Male Models Accuse Photographers of Sexual Abuse

Two of the biggest names in fashion photography have been accused of sexual harassment and exploitation by the models they worked with, and it's already starting to cost them work. The New York Times reports that 15 former and current male models accuse Bruce Weber of engaging in inappropriate and coercive sexual behavior during photo shoots. Weber is famous for his work for such clothing companies as Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch. In the same article, 13 male models and assistants claim photographer Mario Testino, whose work often appears in Vogue, forced himself on them sexually. Ryan Locke, a former Gucci model who worked with Testino during the 1990s, called the photographer a "sexual predator."

Both Weber and Testino have denied the allegations. Through a statement released by his lawyer, Weber called the accusations "outrageous," and Testino's lawyers raised questions about his accusers' credibility and characters. Response from the fashion industry, however, has been swift. Not long after the story was published, Condé Nast, the publisher of Vogue, GQ, and other magazines, announced that it would not work with Weber or Testino "for the foreseeable future," the BBC reports. And Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour released a statement saying the claims have "been hard to hear and heartbreaking to confront." (More Vogue stories.)