News That Caught Our Casting Team's Eye This Week (September Week 2, 2026)

An "AI model" has appeared in Shimamura's customer-facing promotions, and at ZARA, AI has become a viable option alongside real photography in visual production. The same week, Instagram announced a new plan extending how long Stories remain visible, and one sponsored collaboration post drew attention simply by changing its "format of presentation." In the field of influencer casting, we read this kind of news with one question in mind: "How would this affect our own projects?" In this article, we share the developments that caught our team's attention this week, along with that perspective.

Platform Developments

Instagram's New Subscription "Instagram Plus" Extends Stories Visibility to Up to 48 Hours

Main features of Instagram Plus (Image: About Meta)

Source: Introducing a New Subscription, "Instagram Plus" (About Meta, June 2026) / Instagram Adds Subscription Feature, Extending Stories Visibility to Up to 48 Hours (FASHIONSNAP via Yahoo! News)

On June 4, 2026, Instagram launched a new subscription called "Instagram Plus," priced at 319 yen per month (iOS). Subscribers can extend the visibility of Stories—which normally disappear after 24 hours—to up to 48 hours, along with access to several other features such as tools to make Stories stand out and insights on repeat views.

Our Casting Team's Perspective

When planning influencer posts, we've generally operated on the assumption that Stories "disappear after 24 hours." Even though this feature is limited to subscribers, once 48-hour visibility becomes an option, we'll need to check with each influencer on posting timing and how long their content can realistically be seen. In particular, this could create a split between audiences who want to see content immediately after posting and those who prefer to engage with it over a longer window.

Brand Developments

ZARA Uses AI to Generate Fashion Visuals with Licensed Real Models

Illustration of the AI-based fashion visual generation system (Image: XenoSpectrum)

Source: Zara Introduces AI for Fashion Visual Generation Using Real Models (FashionNetwork Japan) / Zara Automatically Generates Fashion Images by AI-Editing Real Models (HyperAI Chaoshenjing)

ZARA is advancing an initiative in which photos of real models it has previously worked with are re-edited using AI—dressing them in different outfits or changing backgrounds—to generate fashion visuals. According to reports, the models' consent is obtained for each instance of AI-based image editing, and they are paid the same fee as they would receive for participating in a new photo shoot.

Our Casting Team's Perspective

What stands out about this system is that it's not about "casting someone new," but rather "re-obtaining consent each time from someone already cast." Rather than reusing material from a single shoot indefinitely, the model's consent and compensation are built into every instance of use. This offers a useful reference point for thinking about how to balance AI utilization with the rights of the individuals involved.

Takihyo, Shimamura, and AI model Launch Promotion Featuring AI Model "Runa"

AI model "Runa" (Image: Takihyo Co., Ltd.)

Source: Takihyo × Shimamura × AI model Launch New Promotion Featuring AI Model "Runa" (Takihyo Co., Ltd.) / Takihyo Launches Promotion Project with Shimamura and AI model Featuring AI Model "Runa" (Nikkei)

Textile trading company Takihyo Co., Ltd., Shimamura Co., Ltd., and AI model Co., Ltd. have jointly launched a promotion featuring an AI-generated fashion model named "Runa." Runa is set as a 158cm-tall, 20-year-old fashion school student aspiring to become a fashion model, and posts on social media under this persona, with the aim of attracting younger audiences and responding quickly to trends. Shortening lead times and cutting costs in conventional processes such as photo shoots, measurements, and copywriting are also cited as goals.

Our Casting Team's Perspective

The term "AI model" tends to evoke the image of a fictional character, but Runa is designed to maintain an ongoing social media presence with a distinct personality—something that resembles how we typically manage the influencers we work with. Compared to casting real people, a major difference is the ability to adapt quickly to shifting trends without worrying about scheduling, health conditions, or scandal risk. At the same time, we think it's worth watching how Runa builds relationships and trust with followers over time, and how that compares to what real influencers achieve.

theory × Hasen Sponsored Collaboration: Self-Directed Street Snap Concept Draws Attention

theory × Hasen sponsored collaboration post (Image: Instagram)

Source: theory Sponsored Collaboration Post (Instagram, Hasen)

A sponsored collaboration post between apparel brand theory and influencer Hasen has become a talking point. Normally, "street snap" features involve a brand or media outlet approaching passersby, but in this case, Hasen carried out the entire concept himself—a format that combined humor with product appeal and drew significant engagement.

Our Casting Team's Perspective

The core appeal of this post lies in the creative twist of having the influencer himself recreate a format normally defined by a "third party doing the filming." Even though the street snap format itself isn't new, this is a great example of how simply changing "who" carries it out and "in what role" can make a familiar concept feel fresh again. It's a reminder of the value in leaving room for the influencer's own style of expression to be incorporated into a campaign, rather than having the brand side hand over a fully fixed concept.

Closing Thoughts

AI standing in for models, Stories lasting longer, a self-directed snap concept generating buzz—all four developments this week tie directly back to one question: how do we design the way we cast and collaborate?

We encounter news like this in the course of our daily projects and discuss it as a team. We'll be back next week with more developments that caught our attention on the ground in casting.