The integration of Artificial Intelligence into the operational frameworks of individuals, brands, and corporations is an undeniable reality today. Its efficacy in accelerating processes and delivering definitive results is undisputed, and naturally, AI driven image generation has proliferated until it found its way into the fashion industry, prompting profound inquiries, particularly regarding creative integrity.
In this analysis, industry professionals address these questions while providing a critical reading of the current positioning of this technology within fashion today.
Hatem Al Rasheed, an AI engineer and generative artist who has executed campaigns for over 500 brands across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait, views AI not as a replacement for traditional photography, but as a potent new tool that expands its horizons. He asserts that AI did not arrive to cancel traditional photography; rather, it is a powerful supplementary tool, and the two modalities can seamlessly complement one another.
Drawing from his extensive background in photography, Al Rasheed emphasizes that a successful image relies fundamentally on the artist's visual discernment, not merely on the technology employed.
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Why are brands gravitating toward generative AI for fashion campaigns?
From a creative standpoint, Yazeed Abahussein, Creative Director and founder of the streetwear label Not Boring, clarifies that the pivot toward AI is not driven purely by cost or effort reduction; the sheer volume of time and energy required for content creation is the more pressing catalyst.
Truthfully, the decision was neither purely creative nor purely economic, but a synthesis of both, Abahussein explains. He highlights time as a critical bottleneck, noting that during certain deadline driven seasons, they have a mere ten days, forcing a race against the clock to meet launch dates.
Because Not Boring operates on a streetwear model reliant on continuous drops, collaborations, and event based collections, this time constraint is a permanent operational reality, not a temporary hurdle.
Navigating the friction between cost, time constraints, and the demand to produce captivating social media content, Abahussein maintains that the core focus must remain on the product itself.
Today, fashion brands have transitioned from product companies to content companies, he observes. We exist in a massive saturation of content creation, in a perpetual race to capture the consumer's fleeting attention on social platforms.
He adds that just as he invests effort in developing the product, he must invest equally in the content that markets it, otherwise, he cannot capture the client's attention.
Consequently, to reach the consumer, they were forced to become a content company, yet ultimately, they sell clothing, not content.
a model standing in the historic district of Al Balad in Jeddah, wearing a Not Boring shirt from their World Cup
While campaign imagery adds a creative layer that projects the brand's vision and ethos, it cannot replace the product catalog or lookbook, where the garment must be presented purely as a product against an isolated or detail free background.
Abahussein stresses that his primary priority is for the product to appear true to reality. The client expects to receive exactly what they saw in the image, so if the product is misrepresented, the image is discarded and never published.
Even when utilizing AI, the actual product was physically photographed, and only the model's face was digitally altered. Addressing the distinction between campaign and product imagery, Al Rasheed notes from his perspective as a generative artist that product images must be identical to the physical item, whereas advertising campaigns allow for broader creative latitude.
an image generated by Al Rasheed for the brand Ghayhab.
Each image type serves a distinct function. Even if artificial intelligence can generate a hyper realistic image, it cannot guarantee an accurate depiction of couture craftsmanship, fabric drape, or the garment's kinetic behavior on a human body. Consequently, relying on AI for product imagery risks eroding a brand's long term credibility.
Brands possess the liberty to deploy generative AI for marketing narratives, but the product itself must remain grounded in authentic representation. A link to the Yam website provides further context on digital presentation standards.
In the realm of haute couture, reconciling the rigorous demands of manual craftsmanship, time, and immense financial investment with AI generated imagery where the direct link between the human hand and the final output is severed remains highly problematic.
This tension may elucidate the recent return to nature inspiring contemporary couture collections. As the proliferation of flawless AI imagery accelerates, the organic imperfections of nature offer a vital sanctuary from visual saturation.
By Huda Al Jarallah
Kuwaiti designer Huda Al Jarallah recently anchored her couture collection in natural inspiration, a theme seamlessly reflected in a campaign that captivated social media with its ethereal spirit, as seen in an evocative image from her nature inspired collection.
Saudi designer Waad Al Oqaili executed this concept masterfully in a video presentation for her Yamal collection at Riyadh Fashion Week, where real models intertwined with animated historical footage of pearl divers to weave a comprehensive visual narrative.
In this specific advertising campaign for Yamal, artificial intelligence was utilized strictly for the background to enhance the ethereal atmosphere.
Yamal By Waad Al Oqailil
As AI expands creative boundaries, the ethics of its application within fashion become paramount. While it serves as a tool for narrative expansion, defining the boundaries of its use is crucial.
Abahussein draws a definitive line, stating that he will never allow AI to design the garments for him, as designing clothes is his true vocation, but utilizing it for content creation or advertising imagery is an entirely different domain.
Notably, aligned with the designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Ministry of Media has issued regulations mandating the explicit disclosure by content creators of any media whether visual, audio, or written that has been partially or entirely generated or altered via AI technologies.
If generative technology is universally accessible, how does fashion retain its aura of exclusivity?
Al Rasheed argues that exclusivity does not equate to the difficulty of image production; rather, it stems from the concept, brand identity, and execution. Not everyone possesses a photographer's eye or the technical acumen required to construct a cohesive campaign, he states.
Therefore, he approaches each brand uniquely, developing a distinct aesthetic regarding color, lighting, spatial context, and product presentation, ensuring the outcome is intrinsically tied to the brand's DNA rather than mimicking ubiquitous replicated templates.
The fashion ecosystem relies heavily on imagery, both as a wellspring of inspiration and as the medium for showcasing design. However, under the dominance of AI, the organic, spontaneous essence derived from the human touch begins to erode.
While AI's broader infiltration into fashion seems inevitable, its ultimate trajectory remains uncertain. Its colors restored through artificial intelligence and shared as a personal initiative by a Saudi heritage enthusiast on the X platform, serves as a prime example of this reimagining.
Current attempts to revive historical archives or cultural heritage elements through a generative lens, while creatively motivated, risk embedding inaccurate cumulative perceptions in the consumer's mind.
Brands must deploy this technology consciously, utilizing it to serve their core identity and preserve the human connection with their clientele, while directing its capabilities toward enhancing precision, minimizing design errors, and supporting environmental sustainability.
-Mansooj: Your front-row seat to Saudi fashion-
