The case of Sheeren Wu: an accusation of racism and dehumanization
Sheeren Wu, a 21-year-old Taiwanese-American model, condemned on her TikTok account on October 28 the Instagram story of the famous American fashion designer Michael Costello. He had posted a photo of the young woman walking for him during the Art Hearts Fashion show that took place from October 19 to 22 in Los Angeles. However, in her video, Sheeren Wu reveals that her Asian features were replaced by those of a Caucasian woman generated by artificial intelligence in the photo posted by the stylist.
“I know that as a model, I am replaceable,” she explains. Thus, not only does the young woman accuse the designer of racism and dehumanization, but she also questions his willingness to exploit models without agency representation.
@shereenwu Michael Costello has yet to take responsibility for his actions. I want to explain what happened, and I hope other models in the future feel comfortable to speak up. He has since offered to post my photo side by side with the AI one, but has not voluntarily post it. This offer did not contain an apology, and only happened after a model who’s close with him brought light to the situation. Some points I couldn’t fit: -Replaced the face of a model from the same collection -Lightened the skin of a black model in a photo and proceeded to push blame on the makeup artist (mua did not lighten the skin) -Screamed at models backstage (he screamed at the girl who stumbled on the runway to near tears, only to make an Instagram post praising her after.) But considering how long he’s been acting like this, I doubt any apology from him would be sincere; they would be performative at best. (Sorry for the weird cuts and sped up video I was trying to fit as much as I can in) #michaelcostello #greenscreenvideo #drama #michaelcostellocontroversy ♬ original sound – shereenwu
Michael Costello responds
On Thursday, November 2, Michael Costello, already accused in the past of emotional and sexual harassment and criticism of models’ physical appearances, published a statement on Instagram that was deleted after twenty-four hours, according to The Guardian. The stylist claims that the incriminating photo was sent to him by a fan (a different version than the one sent to Sheeren Wu), and mentions possible legal action against her for false accusations.
Consequences of artificial intelligence on the modeling world
After the Instagram retouching, it is now artificial intelligence that is under scrutiny, due to the racist and sexist biases it may perpetuate in the modeling industry. Susan Scafidi, director of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham, which specializes in legal issues related to the fashion industry, shares this view when interviewed by The Guardian. She even considers that Sheeren Wu’s case illustrates how artificial intelligence programs that incorporate beauty standards can completely erase the backgrounds of models and thus hinder progress in terms of inclusivity and diversity on the runways.
The rise of AI-generated agencies
In April 2023, Levi’s announced its decision to hire a creative agency based on artificial intelligence to promote more diversity and inclusivity in its future campaigns, alongside human models. More and more photography agencies are using these technologies to offer this type of services. This is particularly the case for the Dutch company Lalaland.ia and Deep Agency, which is still in beta phase, meaning still under development.
Often harmful repercussions
On one hand, the use of artificial intelligence in the fashion and advertising world could aim to promote more diversity and inclusivity. However, certain cases like Sheeren Wu’s show that these technologies can be sources of discrimination and dehumanization of models.
On the other hand, AI-generated agencies also pose a risk to professional models, who find themselves competing with artificially created images.
A legal framework still to be defined
To limit the excesses, it is essential to establish clear legal rules concerning the use of artificial intelligence in the fashion sector. Questions can be raised regarding the image rights of models, but also the responsibilities of brands and agencies related to the racist or sexist biases generated by the artificial intelligence programs used.
In conclusion, artificial intelligence currently appears as a powerful tool, capable of transforming the face of the modeling and fashion world, but its use carries dangers and requires appropriate regulation to ensure that the values of inclusivity and diversity are respected.
