When to Choose Model Photography vs Ghost Mannequin Photography For Your Fashion Company

If you’re running a fashion company (or advising one) you’ve probably heard the fundamental question dozens of times: “Should we put it on a model, or just use a mannequin for the photos?”

What’s what?

• Model photography: Real human models wearing your garments, styled, lit and photographed.
• Ghost-mannequin photography (sometimes called invisible mannequin): Using a mannequin (or similar form) to drape the clothing, shoot it, then edit out the mannequin so the garment appears as if “floating” or worn without a body.

When to choose model photography

1. Brand story & lifestyle: If your brand is built around lifestyle, authenticity, the “real person wearing this” vibe, you will want model photography.
2. Garment type that benefits from movements: Think dresses, tailored wear, pieces that depend on how they fall on a person, or you want multiple poses (front, side, back, walking, casually styled).
3. Higher budget & multi-use assets: If you’re planning to use the photos beyond a basic ecommerce listing, like in a lookbook, social campaign, or ads, paying extra for a model is worth it.
4. Targeting premium positioning: If you’re telling a premium, boutique story “This is for the person who cares about fit, who sees the shape on a real person” then model photography supports that.

When ghost-mannequin photography is the smart move

1. When you don’t want any distractions
2. If you have a tighter budget / high volume for e-commerce
3. When the fit doesn’t matter as much
4. If you need consistency across a catalogue

The hybrid approach

Here’s the kicker, it doesn’t have to be “one or the other”. Some of the best brands use a mix. For example:

• Use model photography for hero items
• Use the ghost-mannequin setup for the catalogue stuff

This gives you the best of both worlds: storytelling + scale. Many studios recommend this exact hybrid method.

Things to ask yourself (and your studio) before you decide

• How much are you setting aside for this shoot?
• What’s the primary channel for the images? If it’s ecommerce thumbnails and lots of SKUs → ghost-mannequin might win. If it’s brand campaign or social media → model might win.
• What’s the garment type? Is it flowing, dramatic, designed to be seen on a body? Or is it simple and you just need clean product display?
• What is your brand voice/positioning? Are you luxury, aspirational, lifestyle-led? Or are you value/volume-led.
• How many items need shooting, and how often? If you’ll need to scale up later, consistency and cost control matter.
• How important is shape and drape vs simply showing product details? Sometimes the shape matters less, sometimes it’s everything.
• Will you reuse the images in many formats (web, print, social)? Model shots often give more flexible content.
• What’s the intended audience? If your consumer wants to imagine themselves wearing it, model photography would be a perfect choice. If they just want “this is what it is” and the fit is standard, ghost-mannequin is the best choice.

Real-world example

Imagine you’re a UK-based fashion brand launching a new line of weighty wool coats and tailoring. You’re selling at the premium end, and the shape, fit, structure matter, how the lapel falls, how it sits on the shoulder. For that, you’d likely go model photography: your audience wants to see someone wearing the coat, maybe walking, maybe in a street setting.

Now imagine having 200 more basics, T-shirts, hoodies, sweats, just sitting there ready to be photographed for the shop. These aren’t about building a story; they’re about showing the product. That’s where ghost mannequin wins: fast, consistent, cost-effective, and the clothes look clear and straightforward.

Final word

There’s no one-size answer. The right choice for your brand depends on budget, garment type, brand story, and how you’ll use the images. If we have to sum it up:

• If you’re looking to tell a story or are trying to form a more human connection, model photography is the perfect choice.
• If you’re looking for clarity, volume, and budget control then ghost mannequin is best.

If you’re smart: mix the two strategically.