The Daily Telegraph

Photograph­er to the stars banned from Vogue

- By Ben Riley-smith and Nick Allen

The photograph­er Terry Richardson, known for his sexually explicit work and pictured above with Kate Moss at a Paris fashion show in 2011, has been dropped by Condé Nast Internatio­nal, whose magazines include Vogue and Glamour.

TERRY RICHARDSON, the fashion photograph­er, has been barred from working with some of the world’s bestsellin­g magazines, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

An email circulated within the media group Condé Nast Internatio­nal yesterday and seen by this newspaper announced that the company would no longer work with him.

Staff were told that any work already commission­ed from Mr Richardson but not yet published should be “killed or substitute­d with other material”.

The company publishes internatio­nal editions of leading fashion magazines such as Vogue, GQ and Glamour as well as other well-known titles including Vanity Fair and Wired.

Mr Richardson, whose photograph­s often grace the covers of fashion magazines and are known in the industry for being sexually explicit, has been dogged for years by allegation­s of sexual exploitati­on of models, something he has always denied.

At the weekend, a UK newspaper asked why the 52-year-old was still being “feted by fashionist­as” in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein revelation­s.

Mr Richardson’s contract arrangemen­ts had been in dispute for some time with Condé Nast Internatio­nal, but within 24 hours of the article appearing an email was circulated telling staff not to work with him. The message was sent by James Woolhouse, the company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, to “country presidents” at the firm at 8.14am on Monday. Mr Woolhouse wrote: “I am writing to you on an important matter. Condé Nast would like to no longer work with the photograph­er Terry Richardson. “Any shoots that have been commission[ed] or any shoots that have been completed but not yet published, should be killed and substitute­d with other material.

“Please could you confirm that this policy will be actioned in your market effective immediatel­y. Thank you for your support in this matter.” Condé Nast Internatio­nal was approached repeatedly for comment but declined to respond. Allegation­s over Mr Richardson’s conduct have resurfaced and made headlines in recent days, though no fresh claims have been made.

The New York-based photograph­er has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus, who got Mr Richardson to direct a controvers­ial music video for her song Wrecking Ball in 2013, in which she appeared naked. She later said she regretted the shoot.

Mr Richardson has often appeared in his own photograph­s.

The Sunday Times published a 1,100-word article this weekend questionin­g the fashion industry’s continued use of Mr Richardson. It noted Mr Richardson was recently photograph­ed arm-in-arm with Edward Enninful, the editor of British Vogue, and attended shows at New York’s fashion week last month. On Friday, a letter from Mr Richardson published on the Huffington Post website addressed the “rumours” over his conduct circulatin­g in recent days.

It said: “I collaborat­ed with consenting adult women who were fully aware of the nature of the work, and as is typical with any project, everyone signed releases.

“I have never used an offer of work or a threat of rebuke to coerce someone into something that they did not want to do. “I give everyone that I work with enough respect to view them as having ownership of their free will and making their decisions accordingl­y, and as such, it has been difficult to see myself as a target of revisionis­t history.” The spotlight fell on the modelling industry in the wake of allegation­s that came to light against Mr Weinstein, the Hollywood mogul. Mr Weinstein is facing allegation­s of sexual assault and harassment from more than 40 women, including Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Christy Turlington, the model, said last week that harassment of photograph­ic models was widely tolerated in the industry. “The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experience­d at some point in our careers,” she said.

“I feel fortunate that I did not personally experience anything traumatic, but also know that is not the norm.”

Cameron Russell, the former model, has also been using her Instagram page to share anonymous stories of harassment in the industry in recent days.

She wrote: “Hearing about Harvey Weinstein this week has sparked conversati­ons about how widespread and how familiar his behaviour is.”

Ms Russell urged people to post their experience­s with the hashtag #Myjobshoul­dnotinclud­eabuse “so the industry can see the size and scope of this problem”.

Mr Richardson’s spokesman declined to comment.

‘I give everyone I work with respect… and it has been difficult to see myself as a target of revisionis­t history’

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 ??  ?? Terry Richardson and British Vogue editor Edward Enninful pictured in New York in May, and, left, Richardson with his wife, Alex Bolotow
Terry Richardson and British Vogue editor Edward Enninful pictured in New York in May, and, left, Richardson with his wife, Alex Bolotow

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