As the uproar continues over sexual harassment in industries stretching from entertainment to media to finance, the fashion world has remained relatively on the sidelines – until now.
On Saturday, The New York Times published a long-rumored story about alleged harassment of male models by the photographers Bruce Weber and Mario Testino. Both men, via statements their lawyers gave to the Times, vigorously denied the allegations made in the story, although Conde Nast and Conde Nast International both said Saturday that they would be severing ties with the two photographers – at least for now.
The Times’ story comes several months after model Cameron Russell created an Instagram account on which anonymous individuals posted stories about their mistreatment in the industry. Last October, Terry Richardson was dropped by the leading fashion magazine publishers but only after years of allegations surrounding his behavior, while model Jason Boyce filed a lawsuit against Weber in December claiming the photographer harassed him. Weber has denied those claims, as well.
In November, 27-year-old British model Edie Campbell penned an exclusive letter for WWD to the fashion industry in which she said, “We operate within a culture that is too accepting of abuse, in all of its manifestations,” going
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…