Sexual Misconduct Allegations in the Fashion Industry

[ThatDudeOverTher]

BOOM! So it begins...

Fashion photographer accused of touching, forcefully kissing male model


A male model is suing renowned fashion photographer Bruce Weber for allegedly forcing him to rub his own genitals — and sucking on the man’s fingers — at a creepy casting session.

Jason Boyce says the disturbing incident with Weber — who is best known for his work in Vogue and Rolling Stone magazines — occurred in December 2014 at the photographer’s Manhattan studio.

When Boyce arrived for the shoot three years ago, Weber closed the door to the studio, leaving the two alone in a back room, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court suit.

“Mr. Boyce, who had been photographed numerous times in the past, was then subjected to a series of practices by Mr. Weber that were unlike any he had experienced previously,” the suit says.

At the time, Boyce was 28, Weber 68.

After snapping a few shots of the steely-eyed blond, who has appeared in Lexus and Amazon ads, Weber told Boyce, “You’re very tense,” straddled him and rubbed oil onto his forehead, the suit says.

“Mr. Weber then instructed Mr. Boyce to stand up for more photographs,” according to court papers.

Weber suddenly ordered Boyce to remove his shirt and pants, even though it’s customary for photographers to provide advance notice if the model will be asked to pose nude, the suit says.

Boyce obeyed, remembering his agent’s instructions that he had to “nail this” because of Weber’s influence in the industry.

Weber’s portfolio includes portraits of a young Richard Gere, Kate Moss and David Bowie.

But the Oklahoma native froze when Weber asked him to expose his genitals, the papers say. After admonishing the model once again for being “so tense,” Weber reached over and removed Boyce’s underwear, the suit says.

After taking more photographs, Weber “instructed Mr. Boyce to put his hands on himself, ‘wherever you feel your energy go,'” according to court papers.

When Boyce put his hand on his chest, Weber moved it down to his groin, the suit says.

“Mr. Weber grabbed Mr. Boyce’s arm, and moved it back and forth, so that Mr. Boyce was forced to rub his own genitals,” the suit says.

Weber then moved Mr. Boyce’s hand to his own groin and put the model’s fingers in his mouth, the suit says.

Boyce recalls being “terrified and repulsed.”

Weber allegedly whispered, “If you just had confidence, you’d go really far” and “How far do you want to make it? How ambitious are you?”

When Boyce didn’t respond, Weber removed his fingers from the model’s mouth, dropped his hand from his genitals and said, “You know what? Put your underwear on. I think we’re done here,” the suit says.

Before Boyce could leave, Weber allegedly grabbed him and kissed him on the lips, according to the filing.

The next day, Boyce’s agent asked how it went, and he texted back, “weird.”

The agent, Jason Kanner of Soul Artist Management, replied that he wasn’t asking about the shoot but rather about the photographs, the suit says.

When Weber tried to contact Boyce over FaceTime in the following months, he made sure to answer only when he was in a visibly public place, the suit says.

Boyce had one more casting call at Weber’s studio, but the photographer was not present.

“Mr. Boyce felt intense dread at the thought of a modeling career in an industry where Mr. Weber was considered by many to be a top photographer and primary champion of male models,” he says in court papers.

“He was worried that he would continue to run into Mr. Weber throughout his career. He experienced anxiety, depression, and high levels of stress,” the suit says.

So he moved back to California and never returned to New York for modeling work, the suit says.

Boyce’s agent dropped him in September 2016.

“Upon information and belief, Mr. Weber has engaged in similar conduct with other male models referred to him by Mr. Kanner and Soul Artist, and Mr. Kanner and Soul Artist are aware of such conduct,” Boyce says in court papers.

Kanner and Weber, who is married to collaborator Nan Bush, did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Source: NYPost

 

[ThatDudeOverTher]

I'm just gonna post this paragraph here from the "Fashion... In Depth" thread, extracted from "For Male Models, It's Game Over."

As the industry evolves, so too are the business models of the agencies, many of which now represent talent outside of modeling, to include social media stars and bloggers, because their mainboards aren’t booking enough jobs to sustain their businesses. In New York, there are whispers of an agency who operates partly like an escort service, booking their male models on dates with wealthy men and women, though no concrete proof has presented itself to corroborate those rumors.

Rumors have been goign around the industry for a long time that Soul Artist is the agency operating like that and Jason Kanner is notorious for his activities.

 

[Scotty]

The beginning of the end for Bruce?

Anyway, I don't believe the model. I just googled him and nothing shows up. What gives?

