Shame on fashion
As huge names in the photography world are hit with allegations of sexual abuse and molestation by models and assistants, Grazia’s Rebecca Lowthorpe explores why fashion’s finally called Time’s Up on looking the other way – and what still needs to change…
The fashion industry is the latest sphere of business to be hit with allegations of sexual abuse. Last week, The New York Times lifted the lid on the sexual exploitation of models and photographic assistants, with allegations that expose two of the grand hommes of fashion photography, Bruce Weber and Mario Testino.
Accusations brought to light by the newspaper against Weber include 15 current and former male models who described a pattern of sexually coercive behaviour, which centred around a bizarre ritual of breathing exercises. Days later, the Business of Fashion revealed four further allegations dating as far back as 1982.
‘I remember [ Weber] putting his fingers in my mouth, and him grabbing my privates,’ model Robyn Sinclair told The New York Times. ‘ We never had sex or anything, but a lot of things happened. A lot of touching. A lot of molestation.’
Meanwhile, 13 male assistants and models came forward to accuse Mario Testino, telling The Times that he subjected them to ‘sexual advances that in some cases included groping and masturbation’ in accounts that date back to the mid-1990s.
To be clear: both photographers vehemently deny all of the claims.
So, did The Times exposé shock the fashion industry? Perhaps it’s shameful to say, but the allegations of sexual misconduct were not entirely surprising. There have been accusations before, levelled at the photographer Terry Richardson who, until the Harvey Weinstein scandal, continued to work with major style magazines – fashion houses Valentino and Bulgari confirmed they had stopped commissioning the photographer in October after allegations of sexually predatory behaviour towards female models on photo shoots for almost two decades. Richardson is notorious for shooting sexually provocative imagery.
The surprise with The Times’ story was not what, but who. Mario Testino, 63, is the Peruvian Obe-awarded photographer who immortalised Princess Diana for British Vogue and shot the official engagement pictures of Prince William and Kate Middleton, as well as countless Burberry campaigns and Vogue covers and editorials. Up until now, he was considered fashion’s most charismatic photographer, with the air and lifestyle of fashion royalty.
Bruce Weber, 71, widely regarded as the godfather of modern fashion photography, was hailed for shooting the Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Abercrombie & Fitch adverts, as well as magazine covers and editorials with imagery not just renowned for ‘celebrating’ the male body in the form of modern-day Adonises, but also the
family, with wholesome pictures often featuring the ‘perfect’ all-american cast, including his golden retrievers.
In other words, they were perceived as the good guys of fashion photography.
But the nature of the imagery they espoused – that promise of idealised luxury, health, wealth and certainly sexiness, which is said to fuel sales – doesn’t excuse the time it’s taken for these allegations to properly surface. As with Weinstein, it appears Weber and Testino used their powerful status and the promise of lucrative campaigns or better career prospects to coerce young male models into sexual acts. The fashion industry, like the movie industry, it seems, shamefully looked the other way for fear of losing its most major photographic talents.
Another reason for this taking so long to surface – and why there is yet to be a #Mentoo campaign – is perhaps because these mostly straight men were reluctant to come forward. Male models are even more notoriously disposable than their female counterparts – partly because the men’s fashion and beauty industries are that much smaller than women’s – so the enticement of a long-lasting career made them all the more easy to intimidate.
One thing is certain: the scandal will bring about profound changes in the fashion industry. In fact, Condé Nast (which owns the international stable of Vogue titles for which these photographers largely shot) has already stopped working with them – coincidentally or not after the publication of US Vogue’s February cover depicting Serena Williams with her baby, shot by Mario Testino – while issuing a new code of conduct to protect models shortly after. Burberry also said it had no plans to work with Testino again. And an upcoming cover of another British magazine, shot by Bruce Weber, was also dropped in light of the allegations.
Rumour has it that a list with many more male photographers’ names on it exists – all (anonymously) banned from working in the industry. And there is talk of setting up a union for models to hear and act on any grievances or misconduct.
