Sexual Misconduct Allegations in the Fashion Industry

[mikel]

I’m quite sad about this. If it weren’t for Testino I wouldn’t be interested in fashion photography.

 

[Zposen]

^I´d also imagine that brands won´t work with him, not just magazines. Stuart Weitzman must be banging their heads against the walls... so far is the only SS2018 campaign out with Testino. I wonder about Michael Kors, Burberry, Carolina Herrera...

I was thinking about that as well Kors and Herrera....I don't think they have time to reshoot their campaigns. Testino has been shooting Kors for such a long time... a welcome change even under these circumstances...

Wow I do feel some sadness for Testino... I know I shouldn't but I still do... not a way to end such a career...

 

[ivano]

I FEEL SICK TODAY

 

[MON]

not a way to end such a career...

True, however, equally true is the fact that its not also a way to start a career for these alleged victims.

 

[lavieenrose]

From Anna Wintour's statement:

All models appearing in fashion shoots commissioned by Condé Nast must be 18 years of age or older.

I wonder if that includes Kaia Gerber. She won't be 18 until September 2019.

No matter how much admiration I have for Bruce Weber's and Mario Testino's photographic skills, I am glad to see such big-name photographers being called out. Hopefully the behavior they are accused of will no longer be tolerated or excused in the fashion industry.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

I’m quite sad about this. If it weren’t for Testino I wouldn’t be interested in fashion photography.

He truly has an astonishing body of work, and I defo grew up with so much of it, as well. It sucked hearing that he is a sexual predator, I feel so sick people saying so many knew. And some even had a running joke of telling models ‘tighten your belt's’, when they went to work with him, per the article. It's crazy how men in power can have lists, and lists of enablers, and get away with abusing thir position for decades!

Testino, apparently, had an especially huge target for straight guys, smh!

I think the fact that someone like Thomas Hargreave, (a shoot producer)went on the record with his name, and said he saw Testino acting out of order on shoots is amazing. Testino's lawyers calling the guys who came forward, as disgruntled former employees is so predictable!

 

[Deleted member 130879]

I wonder if that includes Kaia Gerber. She won't be 18 until September 2019.

No because she's a celebrity, right?

 

[Armani]

I'm sure Kaia Gerber, Cara Taylor, Lulu, Kris Grikaite, etc. will still get their share of work, especially Kaia because she has a vast platform & media following, both in the industry and in the general public, which Vogue love$$$.

We've heard stories about Testino before, so it doesn't come as a shock to me to see his accusations finally come to light, although I'm sure there's more {insert model here} by Mario Testino campaigns and covers to come out... and I'm also sure that a lot of the industry will still have Testino's back (saw some models & editors publicly backing Weber, there's bound to be TONS that will back Testino.)... which is very unfortunate to say the least.

 

[mathiaskatz]

Really hoping this creates a better working opportunity for everyone. And hopefully this creates more opportunities for newer photographers.

 

[MagFan]

A few months back someone from the NYT and BOF tried to contact me and ask me what my Facebook post was regarding. I didn’t want to say names but today one of the names is out here, Mario Testino. I can tell you of my experience in Jan 2010. He came for drinks with me, my wife and his friend. He talked of these amazing shoots that we could shoot together and of course I was interested and excited, he is one of the biggest photographers in the world. But, later at another location he changed the subject. He had me separated from my wife and his friend. He got very close to me and just shoved his hand down my pants and I retreated backwards. He told me “Everyone does this. I have couples that I love to shoot that do everything” ( whatever that meant). I said “Well, I’m not everyone”. He then immediately left. He never contacted me again.
It’s just an example of how he tried to use his power to get me to do what he wanted. Sure, I could have and maybe had a bigger career for it but it was so aggressive and very uncomfortable. But, he was one of the people I was speaking on.
For the record, regarding Bruce Weber, Bruce has treated me respectfully and professionally on the many shoots that I have been involved in with him.
This meeting with Mario was setup outside of my modeling agency’s knowledge and was a mistake on my part. For that I take responsibility.
These are my personal experiences and in no way am I saying that anyone else’s experiences are true or false. I wasn’t there.

instagram.com/thecorybond

 

[orchidee]

I wonder if that includes Kaia Gerber. She won't be 18 until September 2019.

I'm sure they'll find a loophole somehow!

 

[Lola701]

The sad reality in Testino's and Weber's behaviour is that for decades and up until Weinstein affair there was a double standard depending on the sexuality. Let's be honest, the general public have more empathy toward a young woman or a woman being harrassed or assaulted by a man than a man facing the same behaviour.
It makes a lot of people uncomfortable in the industry as it does outside the industry.

People knows that there are a lot of gay men in the industry and somehow believe that there's a whole sexual fluidity happening.

