Fashion editor suspended after claims of sexual harassment
A LEADING fashion magazine has become embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal after women came forward alleging sexual misconduct.
i-d has suspended a senior editor after women complained of receiving numerous unsolicited messages of a sexual nature, including pictures of intimate body parts.
One alleged victim said a senior figure “forced himself ” into a taxi with her following an industry event and then “chased” her around her house “begging” to sleep with her.
She is one of two women to have detailed their experiences. Both say they initially kept quiet for fear of being ostracised by the fashion industry.
Max Clark, an experienced fashion editor and stylist at i-d, was suspended last week pending an independent investigation involving outside counsel.
Mr Clark, who has worked for the magazine since 2014 and has styled cover shoots for British Vogue as well as campaigns for Burberry and Ralph Lauren, denies sexual misconduct.
Founded in 1980, the bi-monthly magazine has established itself as a fashion bible and has featured Madonna and Naomi Campbell.
The allegations come after a sexual harassment scandal at i-d’s parent company, Vice Media, in 2017. Detailing her alleged abuse online last week, one woman wrote: “In case anyone wanted confirmation that the ‘me too’ movement changed absolutely nothing.”
She claimed that Vice knows of more than 15 women who have complained of harassment. Many of the women held junior positions at the time. One alleged victim wrote on social media: “All of the complainants felt too scared to come forward themselves due to not wanting to risk their place in the industry.”
The second woman to go public, who was still on probation at i-d during the alleged incident following the 2016 industry event, said her “fashion editor” had “barged himself into my room wearing only his underwear, and demanded he stayed in bed with me”.
A spokesman said: “Mr Clark denies any allegations of sexual harassment or any other form of sexual misconduct.”
Vice said it was not aware of complaints of sexual harassment against any other staff and only Mr Clark had been suspended, adding: “We are taking these allegations extremely seriously and are handling them according to our established standards and processes.”