In another sign that the #MeToo movement is having a tangible impact, models walking the runways of New York Fashion Week will now have private changing spaces backstage. Until now, models were expected to strip in front of total strangers–many of whom had cameras–before getting rushed out in their next outfit. Models had to accept that public nudity was just part of the job.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has teamed up with a newly formed model advocacy group called the Model Alliance to create these new changing spaces. The two groups are currently working with the event organizers at IMG Fashion and Pier 59 Studios to make these spaces happen.
A statement by the alliance said it was responding to models who raised concerns about “invasive photography and lack of privacy.” It’s also part of a broader movement in the fashion industry to protect models from sexual harassment.
In recent months, photographers Terry Richardson and Bruce Weber have been accused of sexual misconduct toward models they worked with. In response, Condé Nast International has issued a new code of conduct for how photographers must behave when working with the company’s brands, which include Vogue, Vanity Fair, and the New Yorker.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
