Mario Testino and Bruce Weber — two noted Vogue contributing photographers — have been accused of repeatedly sexually harassing male models and assistants.
via Page Six:
Testino, 63, groped and made other unwelcome passes, 13 models and assistants alleged to the New York Times.
The world-renowned photographer recently shot the Vogue February cover featuring Serena Williams and her baby daughter.
He shot a series of photos of Princess Diana in 1997, and took the Crown’s official 2010 portrait for Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton.
“A sexual predator,” model Ryan Locke told the Times of Testino.
“I’m the girl and you’re the boy,” Locke said Testino announced during an ad campaign shoot for Gucci — first ordering everyone else off the set and then crawling on top of Locke, who’d been asked to pose atop a bed.
Another 15 male models told the Times that lensman Bruce Weber demanded they join him in private “energy exercises” involving sexual touching.
Weber interrupted one Miami shoot for Vogue Hommes International to invite model Josh Ardolf, then 20, into a private room for one such exercise.
Ardolf told the Times that Weber photographed him nude and “forced his hand right on my genitals.”
Reps for both photographers are adamantly denying the models’ accounts, which the Times said were recalled “with remarkable consistency.”
Wintour responded quickly with a statement on Vogue.com that described Testino and Weber as “personal friends,” while insisting, “I take the allegations very seriously.”
She announced a new international “Code of Conduct” for contributors to all publications of Vogue’s parent company, Conde Nast, for which she serves as artistic director.
All models appearing in Conde Nast-commissioned fashion shoots must now be 18 or older, according to the new rules.
“Alcohol will no longer be permitted on Conde Nast sets,” the rules continued.
“Recreational drugs are not permitted,” and any shoot involving nudity, skimpy clothing or sexual poses “must be approved in advance by the subject.”
“Even as we stand with victims of abuse and misconduct, we must also hold a mirror up to ourselves,” Wintour wrote.
A new ‘Code of Conduct’ is a good start.
