but a few readers, but as economic stability brought higher wages through the 1950s and 1960s, the middle class expanded along with disposable incomes.

Denney styled the showroom and the advertising campaigns for G Plan, a furniture manufacturer that offered British consumers an affordable version, payable in instalments, of contemporary Scandinavian furniture.

Denney's interiors and fashion backdrops often combined modernist furniture with antiques and daring colour schemes. One interior shot features an accent wall covered in silver leaf, another, of the photographer's Knightsbridge flat, shows white walls terminating in skirting with dark diagonal stripes like the hazard markings used by Ben Kelly to decorate the Hacienda nightclub in Manchester 20 years later.

As the 1950s drew on, even the plain walls in Denney's shots were likely to be enlivened, usually by bold abstract paintings from his own collection. Some of his favourites, such as the slashed canvases of Lucio Fontana are well known but most - the frantic, heavily impastoed works of Georges Mathieu or Christo Coetzee, for example - never gained wide appreciation in the UK. Many of the paintings were donated after Denney's death to the civic gallery in Toulouse, France, where they remain on display.

Rainham Hall was built in 1729 by Captain John Harle, a merchant, within sight of the wharf on a Thames tributary where his ships unloaded coal and timber. Though it dominates the village of Rainham, the house was modest by Regency standards. Beyond the Corinthian-columned portico and the black and white marble paving of the large entrance hall is a sequence of 4m-square panelled rooms scaled for family use, with only a few grand touches such as the Delft tiles in the fireplaces.

After Harle died in 1742 the hall passed through many hands until it came to the National Trust from the heirs of the last owner, who were keen to swerve the heavy death duties imposed by the 1945 Labour government.

The trust let the hall to a series of tenants, including Denney, who arrived in 1965 and redecorated it in a typically bold Baroque style. The makeover was documented in a 1968 article in Queen magazine.

Only Denney's colour scheme for the entrance hall - pale marble-effect paint outlined in gold on the panelled walls - and corridors survived subsequent tenants. But the photographs for Queen magazine provided the National Trust staff with the springboard for the latest in a series of two-year exhibitions celebrating those who have left their mark on the property in the past 190 years.

The Denney Edition is intended to mimic a magazine, with the entrance hall as contents page and the subsequent rooms given over to sections such as travel, fashion or decor, each reflecting an aspect of Denney's interests.

The kitchen is appropriately dedicated to his working partnership with another tastemaker (in the literal sense), the food writer Elizabeth David. The pictures Denney took for David's books and magazine articles are carefully composed still lifes showing kitchen tables bearing casually broken loaves and half-finished plates of cheese or grilled fish. They convey the exotic simplicity of the Mediterranean food culture that David's writing introduced to a British readership emerging from the long shadow of wartime rationing. They were a joyous contrast to the over-lit, studio-based food photography that came before.

The National Trust decided a majority of the exhibits in the Rainham exhibitions should be "co-created" with local students and hobbyists.

Carolina Caicedo of The Decorators, the agency that helped curate the Denney Edition, says this inclusivity presented a challenge: "How do you tell the story of Denney, who was very exacting about how things were composed, the quality of things, while creating the show in collaboration with the community?"

They contracted specialists to supervise the less experienced participants. Paint effects experts Rag Arts worked with art and design students at Havering College to recreate the glowing orange maple-wood pattern Denney had painted in one of the hall's walk-through closets. In the hall, they have copied a smouldering red and black tortoise-shell motif he had applied to a set of Queen Anne dining chairs.

Denney left Rainham Hall in 1969 to marry his second wife Celia and restore a hilltop castle he had bought in Extremadura in the west of Spain. He stayed there until his death in 1990.

The National Trust's small celebration of his life and influence is timely. The mid-century modern furniture he helped popularise is modish again, as are the high-contrast paint schemes he favoured. "It's very much a Denney moment," says Sam Willis, the trust's creative lead.

