Lil Miquela has 1.5 million followers on Instagram. She is 19 years old, lives in Los Angeles, is a model and musician—but what makes her special is that she isn’t real. This computer-generated supermodel is the digital project of an L.A.-based modeling agency called Brud, which recently raised around $6 million in its latest funding round from investors like Sequoia Capital.
The fact that Lil Miquela seemingly lands real jobs shows how the lines between traditional modeling and virtual models are blurring. She has appeared in the fashion industry, and renowned brands such as Balmain, Dior, Prada, and Louis Vuitton now work with CGI models. These digital models offer agencies new opportunities to develop innovative campaigns and complement the reach of their real-life models.
Most recently, Lil Miquela appeared in UGG’s 40th-anniversary campaign, blending seamlessly alongside two real influencers. To the average viewer, it is hardly noticeable that she is not a human model. This development raises exciting questions for modeling agencies: do virtual models really increase ROI, or are they just a temporary hype in the modeling world?
In the latest episode of TheCurrent’s Innovators Podcast, tech expert Liz Bacelar discussed that CGI models are not just a marketing trick but can also be seen as a form of artistic expression. At the same time, it reflects how beauty ideals are influenced by digital models and what role modeling agencies could play in an increasingly virtualized future.
Although engagement of CGI influencers is often lower than that of human models—sometimes by up to 90%, according to Launchmetrics—they still offer new opportunities for modeling and strategic work for agencies that adopt this technology early.
