The magazine’s creator, Carl-Axel Wahlström, embarked on this project not as a whim, but through a deep engagement with both the fashion industry and the creative potential of artificial intelligence. Wahlström, who previously founded and edited a niche fashion publication, has worked extensively with fast fashion brands and has long been fascinated by how fashion imagery can influence cultural norms. By using advanced generative tools like Midjourney alongside human editing, he crafted a publication that exists somewhere between the real and the surreal — presenting AI images that look astonishingly like photographs of models, yet were conceived entirely through algorithms and creative prompts.

This experimental approach raises fascinating questions about the future of modeling and the role of technology in creative industries. Traditionally, model agencies act as gatekeepers between brands and people who embody fashion ideals; now, AI technology can generate stylized figures that resemble models without ever stepping onto a runway or posing for a camera. This doesn’t merely automate image creation — it redefines who (or what) can be featured in fashion content. The implications extend beyond editorial magazines to how advertising campaigns, lookbooks, and visual narratives are developed.

Critically, Wahlström’s intent was not to replace human models, but to explore the artifice and stereotypes embedded in fashion imagery. He acknowledges the limitations and biases inherent in AI-generated figures — for example, the tendency toward unrealistic body proportions or idealized aesthetics — and uses these to provoke reflection on how models have historically been portrayed. In this sense, “Copy” becomes both a commentary on fashion culture and an experiment in how technology could reshape visual storytelling.

For model agencies, which have traditionally matched real human talent with photographers and brands, this evolving landscape presents both challenges and opportunities. While concerns persist about AI’s impact on job opportunities for emerging talent — as seen elsewhere in the industry where AI tools are being used to augment or even substitute human imagery — there is also potential for new hybrid roles and creative collaborations that combine human modeling expertise with AI-enhanced tools.

Ultimately, “Copy” isn’t just a novelty; it’s a reflection of the shifting boundaries in fashion, art, and technology. It invites readers, creatives, and industry professionals to consider what it means to be a model in an era where digital and physical realities increasingly intersect, and how modeling as a craft might evolve alongside these innovations.