The Dark Side of the Fashion Industry

Ask a 15-year old girl what she wants to be when it grows up and the answer will often be “A supermodel!” Thanks to images in the media, the world of high-fashion is believed to be something prestigious, glamorous and the childhood dream of many young girls. But the reality is often less like a dream come true and more like a living nightmare. We take a look behind the facade of cameras, catwalks, smiles and designer clothes, to the seedy underground crawling with sexual, financial and emotional abuse.

…there was a teenage girl who fell in love with everything about fashion. She watches every single fashion show, has all issues of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle, and knows everything about every fashion brand and top designer. She’s dreaming of being a famous model and strutting her stuff on the catwalks. But then she makes her way to the agency, and the fairytale ends here as reality starts to creep in.

Finding the right agency can also be mission impossible. Scam modelling agencies trick models into paying to have their profiles hosted. Generally these companies do not have any contacts and aspiring models will not be contacted by any agencies/casting directors. No reputable agency will charge models money to register, to be signed or to attend castings. If you come across this request, walk away.

These are actual words spoken by fashion photographer Terry Richardson, who concludes the charming phrase with “I don’t have a hole in my jeans for nothing”. The ‘artist’ made headlines when Danish model Rie Rasmussen accused him of sexual exploitation. Rasmussen explained to the New York Post that, “He takes girls who are young, manipulates them to take their clothes off and takes pictures of them they will be ashamed of. They are too afraid to say no because their agency booked them on the job and they are too young to stand up for themselves.” The list of models who have levelled claims of sexual harassment and assault against the photographer who has worked with some of the biggest brands in the industry, is damning. Models like Jamie Peck, Liskula Cohen and Sena Cech have also spoken out about being coerced into sexual acts by the photographer. Historical lawsuits against Richardson dating from as far back as 2005 have also come to light— showing that this is nothing new and has been swept under the carpet for years.

The pressure to look good and work all hours of the day and night in an industry based on beauty and social interaction means that many turn to drugs to cope. Smoking to lose weight, cocaine and ecstasy to stay awake, or Valium, Xanax or alcohol to calm down. One of the most successful French models Victoire Dauxerre (booked for powerhouses such as Dior and Chanel) was just 18 when she started crumbling under the pressure. In eight months the Parisienne had dropped from a size 8 to a size 2. In an interview with The Independent Dauxerre said, “They never tell you that you have to lose weight. They encourage you by calling you a professional when you are thinner. They want you down to the bone.” The desire to meet the standards of the modelling industry had turned into a full-blown eating disorder and she was surviving on just apples, liquids, and daily laxatives and enemas to keep her weight down at a mere 7 stone. Her hair was brittle and falling out, her periods had stopped; she was hallucinating and passing out. Her body was akin to that of a 70-year-old. Her horror didn’t stop there. 8 months later Dauxerre tried to kill herself. Her battle with anorexia, alongside her struggle to cope with the pressures of the modelling world, had become too much. She woke up in a hospital and was admitted to a rehabilitation clinic for three months. Six years later the ex-model wrote book, entitled “Size Zero”, telling of her experiences. "It is the book I would have loved to read before I signed modelling contracts," she says. "I had no idea what it would be like. Now I want to protect girls who want to model, because it can be really dangerous."

Silence may be golden, but talking is precious and can save lives. Unless models like Rasmussen, Cech and Dauxerre continue to speak out about their experiences, the fashion world will remain a dark and dangerous place. But there is a ray of hope. The tide is changing as more and more models and others in the entertainment industry come forward to expose the inequalities, abuse and sexual harassment.

The #MeToo movement started in October 2017 as a hashtag used on Twitter by American actress Alyssa Milano and spread virally. It encouraged victims of sexual harassment to tweet about their experiences using the hashtag in order to show the real magnitude of the problem for women, not just in the entertainment business but in every walk of life. Similar movements focusing on the fashion industry have also exploded onto social media. One such example is from American model Cameron Russell who shared screenshots on her Instagram feed of anonymous models’ accounts of sexual assaults. To date, she has more than 70 such stories on her page.

The old paths have to be destroyed in order to make way for new standards, and that is what these brave women are doing. They are not the only ones. Organisations such as the World Modelling Convention are advocating change. The World Modelling Convention aims to shine the light on the ugly side of the industry and instigate change from the ground up. By only inviting reputable modelling agencies, vetting all professional attendees, and providing an educational programme for models on contacts, legal rights, and health the event gives non professional models the tools they need to succeed and protect themselves. Equity is another organisation fighting the good fight. Equity, who now also represents models, has instigated a campaign declaring that no one should be made to feel unsafe in their workplace. “Safe Spaces” highlights the need for a culture shift, and encourages members to challenge and report inappropriate behavior. There is even a Harassment Helpline, which members can ring to report incidents or concerns.