 

[ThatDudeOverTher]

The beginning of the end for Bruce?

Anyway, I don't believe the model. I just googled him and nothing shows up. What gives?

Why would he make something like this up? Statements like this is perhaps why male models and men in general are afraid of coming out when they've been abused...

 

[dsamg]

He has absolutely no reason to lie. Plus Bruce Weber was being mentioned on here in the past few weeks as someone who was likely to be named and shamed soon.

 

[Lola701]

This sounds like the beginning of the end for Weber. I was tired of seeing his work everywhere but that doesn't mean that i wanted his career to "end" like this.

To be honest, i don't know what to think about this story and this has nothing to do with the model being a man.
I don't know, Weber has been doing this homo-erotic thing for decades and i would like to think that over those past 30+ years, men have may have been disturbed by his work before deciding to work with him.

I'm maybe naive but i refuse to believe that a 28 years old individual would just cooperate to this kind of behavior while being disrespected in such a way.
Just the fact to be alone with a photographer who has a reputation for sexual-undertone pictures...

Maybe i'll wait for more people to come forward. If it's true, i don't think this will be the only case.

 

[ThatDudeOverTher]

This sounds like the beginning of the end for Weber. I was tired of seeing his work everywhere but that doesn't mean that i wanted his career to "end" like this.

To be honest, i don't know what to think about this story and this has nothing to do with the model being a man.
I don't know, Weber has been doing this homo-erotic thing for decades and i would like to think that over those past 30+ years, men have may have been disturbed by his work before deciding to work with him.

I'm maybe naive but i refuse to believe that a 28 years old individual would just cooperate to this kind of behavior while being disrespected in such a way.
Just the fact to be alone with a photographer who has a reputation for sexual-undertone pictures...

Maybe i'll wait for more people to come forward. If it's true, i don't think this will be the only case.

I am 28 years old and very confident. A few weeks ago at an industry party (fashion), a guy I did not know walked up to me while I was talking to two other fashion editors. We opened up the circle to let him in because we thought he was just trying to talk to us. Before I knew what was happening, I felt a cold hand beneath my shirt and going down my stomach toward my groin area... I am 28 years old. I am confident. I NEVER thought something like this could happen to me. YOu know what I did?? I froze! I was so shocked, so embarrassed. My body couldn't move. The other editors were the ones who pushed him away. It was a confusing experience and I was so angry. Angry that it happened, angry at the guy for thinking that it was ok to do something like that, angry at myself for freezing. I went home and punched a glass, cutting my hand in the process.

The guy who did that to me has ZERO power over me. As I understand it, he's a makeup artist, and this is how my body and mind reacted. Just imagine what could happen when in the presence of someone with so much power that they could ruin your entire career.

Ugh, I can't believe I had to share this here of all places...

 

[jssy4eva]

I am 28 years old and very confident. A few weeks ago at an industry party (fashion), a guy I did not know walked up to me while I was talking to two other fashion editors. We opened up the circle to let him in because we thought he was just trying to talk to us. Before I knew what was happening, I felt a cold hand beneath my shirt and going down my stomach toward my groin area... I am 28 years old. I am confident. I NEVER thought something like this could happen to me. YOu know what I did?? I froze! I was so shocked, so embarrassed. My body couldn't move. The other editors were the ones who pushed him away. It was a confusing experience and I was so angry. Angry that it happened, angry at the guy for thinking that it was ok to do something like that, angry at myself for freezing. I went home and punched a glass, cutting my hand in the process.

The guy who did that to me has ZERO power over me. As I understand it, he's a makeup artist, and this is how my body and mind reacted. Just imagine what could happen when in the presence of someone with so much power that they could ruin your entire career.

Ugh, I can't believe I had to share this here of all places...

I am so sorry this happened to you! The comments above are disturbing, and are one of the many reasons that some victims won't come forward.

 

[Lola701]

I am 28 years old and very confident. A few weeks ago at an industry party (fashion), a guy I did not know walked up to me while I was talking to two other fashion editors. We opened up the circle to let him in because we thought he was just trying to talk to us. Before I knew what was happening, I felt a cold hand beneath my shirt and going down my stomach toward my groin area... I am 28 years old. I am confident. I NEVER thought something like this could happen to me. YOu know what I did?? I froze! I was so shocked, so embarrassed. My body couldn't move. The other editors were the ones who pushed him away. It was a confusing experience and I was so angry. Angry that it happened, angry at the guy for thinking that it was ok to do something like that, angry at myself for freezing. I went home and punched a glass, cutting my hand in the process.

