British Vogue Ends Relations with Photographers
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Vogue UK has ended its relationship with two photographers after multiple allegations of sexual exploitation of male models in the US.
Mario Testino and Bruce Weber have both had ties severed with the company. The magazine confirmed this after Anna Wintour, the New York-based artistic director of Conde Nast, said they would not be commissioning new work from either of the photographers. This essentially suspends the two biggest names in fashion from working with arguably the biggest name in fashion journalism.
Burberry, a luxury clothing retailer, said it had no plans to work with Testino again, in the foreseeable future. There were other reports of similar brands, including Michael Kors, reconsidering their relationship with the men. A spokesperson for Burberry said:
‘We take allegations of this nature very seriously. Burberry is committed to providing a just, safe and fair working environment…’
The allegations against Testino stretch back as far as the mid-1990s, including groping and masturbation in front of male models. It is alleged that Weber separately told models to do breathing exercises, naked. He also touched them inappropriately. Both have strongly denied claims through their lawyers.
71-year-old Weber has overseen advertising shoots for fashion companies including Abercrombie & Fitch and Calvin Klein. He also produced spreads for the recently appointed Edward Enninful, as Vogue’s first male editor.
Testino, 63, who regularly photographed British royalty, shot this month’s US Vogue cover, featuring Serena Williams and her new-born child.
Ryan Locke, a model who worked with Testino on many Gucci campaigns, accused him of being aggressive and flirtatious throughout shoots. The New York Times reported him as a ‘sexual predator’. Hugo Tillman, a photographic assistant, claimed that Testino once tried to kiss him on a street and a few weeks later, pinned him down on a bed until he was removed by another person.
The claims against the photographers came about as a new code of conduct was put in place to protect models by Conde Nast. The chief executive Bob Sauerberg banned the use of under 18 models unless they were chaperoned.
He also banned alcohol and recreational drugs on set, along with the use of Conde Nast sets for personal work. A block was put on shoots involving nudity, sheer clothing, lingerie, swimwear or sexually suggestive poses without the models express permission.
2018 claims its first sexual allegation scandal.
I doubt this will be the end of them.