Nick Knight
Photographer and founder of SHOWstudio (since 2000)
Nick Knight is a British photographer and the founder of SHOWstudio, the fashion film and media platform he launched in November 2000. One of fashion's earliest advocates of moving image online, he has spent more than two decades experimenting with digital tools, most recently artificial intelligence.
| Role | Founder, SHOWstudio |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 |
| SHOWstudio launched | November 2000 |
| Honours | OBE; CBE (2023) |
| Known for | Fashion film, digital and AI experiments |
Who is Nick Knight?
Nick Knight, born in 1958, is a British fashion photographer and film maker and the founder of SHOWstudio. His work spans landmark fashion photography, music videos and digital experiments, and he is widely seen as the photographer who most consistently pushed fashion imagery into new technological territory. He was appointed CBE in 2023 for services to fashion and photography, having previously been made OBE.
Career
Knight published Skinhead in 1982 while still a student and was soon commissioned by i-D magazine. In 1986 he photographed catalogues for Yohji Yamamoto with the graphic designer Peter Saville, images that became references for fashion photography. He went on to collaborate with designers and artists across fashion and music, directing films and music videos for artists including Björk, Massive Attack, Lady Gaga and Kanye West.
In November 2000 he launched SHOWstudio, an online platform dedicated to fashion film, live broadcasts and process driven projects. In 2026 the platform marked its 25th anniversary, with Knight still at its head as founder.
Influence on the fashion business
SHOWstudio arrived years before social media and live streamed fashion shows became standard. By treating the internet as a creative medium rather than a digital copy of print, Knight helped establish ideas that are now everyday practice for fashion brands:
- Fashion film as a core part of brand communication
- Showing the process of making images, not only the finished result
- Live broadcast and real time engagement with audiences
- Collaboration between photographers, designers, technologists and musicians
Nick Knight and technology
Knight has long used technology to see differently, from photocopiers and thermal cameras to new camera hardware. In a January 2026 interview with Creative Review he described making a film with Ray-Ban Meta glasses and noted: 'I think people think I'm more of a technophile than I am.' The same piece noted that his use of AI has provoked criticism within parts of the industry.
In May 2026 Models.com published a conversation between Knight and the creative technologist Tom Wandrag, his collaborator in the experimental studio A New Plane, on how artificial intelligence is reshaping fashion imagery. The discussion addressed industry concerns about uncredited work in training datasets and the livelihoods of photographers, stylists and models, and framed new tools as a way to expand authorship rather than replace it.
Why it matters
Knight is one of the few established fashion image makers to engage openly and early with each new technology, including generative AI. For an industry debating how to use these tools responsibly, his work and SHOWstudio's archive offer a long running record of experimentation, and of the creative and ethical questions that come with it.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Nick Knight?
Nick Knight is a British fashion photographer, born in 1958, who founded the online fashion film platform SHOWstudio in November 2000. He was appointed CBE in 2023 for services to fashion and photography.
What has Nick Knight said about AI?
Knight has experimented openly with AI imaging, which has drawn criticism from parts of the industry. In a 2026 Models.com conversation with creative technologist Tom Wandrag, the discussion framed AI as a tool that can expand creative authorship rather than replace it, while acknowledging concerns about datasets and livelihoods.