Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows
The fury against abuse rises to soaring new heights as The Boston Globe unleashes their investigative report on sexual assault and misconduct with accusations against at least 25 photographers, agents, stylists, and casting directors including Patrick Demarchelier, David Bellemere, Greg Kadel, Seth Sabal, Karl Templer and others in top positions in the fashion industry. With explosive testimonies from models Abbey Lee, RJ King, Myla Dalbesio, Chloe Hayward and many others the damning story paints a picture of a broken industry where those in power regularly abused subordinates and those who were aware stood idly by. According to the report, at least 7 women have come out against Demarchelier claiming the famed French photographer gave unwanted sexual advances from vulgar propositions to a teenaged model to grabbing another’s breasts to “thrusting a model’s hands onto her genitals”. All Demarchelier accusers spoke anonymously afraid of the repercussions against his powerful clout.
On Feb. 2, Demarchelier told a Spotlight reporter he still worked for Conde Nast — “I shoot for everybody,” he said — even though the company told the Globe that in December it had “stepped back from commissioning any new work with Patrick.” On Feb. 10, Conde Nast said in a statement: “We have informed Patrick we will not be working with him for the foreseeable future.”
Take a look at model’s testimonies below.
UPDATE: Stylist Karl Templer has released a full statement addressing the allegations in the Boston Globe report. Read an excerpt below and more on Business of Fashion.
…If I’ve ever inadvertently treated a model disrespectfully or without due care on a job, I’m truly sorry. My work as a stylist includes adjusting clothes on a model. If I have ever made adjustments too quickly or brusquely, and my conduct was misunderstood, then I sincerely apologise. But I categorically deny ever acting with any wrongful intent. That suggestion is untrue. Over nearly thirty years, working with thousands of models, always in public settings, I have never engaged in (and it has never before been suggested that I have engaged in) inappropriate behaviour of any kind with models. A stylist’s movement of clothes multiple times — over three decades and possibly tens of thousands of interactions — is not the same as sexual predation or sexual harassment or touching with the intent of self gratification.
The Boston Globe reports that three models, speaking anonymously, have alleged that I yanked at a model’s underwear and shorts, touched a model’s crotch and touched a model’s breast, all while adjusting clothes for a picture, and that this “crossed the line of professionalism.”
It’s impossible for me to defend myself as I’ve been given no information to which I can respond. I understand the Globe’s policy but, in this matter, how can I prove myself when I have been refused dates (even approximate years) or locations, which would have given me the chance to offer other witnesses to give their perspective. I haven’t been told whether this was supposed to have happened 25 years ago or ten or five or last year. That makes it almost impossible for me to clear my name, as I find myself judged and publicly shamed.
