The Future of Fashion & AI Creativity with Joy Fennell
"AI actually made me less afraid to take chances because there are endless possibilities."
At the intersection of fashion, beauty, and emerging technology, Joy Fennell is pioneering a new creative frontier. With a career spanning makeup artistry, creative direction, and AI-driven design, Fennell has continuously pushed boundaries to redefine how beauty and fashion are experienced in the digital age.
A visionary creative, Fennell’s work fuses artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and 3D design to craft immersive storytelling experiences that challenge traditional aesthetics. Her brand, The Future in Black™, is a testament to her mission: ensuring Black voices remain at the forefront of this evolving tech landscape.
With Fennell’s background in beauty, she honed a distinct eye for composition, texture, and color, which is reflected in her AI-generated works. From ethereal high-fashion concepts to stunning digital beauty campaigns, Fennell delivers immersive experiences—crafting a mood, a world, and a story with a clear editorial vision.
Her AI-generated film, “The Scar,” is a powerful, deeply personal and historically resonant narrative that explores generational trauma, resilience, and healing through the story of Amara, a Black woman carrying a scar passed down through generations. The film, created under her The Future in Black Films label, is a powerful meditation on legacy and liberation, proving AI can be a tool for profound storytelling.
As fashion, beauty, and digital storytelling continue to evolve, Fennell represents the future of AI-powered creativity. Through her dynamic body of work, she is challenging perceptions, expanding creative access, and shaping the future of creativity.
I’m thrilled to spotlight her journey in The Imagination Age Spotlight Series.
Let’s dive in!
Q: What’s the biggest creative breakthrough you’ve had with AI? How did it change your approach to making art?
A: My biggest breakthrough was being able to create anything that I wanted. Once I left the beauty industry, I wondered what was next and if I could still express myself creatively. AI showed me that I could, plus more. AI actually made me less afraid to take chances because there are endless possibilities and I wasn't bound by a studio's budget and creative constraints.
Q: Walk us through one of your recent AI creative journeys —what’s the “magic” behind it?
A: Lately, I've been working on creating AI-short films, and I really enjoy it. The "magic" behind them is AI, which helps me refine my vision.. I use ChatGPT to refine my script and flesh out character arcs including world-building details. I use Midjourney to support me with visuals. I then use a video generator like Runway, Sora, or another one that I feel works better for that specific project. I love that these tools can be my co-pilot to make sure I can tell my human story.
Q: What new revenue models are emerging for AI artists? Are collectors, brands, or tech platforms offering new ways to monetize?
A: AI artists are finding all kinds of new ways to make money right now. Brands are using us to create visuals for ad campaigns, album covers, and product activations. AI designs are showing up in fashion shows, on merchandise, and on packaging. Some artists are offering tutorials, digital downloads, and behind-the-scenes content. Many of us are taking on custom commissions for collectors and galleries or creating visuals for music videos, films, and album artwork.
Q: What ethical considerations do you think every AI artist should be thinking about?
A: Well, I don't think artists should blatantly copy another artist's style, but let's be real. You see that even among non-AI artists. People steal styles whether they're AI-generated or not.
Q: What’s one mindset shift you’d encourage for traditional artists hesitant to embrace AI?
A: I think traditional artists would benefit from seeing AI as the ultimate mood board—just like when you gather references for inspiration and end up creating something completely your own. AI can generate ideas, textures, and compositions that spark new directions, but it’s still up to the artist to shape and refine the final vision. Just as a mood board doesn’t dictate what you create but instead fuels your creativity, AI is simply another tool to explore possibilities, not a replacement for originality. The fun happens in how you interpret and transform what AI generates into something uniquely yours.
Q: Fast forward 10 years: How do you think AI will have changed the creative industry?
The biggest impact will be felt in the film industry, where AI will become an essential part of the workflow. It will allow creators to generate entire worlds, realistic characters, and complex visual effects faster.
Check out more Joy Fennel’s work here.