Guilty or not, with the scandal around male photographers roiling, it leaves a potentially positive outcome for the female gaze. The field is wide open for young female photographers to step in behind the more established likes of Cass Bird, Ellen von Unwerth, Liz Collins and Harley Weir.
Hopefully, the Testino-weber allegations will be a catalyst for change. And it’s not just the regulating of model agencies and the protection of models that needs to be implemented swiftly. We need to hold a mirror up to other areas of the industry in dire need of modernisation, from the lack of women in control of fashion houses and publishing empires to the conscious manufacturing and recycling of clothes. It’s time to cleanse the entire system.
Loneliness. Think of that word and you’ll perhaps picture an elderly person nursing a cup of tea, as solitary as their day-to-day life. But when I read that the Government had appointed a Minister for Loneliness, I also imagined women like me, who also understand how it feels to be achingly lonely.
A while ago, I wrote about my ‘weekend loneliness’ for Grazia. My life as a single woman was packed-out socially during the week but, on Saturday and Sunday, I could go 48 hours without seeing a soul.
Loneliness for younger people seems to have easy solutions. We’re resilient, right? The social media generation. We can reach out though Instagram, take up a hobby, Facetime friends. But each of these things often exacerbates the lonely pangs.
Talking of ‘suffering’ from loneliness sounds dramatic, but evidence suggests that this is a health issue. A 2014 survey* found that 27% of 18- to 24-year-olds feel lonely most of the time, while the 2016 documentary Age Of Loneliness showed that it’s not just singles, the very young or very old who are affected – it’s everyone.
The Jo Cox Commission – a cross-party initiative to examine loneliness set up by the MP before she was killed in June 2016 – has reported that being lonely is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and affects nine million people in the UK. Previous studies have revealed that it can even increase your risk of death by 26%.
For me, loneliness led to anxiety, self-doubt and a feeling of stupidity at not being able to ‘cope’ emotionally on my own. Being freelance often meant joining new offices and ‘new girl-itis’ would lead to me sitting, lonely, on a park bench with a sandwich most lunchtimes.
Jo Cox herself admitted to suffering from loneliness at university and again as a young mum. In fact, loneliness affects 90% of new mums**. My friend Caroline says, ‘ You go from being surrounded by guests to being at home all day alone with a tiny baby. And people expect you to be on cloud nine, so you feel guilty for feeling cut off.’
Some find unusual ways to break the silence. My friend Janelle, who calls an elderly person for a chat once a week via the Silver Line, reveals, ‘I definitely feel like it works both ways. My “bud” is a great boost sometimes when I’m feeling a bit low about being on my own.’
So, while we can be a little more selfsufficient in the fight against loneliness, perhaps, than the elderly, I hope our loneliness minister won’t forget us – those who seem to have it all, but still feel alone, however many Instagram posts we share.
Lonely? you’re not alone
for Chris. Friends are speculating that it isn’t a complete coincidence that this has happened so soon after Gwyneth and Brad made their engagement news public. Even though Chris and Gwyneth split in 2014, for a long time he continued to make her the absolute centre of his world, and there was speculation that he hoped they might reunite. His devotion to Gwyneth stopped things progressing with Jennifer Lawrence – at that time he was keen to keep his options open – but things seem quite different with Dakota.’
Indeed, according to a second source, his relationship with Dakota is so serious that she’s ready to take the next step – and be introduced to Gwyneth. ‘Gwyneth might be engaged, but she still plays a huge part in Chris’s life, and looms large over his relationship with Dakota,’ said the source. ‘It was only a matter of time until they’d meet and Chris has already started suggesting an introduction. It’s a slightly intimidating situation for Dakota – she’s over a decade younger than Chris and Gwyneth – and her friends have joked that it’s like preparing to meet your mother-in-law for the first time. Chris still puts Gwyneth on a pedestal, and her opinion means a lot to him. It might be awkward, but Dakota may well find that she has to get used to it.’
Will Dakota pass the great Gwyneth test of ’18? Stay tuned for more news as we have it…
WILL DAKOTA PASS ‘ THE GWYNETH TEST’?