Exclusive: Terry Richardson banned from working with Vogue and other leading mags, leaked email shows

Kate Moss and Terry Richardson attending the Mango fashion show at the Centre Pompidou modern art museum in Paris, France
Kate Moss and Terry Richardson attending the Mango fashion show at the Centre Pompidou modern art museum in Paris, France Credit: Orban Thierry/ABACA/Press Association

Terry Richardson, the fashion photographer, has been barred from working with some of the world’s bestselling magazines, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

An email circulated within the media group Condé Nast International on Monday and seen by this newspaper announced that the company would no longer work with him.

Staff were told that any work already commissioned from Mr Richardson but not yet published should be “killed or substituted with other material”.

The company publishes international editions of leading fashion magazines such as Vogue, GQ and Glamour as well as other well-known titles including Vanity Fair and Wired.

Mr Richardson, whose photographs often grace the covers of fashion magazines and are known in the industry for being sexually explicit, has been dogged for years by allegations of sexual exploitation of models, something he has always denied.

At the weekend, a UK newspaper asked why the 52-year-old was still being “feted by fashionistas” in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein revelations.

Mr Richardson’s contract arrangements had been in dispute for some time with Condé Nast International, but within 24 hours of the article appearing an email was circulated telling staff not to work with him.

The message was sent by James Woolhouse, the company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, to “country presidents” at the firm at 8.14am on Monday.

Model Enriko Mihalik and photographer Terry Richardson pose during the creation of the new 2010 Pirelli calendar
Model Enriko Mihalik and photographer Terry Richardson pose during the creation of the new 2010 Pirelli calendar Credit: Pirelli via Getty Images

Mr Woolhouse wrote: “I am writing to you on an important matter. 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. Thank you for your support in this matter.”

Condé Nast International was approached repeatedly for comment but declined to respond.

Allegations over Mr Richardson’s conduct have resurfaced and made headlines in recent days, though no fresh claims have been made.

The New York-based photographer has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus, who got Mr Richardson to direct a controversial music video for her song Wrecking Ball in 2013, in which she appeared naked. She later said she regretted the shoot.

Mr Richardson has often appeared in his own photographs. The Sunday Times published a 1,100-word article this weekend questioning the fashion industry’s continued use of Mr Richardson.

It noted Mr Richardson was recently photographed arm-in-arm with Edward Enninful, the editor of British Vogue, and attended shows at New York’s fashion week last month.

On Friday, a letter from Mr Richardson published on the Huffington Post website addressed the “rumours” over his conduct circulating in recent days.

It said: “I collaborated with consenting adult women who were fully aware of the nature of the work, and as is typical with any project, everyone signed releases.

“I have never used an offer of work or a threat of rebuke to coerce someone into something that they did not want to do.

Terry Richardson and guest attend the Jeremy Scott Fashion Show during New York Fashion Week at Spring Studios on September 8, 2017
Terry Richardson and guest attend the Jeremy Scott Fashion Show during New York Fashion Week at Spring Studios on September 8, 2017 Credit: Ben Gabbe/Getty Images

“I give everyone that I work with enough respect to view them as having ownership of their free will and making their decisions accordingly, and as such, it has been difficult to see myself as a target of revisionist history.”

The spotlight fell on the modelling industry in the wake of allegations that came to light against Mr Weinstein, the Hollywood mogul.

Mr Weinstein is facing allegations of sexual  assault and harassment from more than 40 women, including Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow. Christy Turlington, the model, said last week that harassment of photographic models was widely tolerated in the industry.

“The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experienced at some point in our careers,” she said.

“I feel fortunate that I did not personally experience anything traumatic, but also know that is not the norm.”

Cameron Russell, the former model, has also been using her Instagram page to share anonymous stories of harassment in the industry in recent days.

She wrote: “Hearing about Harvey Weinstein this week has sparked conversations about how widespread and how familiar his behaviour is.”

Ms Russell urged people to post their experiences with the hashtag #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse “so the industry can see the size and scope of this problem”.

Mr Richardson’s spokesman declined to comment. 

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