On Tuesday, just two days before New York Fashion Week officially begins, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, in partnership with the Model Alliance, has announced that for the first time ever, models will have a private area to change at the shows.
If you go backstage during NYFW, you might find any number of people — members of the press, show runners, PR reps, photographers, and more — milling about as models strip down and change into their show outfits. In the many years that NYFW has been going on, models simply have had to get dressed in front of everyone as if it were no big deal.
'Models have raised concerns about invasive photography and lack of privacy while changing clothes backstage at New York Fashion Week,' Model Alliance founder Sara Ziff said in a statement. 'The Model Alliance takes these concerns seriously, and we decided to take additional steps this season to ensure a safe and respectful work environment by providing private changing areas backstage.'
The CFDA and the Model Alliance have worked with IMG and Pier59 Studios, which hosts many of the runway events during NYFW, to build these spaces. Right now, it's unclear what the areas will look like and whether or not they'll be limited just to the shows at Pier59 — or if they'll be a fixture at every official show, although all participants have been encouraged to comply.
What is clear: These concerns, and other issues surrounding sexual harassment and safety, are now the focus of the fashion industry in America. In an open letter dated Feb. 1, CFDA chairwoman Diane von Furstenberg wrote, 'The current climate has been marked by brave women and men and their revelations about an unacceptable culture in politics, sports, and entertainment, as well as in fashion.' The statement outlines the three main focuses — health, safety, and diversity — of an evolved initiative to ensure the standards in the fashion industry in America are up to date:
HEALTH
Designers have a responsibility to protect the wellbeing of women and especially young girls in our business, and to send the message that health is always in style.
SAFETY
We have zero tolerance for unsafe environments and strongly encourage everyone in our industry to report abuse in the workplace.
DIVERSITY
America is a beautifully diverse country, and our industry should champion this on runways, within companies, and in every aspect of fashion.
In addition, the CFDA has provided a clear outline for what sexual harassment means to them, per the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:
What is sexual harassment? The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has defined sexual harassment in its guidelines as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
1. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment, or
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting the individual, or
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
Sexual assault is a crime. Sexual assault is any involuntary sexual act in which a person is threatened, coerced, or forced to engage against their will. If you feel that you were a victim of sexual assault, we urge you to file a police report.
We encourage any model who feels they have been the subject of unwanted sexual attention on the job to contact The Model Alliance at support@modelalliance.org.
A step in the right direction.
