AI in fashion: H&M’s chief creative officer Jörgen Andersson on the Digital Twin journey

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the fashion industry. While some companies wait and see, others are taking bold steps forward.

At H&M, one of the world’s largest fashion retailers, Chief Creative Officer Jörgen Andersson is exploring how AI can support creativity, most notably through the creation of digital twins. In this interview, Andersson explains how the journey began, the challenges and opportunities it brings and what the future might hold.

1. What sparked the idea for digital twins and how did this project come to life?

“From the start, I approached AI with fascination, not just as an individual, but as a company trying to see how it intersects with everything we do.”

“In the creative space, we felt we had to approach it responsibly. Early on we made the decision not to use avatars, as they are often built by borrowing fragments of existing features without compensating the creators. It’s like taking tiny parts of music, enough to create something, but not enough for the original creator to be paid. That happened back in the days before Spotify until the platform ensured musicians rights were respected. Avatars may cost nothing, but there is no such thing as a free lunch.”

“Our commitment is to protect the integrity of the industry, the models, and the IP rights of creators. The digital twins belong to the models and their agencies: they retain ownership and get reimbursed. We are simply buyers, interested in working with both real-life and digital versions.”

“The first digital twin was created in Sweden at the modeling agency MIKAs (Stockholm): we collected the data of one of their top models and brought her digital twin to life. Her reaction was, ‘Jesus, this is me, but yet not me.’ That’s how I imagine people must have felt when they first saw photography centuries ago, something flashed and suddenly they appeared on paper. Almost witchcraft! After that, we presented the idea to the big model agencies in New York.”

2. What was the motivation behind the digital twins project?

“First, because the demand for content has exploded with e-commerce and social media. What once needed a handful of images now requires endless variations for mobile. Flying models across the world for e-commerce pictures people swipe past in seconds is wasteful, both in human effort and in terms of the planet’s carbon footprint.”

“Second, this project is about redefining the relationship between humans and machines. For me it’s not man versus machine, but man and machine. Think of AI as a tool. Compare it with a camera: a camera doesn’t decide what to capture or when. The photographer is the one with the vision, who frames the shot and presses the button.”

“AI opens up new possibilities for the future, new freedoms and new ways of working that were never possible before. For models, it means they can now be booked both physically and digitally. While one walks the runway, her digital twin can simultaneously generate e-commerce imagery or social media content, just as a musician performs live on stage while earning from streaming at the same time.”

3. What does the creative process at H&M look like? Does AI replace the creative process?

“Does AI come with consequences for us? Absolutely. Does it eliminate creatives? On the contrary.”

“To create with AI, you still need the same creative team: stylists, hair and makeup, photographers. The process isn’t far from a traditional shoot. Normally you’d tell a model, ‘smile a little more’ or ‘make the hair fluffier.’ Now you give those instructions to the AI artist instead.”

“For me the key is control. This is human creativity directing the machine. In my view, AI will never replace humans. The machine may be more productive, but we will always be more creative. For me, that combination is a match made in heaven.”

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4. Now about the output. How did people react? Did they find it innovative and exciting or scary and too new?

“Both. Internal reactions and consumer reactions were quite similar. Some felt inspired while others were afraid. And that’s understandable; whenever technology moves quickly, it’s natural to ask: Where is the space for us?”

“Some consumers even felt that H&M was making models and photographers disappear, while our purpose was the exact opposite: to highlight human creativity and show we’re entering a new era. In hindsight, social media probably wasn’t the right place to release these images because it offered no space for context. It also showed that it's our job to reassure people that humans remain in charge: the machine just executes what we ask.”

“At the same time, this journey has sparked curiosity. Some photographers, after trying it, said it felt like picking up a new type of camera. Perhaps it’s similar to when photography shifted from analog to digital: digital cameras were resisted at first, but now they are just as normal as analog.”

“The reactions from the models have also been great. One told me: ‘Now I can live in New York and still work globally without having to travel.’ Another said: ‘I always thought I had to choose between becoming a mother or being a model, now I can do both.’”

5. Any other challenges along the way?

“Besides people’s reactions, there’s also the uncertainty that comes with artificial intelligence.”

“With AI, we honestly have no clue what’s going to happen. You have to be confident enough to say: I don’t know where it will lead.”

“That’s why it’s important to take things step by step. And along the way we decided to throw away things we created because they just weren’t good enough.”

6. Can we expect more AI images soon? Will the digital twin journey continue?

“Yes, absolutely, but carefully. We don’t want to move too fast and risk evoking unnecessary fear or resistance.”

“For me this is only the beginning. The project will continue, and more companies will follow, although the industry may be divided on digital twins and avatars.”

“We recently ran a fascinating test with a Swedish university. We showed a hundred people images of real models, digital twins and avatars. The avatars were quickly spotted: people can sense something is off. But they couldn’t distinguish between the real models and the digital twins. And that’s because a digital twin is human — just a digital version of a person. For me, that shows why this path is so promising. Humans connect to other humans, to the imperfections that make us real.”

7. So what’s next on the AI front at H&M? How is H&M operationalizing AI?

“What’s important now is continuing to develop the technology, while also upskilling our people. It’s easier to teach someone with a deep understanding of fashion the technical skills they need, than to teach a tech expert the feeling of fashion. So we’re focusing on transforming and preparing our teams to use AI as a creative tool. Our designers already use AI tools and for them it’s like opening a sketchbook with infinite possibilities.”

“We’re also setting up an AI studio in Stockholm, just like we have a photo studio. It will become part of our content production muscle, whether that’s for product shots of shoes, home décor or e-commerce imagery. The AI tool will simply be another part of the process.”

8. Where do you see the biggest opportunities for AI in the future of fashion?

“AI has the potential to transform every part of our industry. If AI can help us predict demand better, we’ll reduce overproduction dramatically and that’s not just good for business, it’s a major positive impact for the planet.”

“It also applies to allocation: making sure garments end up in the right stores, at the right time, for the right customer. Fewer mistakes there means less excess inventory.”

“And then there’s the consumer experience. Right now, if you search for a T-shirt online, you might get a thousand or more hits, but you just want the right T-shirt for you. AI allows hyper-personalization where your version of an e-commerce site might look completely different from mine.”

9. One final piece of advice on AI

“AI can help us make smarter choices. By letting the machine take over repetitive tasks, we free up time to sharpen and enhance our true skills.”

“The AI train has left the station, so don’t stay on the platform — get on board and figure out where you sit. Ask yourself: how can I become a better creative, designer, buyer, or salesperson with the help of AI?

“At H&M we say we are radically curious, and we mean it. Stay curious, because curiosity is the fuel of creativity.”

Sources:
- Interview Jörgen Andersson Chief Creative Officer H&M on September 22, 2025.
- AI tools for transcribing the interview and for writing assistance.