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Terry Richardson is fashion’s persona non grata

Conde Nast International is the latest party to stop working with the Harvey Weinstein of fashion

Much like disgraced film executive Harvey Weinstein’s exile from Hollywood, the fashion industry has been spurred into action against fashion photographer Terry Richardson, whose alleged sexual misconduct has similarly long been an open secret.

A leaked email from Condé Nast International's executive vice president and chief operating officer James Woolhouse has explicitly sought to terminate the company’s working relationship with the photographer. The email read: “Condé Nast would like to no longer work with the photographer Terry Richardson. Any shoots that have been commission[ed] or any shoots that have been completed but not yet published, should be killed and substituted with other material. Please could you confirm that this policy will be actioned in your market effective immediately.”

As the publisher of just about every major fashion title including (but certainly not limited to) Vogue, GQ, W, Vanity Fair, Glamour and Allure, the email is a significant move that follows in the footsteps of #MeToo and the aftermath of Weinsteingate. Whilst Vogue US unofficially ended its working relationship with the controversial photographer in 2014, the email’s contents effectively institute a company wide ban, preventing Richardson from working with one of fashion’s biggest publishers.

Bella Hadid photographed by Terry Richardson for Bulgari (who have now vowed to not work with him again. RIP Tez.) Credit: Instagram @terryrichardson

Known for his sexual imagery, the photographer responded through a representative that he was "disappointed" by the blacklisting, additionally claiming that Richardson is “an artist who has been known for his sexually explicit work so many of his professional interactions with subjects were sexual and explicit in nature but all of the subjects of his work participated consensually.” 

Following the publisher’s ban, luxury labels Valentino and Bulgari also announced the cessation of their working relationships with Richardson. The photographer had as recently as July 2017 shot Valentino’s Resort 2018 campaign, and had photographed Bulgari’s Autumn 2017 collection. This round of announcements from major fashion players blacklisting the photographer follows the pledges by H&M, ALDO and Target (US) in 2014 to stop working with him.

This is despite over a decade’s worth of allegations from models recounting the photographer’s misconduct both on set and in other locations. Top models such as Coco Rocha have in the past vowed to never again work with Richardson after their experiences with him.

Although no new allegations against Richardson have been revealed either before or after Conde Nast's announcement, there's no denying that the uncovering of Weinstein's systemic misconduct traversing the worlds of both film and fashion was a watershed moment. We can only hope this moment endures. 

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Cultural Picks #1

1. JAY-Z: 4:44

With Jay’s last newsworthy moment being his name dragged over every media platform over cheating on Beyonce (and by extension, the #beyhive), the drop of his thirteenth album, 4:44, is all the more important. This was a rare project from an artist who’s taken a backseat in the industry, preferring to appear courtside at Brooklyn Nets games and in Tidal promos. The businessman turned a business, man, and this week had an opportunity to speak for himself through what he knows best: his music.

And boy does he do it well. In a Hip Hop world where Kendrick Lamar stands as the voice of his generation, the industry has missed the voice of an older head. No-ID, who produced the entire album, makes the best out of Nina Simone samples that haven’t already been iconically used by Kanye West.

The first two tracks say it all. Kill Jay-Z’s ego, address the Solange elevator incident, address the Beyonce cheating via men who’ve cheated Ciara and Halle Berry, address the voice that he still has in the culture. 

And now onto the second track. Onto what the music is about. This is an album about how Black America can progress in an unjust system through supporting black businesses, through financial stability. Sound boring? Not with Jay-Z’s humour, his delivery, his word-play. 

 (You wanna know what’s more important than throwin’ away money at a strip club? Credit.)

The next line, playing on Jewish stereotypes,  was seen as problematic. This is a Jay-Z concerned about collective survival, collective success.

“You ever wonder why Jewish people own all the property in America? This how they did it”

This is an album about responsibility. Personal and Collective.

“Financial Freedom my only hope”.

Best tracks: Kill Jay Z, The Story of O.J, Family Feud (feat. Beyonce), Legacy

2. Rob Kardashian and Black Chyna

Seriously, what the fuck is going on. We all knew this was going to end terribly. For those out of the loop:

Act 1: Rob Kardashian is the fourth member of Destiny’s Child. Yes, there was a fourth member of Destiny’s Child. He’s someone who’s had his own very public struggles with depression and his weight. It’s a public nature that unfortunately comes with that last name and the Machiavellian matriarch Kris Jenner. 

In swoops Black Chyna, a former stripper who has her own connections with the Kardashian clan via being the baby momma of Tyga, Kylie Jenner’s ex. 

Rob and Chyna ‘fall in love’, they get married. The other Kardashians get upset about it because they all know what’s coming. Rob gives no fucks. We begin to believe that maybe they’re an odd couple who have genuinely found love and redemption. 

In Act 2, it all falls to pieces as Rob and Chyna cheat on each other. Rob continues buying Chyna everything under the sun in an attempt to bring her back, whilst Chyna sends him videos of herself in bed with other men. 

In Act 2.5, Rob posts all of this–including her nudes–on Instagram, which as we all know, is a dick move. Kris Jenner tells him to stop. He says no. The Instagram powers that be suspend his account. Apart from this being a really shitty way of dealing with a really shitty situation, he’s now going to be sued over revenge porn laws. 

In Act 2.75, keep your eyes peeled for more of Black Chyna and her lawyer on nationwide morning television.

By the time we reach Act 3, we can expect a huge out of court settlement, some intriguing (but probably staged) Keeping Up with the Kardashians episodes and Rob and Chyna’s child caught in the middle of it all.

It’s a sad situation. Everybody knew that Chyna was taking advantage of a sad soul with a rich name. And Rob has somehow still ended up with less sympathy than he began this whole ordeal with.

3. HAIM - Something To Tell You

HAIM have somehow managed to make a second album with a sound similar to their first that still sounds fresh. It’s an album with more lyrical maturity than their ridiculously catchy debut. 

Expect Migos levels of discussion over who the most important HAIM sister is. Will Danielle Haim reach Quavo levels of featuring on literally every pop song from every forgotten One Direction member? Is Este Haim the Takeoff of HAIM– underappreciated but central? Will any of them be left off a hit record for a Lil Uzi feature? Find out next episode on Dragon Ball Z.

Check out their dorky white dance moves that manage to come off.