You can go to a shoot or a party and see an assistant, a stylist or who ever being very touchy with models, see the models laugh and take it as joke. The model may feel uncomfortable but he will not show it and people may find it as cheeky or something like that. All of that in total ignorance of the fact that THIS IS STILL ABOVE AND BEYOND A PROFESSIONAL MEETING.

Of course, this kind of things will happen when the designer or the client is not present because then, the lines between a professional meeting and a casual one are totally blurred.

What shock me the most is that those guys, Weber, Testino and more i believe totally forgot that while they are as "disposable" as the models they employs. As high profile personalities, they could have found clever and safer ways to fulfill their sexual fantasies.

One thing about Testino is that more than any other photographer, he seems to be the one who has always enjoyed living the lifestyle he portrayed in his work: glamour, beautiful places, beautiful people, a lot of money and sex.

I don't feel sorry for him because he should have known better but i hope that it will affect the industry for the good.
Loosing their jobs is not the ultimate goal. The goal is to make the fashion industry into a safer and more professional place.

 

[Benn98]

I'm sure they'll find a loophole somehow!

It won't be the American edition. They take these rules seriously. China and Japan are normally the ones to show the middle finger by violating the initiative.
Mario Testino will be a big loss for CN. Weber wasn't halfway as import to fashion as Testino.

I also agree with Lola. But I think giving them the heave ho is supposed to be an example, a deterrent to others who are still doing it. And trust me, if big players such as Testino are being rounded up, there must be others as well. Designers immediately comes to mind.

Just because the industry is predominantly run by gay men doesn't mean that there will be no abuse. Abusing power was never specific to gender or sexuality. Some people on here always used to hint at a heteronormative vibe flowing on shoots featuring male models. Now it all makes sense, especially with Testino's penchant for straight men. Maybe it's also time for some gay men in general to abandon the idea that 'sex is just sex' for most straight men. The amount of times I've heard stories from straight mates about gay guys trying it on them is countless and I find it so embarrassing. Also, it's always the old(er) ones! This behaviour, along with Testino and Weber's just rereinforce the still much-held belief that gay men are inherently perverted.

 

[KateTheGreatest]

Testino's lawyers calling the guys who came forward, as disgruntled former employees is so predictable!

That was my thought, I knew exactly which words they were going to use. It's such a cliche.

This is very, very sad. I had no idea about Testino until someone hinted a few months ago ''towels will drop''. I don't really understand why some people start to defend them and saying they had good experiences etc. Not everyone has the same experience and like Cory Bond wrote ''These are my personal experiences and in no way am I saying that anyone else’s experiences are true or false. I wasn’t there. '' And the sad part is not only their actions but them being really big names and there must be a huge list of enablers, that is just so sad. No one saying or standing up sooner.

 

[billiejbob]

Have any top models spoken out about Testino yet?
Every top model has worked with him yet several models who have spoken out against sexual harassment still follow him on Instagram and haven't made any statements about it.

Kinda makes me wonder if a lot of people in fashion such as top models might try to sweep this under the rug or keep quiet about this particular controversy.

 

[Benn98]

Well, you'll see the 2nd coming first before Kate Moss says anything about this. And before you come for me, Eizhowa, I said Kate Moss because she's probably his biggest benefactor. Indeed I'm sure he pushed for her to be included in the latest Stuart Weitzman campaign.

 

[sixtdaily]

"Innocent until proven guilty"

 

[Lola701]

Have any top models spoken out about Testino yet?
Every top model has worked with him yet several models who have spoken out against sexual harassment still follow him on Instagram and haven't made any statements about it.

Kinda makes me wonder if a lot of people in fashion such as top models might try to sweep this under the rug or keep quiet about this particular controversy.

The reality is that nobody will talk but everybody will condemn. Testino has a lot of friends in the industry. I've heard that he is a very sweet, funny and likeable person. And as anyone as socially active as him, having this kind of affair is tricky for the people who knows him to speak.

Even Anna. She is cutting ties from a business point of view but that doesn't mean that their personal relationship ends.

Maybe people will see him differently and he will be less present in front of shows and at fashion parties but he will always have people by his side.

Unlike Weinstein, he is not accused of r*pe or neither to force people to do sexual acts in front of him and that is really important in that aspect. He would have been a total outcast for that matter...

 

[WilliamsLe010919]

it's sad that everytime some accusations come out, people would very quick to criticise and denounce the accused person without waiting for confirmation or investigation that those are true or not

 

[Marc10]

Sadly the accusations towards Testino don't surprise me one bit. I think everyone can imagine this kind of behaviour flowing around the industry.

Also don't think him and Werber will be the last ones. Let this rain wash away all the trash, every single one, no matter how famous or unknown.