Alice Bartoli

The office hums with tension as we finalize next month’s issue. I work in the photo editorial department of a famous Italian fashion magazine, and today, we’re publishing our first AI-generated cover. Some are fascinated, others uneasy, but the decision is made.

It looks stunning. If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t suspect that the model staring back isn’t real. But we aren’t hiding it—right there on the cover, it states: “Designed by AI.” Transparency is key, or so our editor-in-chief insists. Will readers embrace this, or feel cheated?

I’ve always loved fashion, but at 26, I’ve already seen how fast it changes. Years ago, I modeled myself. It was glamorous on the surface but exhausting underneath. Long hours, scrutiny, pressure to fit a mold. AI models don’t need breaks, don’t age. That lingers in my mind as I adjust the lighting in one shot, making sure the digital shadows fall just right.

One argument for this approach is sustainability. A traditional cover shoot involves over 100 people, countless flights, cars on standby, deliveries from everywhere. The energy use is staggering—lights running for hours, sometimes with diesel generators. The fashion industry produces 1.2 billion tons of CO2 annually. If AI can help reduce that, isn’t it worth exploring?

Not everyone agrees. Photographers, stylists, makeup artists—many see it as a threat. “Fashion isn’t just about the final image,” one argued last week. “It’s about the human experience.” And I get that. AI doesn’t improvise, doesn’t feel. Maybe human-created content will become more valuable. Maybe we’re just nostalgic.

I step outside, the streets of Rome, Italy, warm in the early evening. This city has survived centuries of change. Maybe fashion is just another iteration of that cycle. We’ll see how readers react. The next cover is already in discussion. The industry will evolve, whether we like it or not. All we can do is adapt and find our place within it.