@modelallianceny

Fashion's darkest secret has been exposed, and its survivors need to be heard. A co-production from @Guardian and @wonderhoodstudios, Scouting For Girls: Fashion’s Darkest Secret reveals exploitation and abuse within the fashion industry. Starts June 24th on @skytv in the UK. International release coming soon. The Model Alliance is proud to be a part of this production, and we’re grateful to the survivors and the entire documentary team for bringing these issues to light. Together, we can work towards meaningful solutions to address and prevent abuse in the fashion industry. #FashionWorkersAct #Time4RESPECT

As we reflect on this year’s legislative session, the Model Alliance has a lot to be proud of. We’re so grateful to the lawmakers, allied organizations, and members of our community who’ve made these victories possible. We’re all workers, and together we can create a safer, more equitable fashion industry. #AdultSurvivorsAct #FashionWorkersAct #PassFabricAct

“Fashion is one of New York's most important industries […] and yet the creative workforce behind the industry's success are not afforded basic labor protections in New York. The Fashion Workers Act changes that," Senator @bradhoylman told @roxierobinsonlic @fashionnetworkcom. The #FashionWorkersAct would establish basic labor protections that most other workers take for granted, like payment within 45 days of doing a job and transparency into earnings. Management companies should not be exempt from acting in their models’ and creative artists’ interest, but currently they escape regulation. Read more via the link in our story.

“On the surface, acting and modeling have a nearly identical business structure: Agencies book gigs on your behalf as talent,” said model-turned-actor @caitrionabalfe today in her op-ed @hollywoodreporter. “Why, then, do these two industries have totally different responsibilities to their creative workforces?” Balfe explains why fashion workers are uniquely vulnerable, and how the #FashionWorkersAct would correct this system of injustice. Visit the link in our story to read her full piece. Thank you, Caitriona, for your support!

ICYMI: Last Friday, Amazon Labor Union President @chris.smalls_ stood with the Model Alliance in support of the #FashionWorkersAct, which would regulate predatory management companies that currently operate without oversight. Fashion workers deserve transparency, fairness & basic respect, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has joined our fight. Video: @eek.media

“We’re not going to keep allowing this system to exploit us until we get what we rightfully deserve. That is transparency, that is equity,” @chris.smalls_ @rfeitelberg @wwd “They owe us respect, money and dignity. And they damn sure owe us our fair share.” We’re so excited to have the support of labor (and fashion) icon Chris Smalls in our fight for the Fashion Workers Act, which would create protections for fashion’s creative workforce. Visit the link in our stories to read the full piece.

Thank you to @chris.smalls_ for supporting the #FashionWorkersAct and standing with us in front of @nextmodels! As Chris said, it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, whether it’s Amazon or the runway, we all deserve our fair share. Let’s pass the #FashionWorkersAct now! Thank you to our bill sponsor @bradhoylman and @yuhline_niou @nickbarose @madisynritland @tonykimstudios @kajasokola & @alex.shanklin for your powerful words & to everyone who came out to support. Photos: @jakavinsek

Join us and @chris.smalls_ to rally for the Fashion Workers Act!

TOMORROW! Join us in rallying with Amazon Labor Union President @chris.smalls_ for the #FashionWorkersAct. RSVP at the link in our bio to receive full details. See you there!

“I know there’s not a lot of sympathy for models because it’s kind of like the ‘poor-little-rich-girl’ kind of syndrome… but if you look closer, it’s just a bunch of really, really young girls,” said L’Oreal Global Ambassador @nidhisunil @theindypendent. “Most models that I know come from small towns. A lot of them are here trying to work and send back money and things like that. A lot of them feel like they just have to put up with whatever is given to them and make it work somehow, as opposed to asking for basic labor rights and basic human rights.” With the Fashion Workers Act, we’re flipping the script and putting the power back into the hands of the workers who make the fashion industry run. Thank you, Nidhi, for your advocacy! Visit the link in our stories to read the full piece.

@GovKathyHochul has signed the #AdultSurvivorsAct into law! Over the past three years, we’ve been fighting for a pathway to healing for survivors as well as necessary accountability for the fashion industry at large. Some of the most high profile villains that the #metoo movement unmasked -- like Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein -- preyed on models; a uniquely vulnerable workforce due to the predatory labor structure that leaves young women and girls trapped in a cycle of debt and dependence. Now, survivors who were abused in New York at age 18 & up will have a one-year window to seek justice in civil court no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. The Model Alliance is so proud of our fellow advocates and survivors who fought to make this day a reality, and we are grateful to Governor Hochul for her swift action.

IT’S HAPPENING! After passing the New York State Senate, the State Assembly is set to pass #AdultSurvivorsAct, and @govkathyhochul says she will sign the bill into law. The Adult Survivors Act would give survivors assaulted when they were an adult and who are barred by unfair statute of limitations an opportunity to seek civil justice in the courts. Thank you to every survivor who shared their story, time and time again, in pursuit of fairness and justice. This historic moment belongs to you. We’re grateful to our incredible sponsors, @bradhoylman and @lindabrosenthal_67, to @cheastie and @nysa_majority, and to our coalition partners and friends @safehorizon for bringing the Adult Survivors Act to the finish line. Finally, a special thank you to Model Alliance member and survivor-advocate @ambrabgutierrez, who has been with us since the beginning, sharing her story of abuse by Harvey Weinstein in pursuit of justice not only for herself, but for others. Ambra, we’re eternally grateful for your leadership.