The guy who did that to me has ZERO power over me. As I understand it, he's a makeup artist, and this is how my body and mind reacted. Just imagine what could happen when in the presence of someone with so much power that they could ruin your entire career.

Ugh, I can't believe I had to share this here of all places...

I feel deeply sorry for you for what happened and i also feel sad about the fact that i have to admit that something similar happened to me in the subway (i've reacted instantly in a strong way).

I don't know how to express it but we have read all those stories of those predators who have predators manners from Weinstein to Lauer. This doesn't depict the conduct of a predator...

More than that, i don't doubt about his story. I never questionned it. I just reacted by how passive he was in that situation and in that environment...

He was nude, alone with a photographer...It's slightly different than being set-up in a hotel room when you're coming for a business meeting or when you're violated by someone touching you or grabbing you in a subway, a party or a restaurant.

Just to be clear, i never questionned the authenticity of the story told by the model.
One thing is sure, is that the agent is also an accomplice to Weber IMO.

 

[Style Savvy]

It was only about time that someone came forward. I'm sure there will be more.

 

[Sensation]

Can't say I'm surprised...

 

[orchidee]

The beginning of the end for Bruce?

Anyway, I don't believe the model. I just googled him and nothing shows up. What gives?

Looks like someone doesn't know how to use Google...

 

[Deleted member 141523]

My heart is broken I never liked pervert Terry, but Weber, he is one of my faves. So sad.

 

[Lola701]

The fact that he is sued can actually have a instant impact on the potential campaigns he may have shot.
With Vuitton and Versace as his biggest clients in the moment, i wonder how they will react: Totally reshoot the potential campaigns or not communicate on the photographer?

 

[mepps]

I totally believe this model, and there are many more Bruce Weber stories to be told....as well as other photographers. And as far as that escort/model agency....oh yeah.

 

[orchidee]

^I generally hate to stereotype sex offenders, but looking at Weber's portfolio...it's not exactly surprising. And considering the kind of models that Soul Artist has on their board and that Kanner himself seems to fetishize, there's no doubt that they are complicit in this kind of exploitation.

 

[Phuel]

I believe him.. But I also believe it didn’t bother him enough then since he did shoot with Bruce. … And 3 years later, he’s filing legal actions— not just sharing his experience, but a bringing up a lawsuit which means monetary settlement. And at a time when any and all allegations of this type are taken at face value from all accusers with absolutely no further investigations, with the brand of frenzy that’s akin to witchburning by the public.

Sounds suspiciously opportunistic on his part, frankly.

 

[Benn98]

Well, if it did happen the way the model described, then his conduct afterwards (continued to work with Weber, not coming forward etc) is really irrelevant. Let's think about this realistically for a moment. Do we really expect an unknown model to take on one of fashion's biggest players?

Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for Weber, and it couldn't have come at a better time yet! His homoerotica always struck me as perverse in the same way as Terry's p*rno chic for me. I'm sure others will come forward now as well. So it'll all come down like a pack of cards now! I wonder what Cindy thinks of this after sending her 16yr old son to be shot by him.

What does shock me is the model agency moonlighting as a brothel, my God! And I thought Grayson in Models Inc was pure fictional fluff.

 

[rubydon]

If those revelations about the agency are true, it paints this relationship in a somewhat new light. The guy is one of the agency's models:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...s-YOUNGERthan-model-son-s-new-girlfriend.html

 

[Lola701]

I believe him.. But I also believe it didn’t bother him enough then since he did shoot with Bruce. … And 3 years later, he’s filing legal actions— not just sharing his experience, but a bringing up a lawsuit which means monetary settlement. And at a time when any and all allegations of this type are taken at face value from all accusers with absolutely no further investigations, with the brand of frenzy that’s akin to witchburning by the public.

You totally expressed what i wanted to say.
While i can totally understand that the general climate is perfect to share a story as today, victims doesn't have to battle for people to believe them, this model decided to quit modelling. So, in a way, he already had "nothing to lose" and could have taken those actions (sue Weber) earlier.
This is not just sharing something that happened to him like a lot of models may have said in the past...This is taking a legal action. So, in a way he was ready to go for him!

While i totally believe the model, i also question his motivations. The people who didn't talk either were complicit, didn't bother having to play the Weber game in order to have a job or simply were afraid to lose a job or even bigger, lose a career. In this case, loosing a career is off the list because he quit, so why only now?