Task: Develop a shoot concept for a brand of your choice, intended for British Vogue. Develop a creative team to complement the concept of the shoot and the brand DNA you are creating for.
*Not associated with Ilia Beauty or British Vogue
Role: Creative Director, Concept Development, Designer
Tools: MidJourney AI, Photoshop, InDesign
"Intermission" final concept with photos generated by Midjourney AI
The Concept
My shoot, “Intermission,” will convey a sense of ease. In a post-pandemic world, people’s relationships to makeup have changed, both in terms of what they apply and what they buy. Consumers are more conscious of the ingredients they are consuming and want to be at the forefront of innovation — hence why Ilia would be the perfect contributor for British Vogue.
This shoot will display aspirational women who are effortless, natural, with a feeling of attainability. It should be refreshing and highlight the strength and softness of women and let the little amount of makeup speak loudest in terms of photography and styling. The artists I chose to work with both have experience and vision for the concept I want to create. They have the eye and natural ability to make their work seem effortless and authentic, which is what I want to portray.
Bringing an Idea to life with Generative AI
After concepting this shoot and researching a team of creatives who could help bring this vision to life, I wanted to experiment with AI and see if I could bring this concept to life. Technology is advancing rapidly, and I wanted to try my hand at it to see how I could use AI in my own work to develop my creative ideas. This was the first time I used Midjourney and although I am pleased with my final results, I still know I have a lot to learn and explore with the ability to leverage AI.
The biggest challenge I encountered was finding the right words, and having the AI interpret them the way I intended. I would prompt "pink makeup" and pink hair would appear. I would prompt "studio setting" and equipment would be generated.
During my exploration, I came across another noteworthy aspect—the absence of diversity among the AI-generated models. It became apparent that the models consistently appeared to be of the same ethnicity, not adequately representing the richness of human diversity. In my first generation, without mentioning race, four blonde haired, blue eyed models were generated. This lack of inclusivity in AI-generated content is an emerging concern that and needs to be addressed on a broader scale.
Created for Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design, Creative Direction August 2023
