A point of tension that is emerging with CGI models is that their creators aren’t just designing them as avatars, but also giving them entire backstories, personalities, and causes to champion. Take Blawko, a digital male model and self-proclaimed “sex-symbol,” with tattoos and a sarcastic sense of humor. He referenced being “hungover” in an interview with Dazed Digital. Or consider right-wing, pro-Trump Bermuda, whose bio describes her as “unapologetic,” and representing a breakthrough in “modern political thought.” Then there is Shudu Gram, who, “hopes to champion diversity in the fashion world, collaborate with creators from emerging economies and under-represented communities, and get together with up-and-coming designers.”
There are major issues of transparency and authenticity here because the beliefs and opinions don’t actually belong to the digital models, they belong to the models’ creators. And if the creators can’t actually identify with the experiences and groups that these models claim to belong to (i.e., person of color, LGBTQ, etc.), then do they have the right to actually speak on those issues? Or is this a new form of robot cultural appropriation, one in which digital creators are dressing up in experiences that aren’t theirs?
I connected with Cameron-James Wilson, the creator behind Shudu Gram, to talk more about this and ask whether he sees the ethical implications of it all. Wilson is white and male. Shudu is Black and identifies as female. “I absolutely do,” [see the ethical implications], “which is why I work alongside writer, Ama Badu, who is a woman of color. It’s important to have that voice.” He went on to say that being an ex-fashion photographer allows him to create beautiful imagery, but when it comes to developing her story and her background, authenticity was needed. “I want Shudu’s story and her background to be just as authentic as the way she looks.”
But we human models have worked really hard to have our stories heard and our authentic experiences considered, and we’ve fought to change the perception that we are just a sample size or a prop for clothes. We’ve mobilized in groups, such as the Model Mafia network that I am a part of, to advocate for social issues and push back on exclusivity in the fashion industry. In some cases our activism has even cost us jobs. But now that we are finally starting to see changes in the industry, digital models can just land the jobs that we took risks for. Or worse, brands can just create CGIs that champion causes instead of actually having to invest in those causes themselves.
