Fashion after the human: Identity, technology and corporeality in the age of influencers and the posthuman

Authors

Keywords:

Posthumanism, cyberculture, capitalism, second skin, digital avatars.

Abstract

The human body, from the digital, becomes an object of knowledge capable of separating from the flesh: the dematerialization of bodies enables corporealities without an organic substrate, generated by artificial intelligence or three-dimensional animation. The human, traditionally understood as the center and measure of the universe, is transformed by this dynamic, as anticipated by posthumanism (Braidotti, 2013). The "human we" ceases to be a unitary category and becomes one situated between flesh and the algorithmic, with identities (Hall and Du Gay, 1996) fragmented and shifting. This article argues that fashion cannot be reduced to the textile industry or to the commercial cycle of garments —with its polluting footprint and its weight in the gross domestic product of nations—, but must be understood, above all, as a second skin: a corporeal and symbolic armor that protects, delimits and communicates, and that today also rests on code and digital interfaces (Entwistle, 2023). Through the analysis of two virtual influencers, Lil Miquela and Shudu Gram, the article examines how posthuman fashion prioritizes flexibility over materiality and inserts itself into the dynamics of identity commodification typical of late capitalism (Lipovetsky, 1990). It concludes that these synthetic bodies not only displace the flesh-and-blood model but also destabilize the boundaries between creation, consumption and identity, opening an incipient discussion on the role of artificial intelligence in fashion as a digital second skin.

Author Biographies

Thania Valdivia Guzman, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mexico

Communication specialist, designer, and researcher with 9 years of teaching experience. Her research lines include fashion, beauty, communication, and corporealities. PhD candidate in Social Sciences at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo. She holds a Master's Degree in Fashion and Image from TROZMER Centro Universitario, a Specialization in Teaching from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, a Bachelor's Degree in Clothing Design and Industry from the Universidad Interamericana para el Desarrollo, and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Sciences from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3065-7981

Jonnhy Lara Delgado, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mexico

Political scientist and Public Administrator. Lecturer at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo. He also teaches in the Public Accounting and Finance program at the Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de México, as well as at the doctoral level at GTU Campus Pachuca. He holds a PhD and a Master's Degree in Social Sciences, as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Public Administration. His research lines include body and illness studies, decolonial studies, citizenship theory, and public policy. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6605-7104

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Published

2026-08-28

Issue

No. 31 (16): Plataformas, algoritmos y sociedad a través de sus apropiaciones y desafíos digitales

Section

MULKINAH (Reunion)

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