Faces of Fashion panel exposes fashion professional faults

Modeling agencies disperse overcrowded and overpriced model apartments around the world for the so-called convenience of clients working abroad. One of these New Jersey apartments included 10 bunk beds and a bathroom at $ 1,800 a month with the luxury amenities of flying and a constant influx of foreigners.

They know we don't have the money to stay in these cities, said model Shivani Persad. We are indebted to our agencies.

On Monday afternoon, the Columbia University Fashion Society and the Middle Eastern Law Students Association co-organized a panel at the Faculty of Law on the Protection of Model Rights entitled The Faces of Fashion: a Discussion around Models Rights. The four panelists included Founder and Executive Director of the Model Alliance Sara Ziff, GS 11, alongside Shivani Persad, Ava Smith and Nathalia Novaes, who are members of the Alliance's Board of Directors.

Founded in February 2012, Model Alliance is a non-profit organization that has successfully lobbied for legal protections like the Child Model Act in New York State. Beyond advocating for legislation, the Model Alliance launched the RESPECT program, a potential action plan for modeling agencies, as well as for other companies in the fashion industry. . The proposed measures include increased transparency regarding model rights and the creation of an independent harassment complaint system.

No company will join the RESPECT program with kindness, Ziff said. Instead, she emphasized the real incentive for companies to join: self-interest. She went on to say that the motivation came largely from preventing #MeToo charges because of the financial cost associated with them, rather than the human costs.

For Novaes, modeling has taken a heavy physical toll. She described widespread eating disorders as symptomatic of a work environment where employees do not feel ownership of their bodies. To make matters worse, some modeling agencies have used their visa sponsor positions to force young women to lose weight.

We are dealing with a human rights issue here, said Novaes.

Persad also described the emotional toll of racism and colorism deeply rooted in the fashion industry. She recounted the photographers' preference for the features of the Caucasus, as well as her own possibility of marketing as a model to respect an ethnic quota. She said unregulated working conditions only exacerbate racial and gender-based harassment.

Yes, our jobs are based on our appearance, said Persad. But when does it become discriminatory?

According to Smith, a sort of vacuum exists around the legal protections available for models. There is no consensus as to whether they should be classified as entrepreneurs or freelance workers, which has also been a major obstacle to unionization. This lack of clear case law is part of the legislative loophole responsible for the prosecution of workers' rights violations. It is with the RESPECT program that the panellists finally hope to fill this gap.

It is important for the public to recognize that (the models) are actually very vulnerable, said Smith. Hopefully, as public perception changes, companies will be more compelled to start addressing this problem.

However, the models are just the visible sides of exploitation within the fashion industry. The panel ended with the discussion of solidarity in the face of industry-wide abuse.

Its built on the backs of women and girls, but not just the ones you see, said Persad. In other words, the fight for legislative protections must also include those who escape the public eye, such as garment workers.

In closing, Smith stressed that cooperation is necessary at all levels of the industry in order to influence change.

Weve found great success in partnering with organizations along the supply chain. Because, again, fashion doesn't just start on the pages of magazines. It starts in many of these factories, we share common problems from factory to track.

Editor Sophie Craig can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow Spectator on Twitter @ColumbiaSpec.