Photographers Mario Testino & Bruce Weber Accused Of Sexually Harassing Men
Photographers and Vogue contributors, Mario Testino and Bruce Weber, have been accused of sexually harassing male models under the nose of editor in chief Anna Wintour.
According to The New York Times, Mario (who recently shot Vogue’s February cover featuring Serena Williams) allegedly groped and made unwelcome passes to at least 13 models and assistants.
“A sexual predator,” model Ryan Locke told the Times of Mario. “I’m the girl and you’re the boy,” Ryan said Mario announced during an ad campaign shoot for Gucci — first ordering everyone else off the set and then crawling on top of Locke, who’d been asked to pose atop a bed.
Another male model said Bruce Weber demanded they join him in private “energy exercises” involving sexual touching. He even interrupted one Miami shoot for Vogue Hommes International to invite model Josh Ardolf, then 20, into a private room for one such exercise. Josh told the Times that Bruce photographed him nude and “forced his hand right on my genitals.”
Wintour responded quickly with a statement on Vogue.com that described Testino and Weber as “personal friends,” while insisting, “I take the allegations very seriously.” She announced a new international “Code of Conduct” for contributors to all publications of Vogue’s parent company, Conde Nast. For example:
“Alcohol will no longer be permitted on Conde Nast sets,” the rules state. “Recreational drugs are not permitted,” and any shoot involving nudity, skimpy clothing or sexual poses “must be approved in advance by the subject.”