Anna Wintour releases Mario Testino statement
Anna Wintour has released a statement in response to sexual misconduct allegations made against Mario Testino, referring to the stories as "hard to hear" and "heartbreaking".
The New York Times published an in-depth investigation featuring first-person accounts from several models accusing Testino and fellow photographer Bruce Weber of abuse of power and sexual harassment - accusations which they have both either challenged or denied.
Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue and artistic director of Condé Nast - which has a long history of working with both photographers - published a personal response to the stories on Vogue.com.
"The past several months have been an extraordinary time of reckoning and change, and I, like so many others, have been astonished by the courage of those who have come forward to tell stories of sexual misconduct," she begins. "Abuse of power has gone on for too long in so many places - including in Washington, in Hollywood, in broadcasting, journalism, Silicon Valley, and last but not least, in fashion, where many young women and men have spoken up about manipulation and coercion on go-sees, on shoots, and in other working environments."
She goes on to state that Condé Nast is responding accordingly, across all its international brands, by implementing a new Code of Conduct, with the goal of creating "safe and positive environments" for everyone they work with. These rules include ensuring that all models are over 18, banning alcohol from sets and having shoots that involve nudity or sexually suggestive poses being approved by the subject in advance.
"Even as we stand with victims of abuse and misconduct, we must also hold a mirror up to ourselves - and ask if we are doing our utmost to protect those we work with so that unacceptable conduct never happens on our watch," said Wintour. "Sometimes that means addressing the fact that such behaviour can occur close to home.
"Today, allegations have been made against Bruce Weber and Mario Testino, stories that have been hard to hear and heartbreaking to confront. Both are personal friends of mine who have made extraordinary contributions to Vogue and many other titles at Condé Nast over the years, and both have issued objections or denials to what has emerged.
"I believe strongly in the value of remorse and forgiveness, but I take the allegations very seriously, and we at Condé Nast have decided to put our working relationship with both photographers on hold for the foreseeable future."
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