More broadly, we continue to be fascinated by the decades that followed the second world war, says Felice McDowell, because the social loosening of that era was the foundation of our own society. "And Denney is one of the players from that time."
The Denney Edition runs at Rainham Hall until June 2021. nationaltrust.org.uk Follow @FTProperty on Twitter or @ft_houseandhome on Instagram to find out about our latest stories first. Listen and subscribe to Everything Else, the FT culture podcast, at ft.com/everything-else or on Apple Podcasts

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Anthony Denney: the Dior of interior decorating

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In the 1950s, Anthony Denney was described as one of Britain's "arbiters of taste" and "the Dior of the interior decorating world". But the photographer and stylist, whose artfully dressed room sets and fashion spreads once filled the pages of Vogue and House & Garden, has been largely forgotten.

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Jean Shrimpton in New York City, 1962. Photo by David Bailey. | Jean shrimpton, David bailey, Shrimpton

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Sep 14, 2012 - Jean Shrimpton in New York City, 1962. Photo by David Bailey.

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Twiggy Vogue, 1967 Photo Cecil Beaton - Flashbak

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"A report by MPs into the fashion industry put it bluntly: in terms of environmental degradation, the textile industry creates 1.2bn tonnes of CO₂ a year, more than international aviation and shipping combined, consumes lake-sized volumes of water, and creates chemical and plastic pollution – as much as 35% of microplastics found in the ocean come from synthetic clothing".

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It comes in red, mustard and black, in sizes 6 up to 16; the bandeau bodycon minidress, is, according to the online retailer Boohoo, "perfect for transitioning from day to play".

It is not so much the styling and colour, but the price of the £5 dress - reduced this week to just £4 - which attracts thousands of the thriving retailer's 5 million UK customers to add it to their online shopping bag, click and pay.

Products and prices like these have driven Boohoo's profits to a record £59.9m, bucking the trend of struggling high street fashion stores across the country.

Made in the UK, at factories in Leicester and Manchester, the £5 dress epitomises a fast fashion industry that pumps hundreds of new collections on to the market in short time at pocket money prices, with social media celebrity endorsement to boost high consumer demand. On average, such dresses and other products are discarded by consumers after five weeks.
Fast fashion is on the rampage, with the UK at the head of the charge
Missguided, an online rival to Boohoo, which also sources products from Leicester, took the low pricing even further this week by promoting a £1 bikini, which proved so popular with customers that the website crashed.

But behind the price tag there is an environmental and social cost not contained on the label of such products. "The hidden price tag is the cost people in the supply chain and the environment itself pays," said Sass Brown, a lecturer at the Manchester Fashion Institute. "The price is just too good to be true."

A report by MPs into the fashion industry put it bluntly: in terms of environmental degradation, the textile industry creates 1.2bn tonnes of CO ₂ a year, more than international aviation and shipping combined, consumes lake-sized volumes of water, and creates chemical and plastic pollution - as much as 35% of microplastics found in the ocean come from synthetic clothing.

'Fast fashion' is a phrase coined to describe inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. Critics say that the industry has a large carbon footprint, and creates water and air pollution. Clothes are often manufactured in poor working conditions.

Garments are manufactured cheaply, and are expected to have a short life. One in three young women, the biggest segment of consumers, consider garments worn once or twice to be old. UK consumers sent 300,000 tonnes of textiles to be burned or dumped in landfill in 2018.

Without rapid reform, the fashion industry - of which fast fashion is the dominant player - could be responsible for a quarter of the Earth's carbon budget by 2050.

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Socially, the booming fast fashion industry is often built on low wages paid to women working in factories abroad but also increasingly in the UK, in cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, London and Leicester. There is no evidence that factories in the Boohoo and Missguided supply chains pay illegal wages. However, some garment workers in Leicester are paid an average of £3 an hour - way under the national minimum wage - MPs heard in evidence.

MPs found that the Modern Slavery Act was not robust enough to stop wage exploitation at UK clothing factories. There was a lack of inspection or enforcement, allowing factories - none of which are unionised - to get away with paying illegal wages.

