Sylvain Chomet has defended his latest animated film for Dior after viewers questioned whether artificial intelligence (AI) was used in its production. Titled Christian Dior's Night in Color, the six-minute film was released on 4 November 2026 and features Robert Pattinson as its narrator, alongside Rihanna, Josh O'Connor, and LaKeith Stanfield.
Although Dior presented the project as a celebration of traditional animation, it quickly attracted criticism online or what was perceived as sloppy artwork. Viewers pointed out several unusual details, including strange lettering, awkward character movements, and what appeared to be an extra finger on one character's hand.
The criticism raised questions about whether the luxury fashion house had used AI despite promoting the film as a handmade project. Speaking to Variety, Chomet and producer Aton Soumache defended their work, insisting that the film was created using traditional 2D animation, with artists drawing the characters and backgrounds by hand.
Dior's Holiday Film Faces Questions Over AI Use
Are we going to talk about ✨Dior✨ animating their short-film with AI or...🪡PS: 6 fingers, the Star dubbed by Rihanna being an AI slop and all the other artefacts https://t.co/I84CxIL5n1
— La Mode Unknown (@LaModeUnknown) November 5, 2026
The controversy began shortly after Dior released the animation as part of its 2026 holiday campaign. The story follows Christian Dior as he receives an urgent request from Hollywood actress Marlene Dietrich, who needs a colourful gown after a film director decides to shoot her latest movie in colour instead of black and white.
The short film features talking characters and beautifully illustrated backgrounds, with Pattinson narrating the story. However, some viewers began questioning whether everything had really been drawn by hand. One Instagram user pointed out that while it was probably mostly hand-crafted, there was a lack of intentionality at the shots that grounded it at the human effort behind the animation.
Sylvain Chomet Explains How the Film Was Made
Chomet and Soumache have now shared more details about the production process. According to Soumache, the film took seven months to complete and involved around 20 people, including six animators, designers, artists, and editors.
The filmmakers acknowledged using an automated interpolation system to help create some of the frames between the main drawings. This helped make the characters' movements smoother without requiring artists to draw every single frame themselves. However, Chomet explained that this did not mean AI was responsible for creating the artwork.
Soumache also maintained that generative AI was not used to create the film's artwork. Chomet addressed the criticism surrounding the character who appeared to have six fingers, explaining that certain hand positions can look unusual when used to show movement. He also pointed out that mistakes can happen in traditional animation, just as they can in other forms of filmmaking.
Why the AI Debate Matters for Dior
The controversy comes as more fashion brands face questions about their use of AI in advertising and creative campaigns. Dior had highlighted the film's hand-drawn style, comparing the time and effort involved to the craftsmanship behind its haute couture designs.
This criticism also comes as Prada released its own holiday collection this year with a similar concept of a hand-drawn animation campaign, although this one was paired with live-action footage of models interacting with the animation.
The project is also part of a wider collaboration between Chomet and the fashion house. His illustrations helped inspire Dior's holiday collections and boutique window displays. The film features several other familiar voices. Louis Garrel plays Christian Dior, while Camille Cottin voices Marlene Dietrich. Rihanna appears as Dior's Lucky Star, Josh O'Connor voices a talking chair, and LaKeith Stanfield plays the Hollywood director.
Despite the criticism, Chomet stands by the work of the artists involved. His defence also raises an important question for the creative industry: can artists use modern technology to make their work easier without audiences assuming that AI has done everything for them?
