As synthetic media and generative AI sweep the fashion sector, the British Fashion Model Agents Association ( BFMA ) is leading the charge to secure new protections for models in the UK .
The association’s “My Face Is My Own” petition , already endorsed by over 2,300 models, demands urgent government action to shield model likenesses from unauthorized AI use—an issue now touching every corner of the creative industries and threatening jobs, privacy, and dignity for a £150 million-per-year sector. Why the
Petition? The AI and Fashion Crisis The concern: AI tools can now replicate, manipulate, and monetize a model’s face and body with no compensation, consent, or even acknowledgment in most cases.
With AI-generated avatars and deepfakes accelerating, agencies warn that real model demand could collapse as brands and advertisers opt for “made-to-order” synthetic creators, undermining the entire modeling pipeline.
According to the BFMAA , without appropriate safeguards in place, unrestrained use of AI technologies may significantly damage the careers of many in the industry, and swift action must be taken.
The petition emphasizes that nearly all signatories do not (and have not) granted any permission for their likeness, image, and/or characteristics to be used for any artificial intelligence purposes…