In the UK, we buy more clothes per person than any other country in Europe - five times what we bought in the 1980s, which creates 1.3m tonnes of waste each year, some 350,000 tonnes of which is dumped in landfill or incinerated.

The life cycle of a fast-fashion dress

Yet despite the overwhelming evidence gathered by the environmental audit committee (EAC), ministers this week rejected every recommendation for tackling abuses across the fashion industry, including a ban on incinerating or landfilling stock that can be recycled and a 1p charge on each garment to raise £35m a year for better clothing collection and sorting, a move supported by many in the industry.

Theresa May said in parliament the government already had measures in place, including a multimillion-pound grant scheme to help boost the recycling of textiles and plastic packaging.

But the response of the government was met with anger by many within the industry, where ethical fashion firms come up against others who produce at lower costs on the back of exploitative wage structures and environmentally damaging production models.

Phoebe English, the English fashion designer, said: "It is extremely alarming to see that our government has failed to grasp the true extent of the consequences of the fashion industry carrying on the way it is.

"It is a vastly damaging industry that has been spiralling unchecked for far too long. The Earth and the people on it are exploited and damaged at every single step of the chain, and this culminates with unimaginable mountains of unused excess stock or badly made broken waste clothing with nowhere to go other than landfill or incineration."

English said it was up to the industry to pull together to regulate itself and urgently put an end to bad practice.

But others are less sure that voluntary measures will tackle what they say is a systemic power imbalance between brands and manufacturers, which leads to worker exploitation, or address the enormous environmental footprint of their trade.

"The knowledge is out there. We know the scale of those impacts and we know what some of the solutions are," said Dr Mark Sumner, a lecturer in retail and fashion at the University of Leeds. "What we need is the government to come up with some clear policy, whether it's around legislation, or voluntary initiatives to incentivise a change of behaviour by brands."

With growing scrutiny of their business model, brands are beginning to promote an ethical face. This week Boohoo promoted its recycled brand For the Future, using fabrics made from synthetic waste saved from landfill.

"They are moving in the right direction, but this is a micro-percentage of their output," said Brown.

While Boohoo is promoting its "green" credentials, repeated attempts by the trade union Usdaw to talk to workers at its delivery centre in the UK about union rights are being rebuffed by the company.

Mary Creagh, the chair of the EAC, said: "If brands want to be ethical, they should start by allowing a trade union into their premises rather than barring the door."

Prof Nikolaus Hammer, associate professor in work and employment at Leicester University, carried out research into the fashion industry in Leicester, where he found employees working in appalling conditions, with no employment contracts, earning on average £3 an hour. It was the brands, he said, who held all the power over manufacturers to keep cutting their prices. "They will go to the manufacturer and say that person down the road can do it for 1p less, and they get the job," he said.

He doubted that any greening measures by brands could make them ethical and sustainable while still fulfilling the model of fast fashion.

"The fundamental problem with much of fast fashion is that its social and environmental costs are not taken into account. The environmental costs of materials and fabric are mostly offshored. The production that takes place in the UK often only pays half the legal minimum wage.

"So who is accountable for water and chemical pollution abroad, precarious work and employment, the undercutting of compliant manufacturers, the pollution from delivery and lack of recycling at home? Brands might find it difficult to make £5 fast fashion dresses and be socially and environmentally sustainable."

Carol Kane, the co-founder of Boohoo, told MPs the £5 dress was a "loss leader" drawing people to the website. She said the company employed three people in Manchester, three in Leicester, and 10 in China to carry out audits at their producer factories each month to ensure proper working practices.

Ways to take the environmental heat out of your fashion habit

Commit to wearing every piece 30 times. If we doubled the amount of time we kept clothes for, we would cut our fashion emissions by 44%.

Get smart about fibres. Cheap cotton and synthetics come with huge environmental footprints. Cotton uses unsustainable amounts of water and pesticide. Go for hemp blended with organic cotton and silk and lyocel/modal.

Treat cotton as a luxury fibre. Buy products certified as organic to be free of the pesticide burden and plan to keep them for years.

