FROM EXPERIMENTS TO VOGUE COVERS: HUGO BARBERA ON BUILDING PRO-GRADE AI
HumAInmade co-founder Hugo Barbera joins Creative Futures Hub for a fireside on how AI, CGI, and strong art direction come together to ship commercial work that actually stands up in the real world.
When you look at Hugo Barbera’s portfolio, you don’t just see cool AI images. You see concept, craft, and brand thinking. Hugo is the co-founder and AI art director at HumAInmade, a studio that blends AI with CGI, film direction, styling, and sharp creative taste. His team has delivered commercial AI projects for global names like Nike, Volkswagen, Audi, Coca-Cola, Hugo Boss, Vogue, and Forbes. There’s editorial work in the mix too, including a Vogue cover in 2022 and the first awarded AI fashion film for Vogue. Exhibitions in Milan and New York. Conference stages like Digital Fashion Week Paris, Upscale Conf, and Cannes Lions. You get the idea. This is pro-grade.
We’re bringing Hugo to Creative Futures Hub for a fireside session that keeps it real. No magic wand energy. Just the how and why behind AI that works for clients.
Why Hugo’s approach clicks with creatives
Process over prompt. Moodboards, references, styling, and lighting logic still matter. AI is one piece in a larger creative pipeline.
Art direction is the difference. The work sings when art direction drives the tools, not the other way around.
Client-ready results. Hyper-real visuals, product-accurate details, consistent brand language. That’s the bar.
Motion is rising. Still to film is a natural step once you have a pipeline for quality control, typography, fabrics, and physics.
What HumAInmade actually does
HumAInmade is a creative collective built for fashion and advertising. Think hyper-real imagery, AI-assisted CGI, campaign visuals, and illustration pipelines that scale. The team plugs into agencies and brand studios, choosing AI when it elevates the idea and speed without sacrificing the craft. The promise is simple. Better concepts. Faster iteration. Polished outputs.
Who should join
Designers, art directors, content leads, and brand teams who want to use AI as a creative accelerator. If you’re shipping editorial stories, campaign assets, or product-accurate visuals, this one’s for you.
About the speaker
Hugo Barbera is an AI art director and co-founder of HumAInmade. He has 16 years of experience across advertising and fashion, with work for Nike, Volkswagen, Audi, Coca-Cola, Hugo Boss, Vogue, and Forbes. His projects include a Vogue cover in 2022 and the first awarded AI fashion film for Vogue, plus exhibitions in Milan and New York. Hugo is a seasoned speaker, with talks at Digital Fashion Week Paris, Upscale Conf, and Cannes Lions.
LIVE MEETUP: WED OCT 22 AT 11:00 AM CST / 7:00 PM CEST
Format is showreel, fireside conversation with Anthony Wood, then audience Q&A. Sixty minutes total. Bring your questions.
How to RSVP
Join the Creative Futures Hub and then RSVP or attend the live meetup inside the community.
Already a member, RSVP here
