Male models are “the least respected and most disposable,” said the former model Trish Goff. In fashion, young men are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Testino, challenged the characters and credibility of people who complained of harassment, and also wrote that it had spoken to several former employees who were “shocked by the allegations” and that those employees “could not confirm any of the claims.” Lavely & Singer, a law firm that represents Mr. Weber said in a statement from his lawyer. “I’m completely shocked and saddened by the outrageous claims being made against me, which I absolutely deny,” Mr. Representatives for both photographers said they were dismayed and surprised by the allegations. In accounts going back to the mid-1990s, 13 male assistants and models who have worked with the photographer Mario Testino, a favorite of the English royal family and Vogue, told The Times that he subjected them to sexual advances that in some cases included groping and masturbation. “We never had sex or anything, but a lot of things happened. “I remember him putting his fingers in my mouth, and him grabbing my privates,” said the model Robyn Sinclair. Weber, moving their hands wherever they felt their “energy.” Often, Mr. Models were asked to breathe and to touch both themselves and Mr. Weber in which he asked them to undress and led them through breathing and “energy” exercises.

The men recalled, with remarkable consistency, private sessions with Mr.

The experience, once seen as the price models had to pay for their careers, is now being called something else: abuse of power and sexual harassment.įifteen current and former male models who worked with Bruce Weber, whose racy advertisements for companies like Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch helped turn him into one of the foremost commercial and fine art photographers, have described to The New York Times a pattern of what they said was unnecessary nudity and coercive sexual behavior, often during photo shoots. This has allowed prominent photographers to cross the line with impunity for decades, sexually exploiting models and assistants. In the industry, boundaries between the acceptable and the unacceptable treatment of models have been etched in shades of gray. The job requirements often include nudity and feigning seduction provocation is a lever for sales. For a fashion model, success is the ability to incite desire.

Mario testino photo