Wash clothes less often. The average laundry cycle releases hundreds of thousands of tiny fragments of plastic from synthetic fibres into waterways. Put jeans in the freezer and remove dirt when frozen. Fleeces have been shown to release the most plastic fibres.

Use a rental service. Peer-to-peer clothes and accessories rental services such as Hurrcollective.com and byrotation.co.uk aim to make use of some of the estimated £30bn worth of clothing left hanging in wardrobes. Other models include rent-the-runway, where membership gives you access to a number of pieces per month.

Delete shopping apps from your phone and swear off insta-shopping for fashion. Go shopping for clothes in a shop. Feel the fibre, interrogate the structure - especially the seams - and make sure it fits.

If dry cleaning is a must, use an eco-friendly process: conventional dry cleaning harms the soil, air and water. Use Johnson's GreenEarth system or a dedicated eco cleaner such as Blanc.

Additional reporting by Lucy Siegle Topics

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The story of a £4 Boohoo dress: cheap clothes at a high cost

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It comes in red, mustard and black, in sizes 6 up to 16; the bandeau bodycon minidress, is, according to the online retailer Boohoo, "perfect for transitioning from day to play".

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For the first time ever, an AI robot will star in a feature film, per The Hollywood Reporter.

A humanoid actress named Erica will appear in b, a sci-fi flick that eerily mirrors the android's own origin story.

The roboticist who created Erica actually taught her method acting through one-on-one sessions.

Professional acting involves having some close encounters on set. Whether that means talking in tight quarters, rubbing shoulders, or sharing a kiss, none of these scenarios are safe amid the COVID-19 ( coronavirus) pandemic. Naturally, filming movies is extraordinarily difficult at the moment.

But that isn't stopping Hollywood from trying.

Say hello to Erica (seen above), a special kind of thespian who is immune to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. How's that? Because she's a humanoid robot. Erica will soon be the first artificially intelligent actor to take on the lead role in a film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Erica will star in the forthcoming sci-fi movie b, the $70 million story of a scientist who has come up with a program to "perfect" human DNA (a la eugenics), which glitches and becomes dangerous, according to THR. So the scientist must help Erica, the AI organism that he's created, escape the lab.

This story aligns with Erica's real-world origin tale. Japanese scientists Hiroshi Ishiguro and Kohei Ogawa designed the humanoid robot to study human-computer interaction. Ishiguro is so embedded in this stuff that he's even created an android of his own daughter in the past, which Alex Mar describes beautifully in a 2017 WIRED profile of his ingenious, yet haunting work.

For her performance in b, Ishiguro and Ogawa have taught Erica to act by applying method acting principles to artificial intelligence.

"In other methods of acting, actors involve their own life experiences in the role," Sam Khoze, a producer involved with the film, told THR. "But Erica has no life experiences. She was created from scratch to play the role. We had to simulate her motions and emotions through one-on-one sessions, such as controlling the speed of her movements, talking through her feelings and coaching character development and body language."

This isn't the first time Hollywood has gotten creative with its casting. Last year, MOI Worldwide and Image Engine announced they'll be using James Dean in Finding Jack, a live-action film about the Vietnam War. The twist, of course, is that James Dean has been dead for 65 years.

The visual effects wizards at those studios are recreating Dean using a technique called "full body" CGI, which means the team will use actual footage of the actor, including photos and video. A separate actor, still unnamed, will provide his voice. Finding Jack is supposed to come out this Veteran's Day, but it's unclear if COVID-19 has impacted that timeline.

You won't be able to see Erica's performance in b, meanwhile, until at least sometime in late 2021. Producers are still looking for a director and Erica's human co-stars, though Erica did complete some scenes in Japan back in 2019. The team behind the flick expects to finish shooting in Europe sometime in June 2021.

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This AI Robot Just Nabbed the Lead Role in a Sci-Fi Movie

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For the first time ever, an AI robot will star in a feature film, per The Hollywood Reporter. A humanoid actress named Erica will appear in b, a sci-fi flick that eerily mirrors the android's own origin story. The roboticist who created Erica actually taught her method acting through one-on-one sessions.