Famed photographer Mario Testino accused of sexual harassment

Peruvian-born photographer Mario Testino has photographed dozens of campaigns for big fashion houses in a career spanning four decades.

Peruvian photographer Mario Testino.

Peruvian photographer Mario Testino. Source: EPA

Veteran photographer Mario Testino - a global icon in celebrity and fashion photography - was accused of sexual harassment by 13 people Saturday.

Fashion photographer Bruce Weber - already sued over harassment claims in December by model Jason Boyce - was also implicated in a New York Times article on allegations against both photographers.

The allegations are the latest in a deluge of accusations concerning influential figures in entertainment, media, fashion and politics, sparked by revelations about long-time film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Peruvian-born Testino, 63, has photographed dozens of campaigns for big fashion houses and seen his work published in the likes of Vogue magazine over his career, which has spanned four decades.

His photograph of tennis player Serena Williams and her baby daughter appears on Vogue's February edition, unveiled this week - while his other works include the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's engagement photo and a series of images of Princess Diana in 1997 published in Vanity Fair.
Several models and ex-assistants of Testino accuse him of making increasingly aggressive sexual advances.

"He was a sexual predator," said Ryan Locke, a supermodel in the late 1990s. 

Locke alleged that during a photo shoot on a bed, Testino asked his team to leave the room and then climbed onto the bed on top of him.

"I'm the girl, you're the boy," the photographer allegedly told the model, who said he walked out of the room.

A former photography assistant, Hugo Tillman, recalled a similar experience - while another, Roman Barrett, accused Testino of rubbing up his leg and masturbating in front of him.

"Sexual harassment was a constant reality," he said.

Mario Testino did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

For the same New York Times article, 15 current or retired male models also accused Bruce Weber of sexual harassment. Weber also did not respond to a request for comment.

Conde Nast bans Testino, Weber

Conde Nast - publisher of glossy magazines including Vogue - said it would stop working with the two photographers.

"We are deeply disturbed by these accusations and take this very seriously," CEO Bob Sauerberg and Vogue editor Anna Wintour said in a joint statement.

"In light of these allegations, we will not be commissioning any new work with Bruce Weber or Mario Testino for the foreseeable future," they added.

The company also announced it had begun to formulate a code of conduct to protect models from sexual harassment in October, according to the Times.

The newspaper reported the guidelines include a ban on under-18 models and alcohol on sets - and recommend that models are not left alone with photographers or other team members. 

Nudity or poses of a "sexually suggestive" nature will be detailed and agreed upon before a shoot. 

In October, several magazines and fashion houses also said they would no longer work with fashion photographer Terry Richardson after he too was accused of harassing models, following years of rumors about his behavior.


Share
3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AFP, SBS


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world