THE CHARTER ON THE WORKING RELATIONS WITH FASHION MODELS AND THEIR WELL-BEING
Our groups strongly believe that it is our ethical and social responsibility to ensure the well-being of all models working with our Houses. This belief echoes our strong commitment to human rights, respect for diversity, and gender equality. Therefore, after consulting industry professionals, we have jointly developed guidelines, which go beyond the legal requirements, in order to ensure that fashion models are always provided with proper working conditions. We hope to see the whole fashion industry follow suit. We are putting a monitoring committee in place whose role will be to ensure that all of the following guidelines are implemented effectively. These are the standards we are implementing in order to guarantee the well-being of the models with whom we work:
Working conditions
The law must be complied with in any aspect of a contract between a brand, an agency and a model
Models must be treated with respect and professionalism. They must never be exposed to any dangerous, embarrassing or degrading activities.
Health and Care
The brands commit to working solely with models who are able to present a valid medical certificate, provided by the agencies and obtained less than six months before the shooting or the fashion show, attesting to their good health and ability to work
The brands commit to ban size 32 for women and size 42 for men (French measurement) from their casting requirements, and will thereby require casting agencies to present women and men models who are respectively size 34 or over, and 44 or over
The brands agree to put a dedicated psychologist/therapist at the models’ disposal during their working time
Nudity and appearance
Models must explicitly accept changes in appearance, nudity or semi-nudity
In case of nudity or semi-nudity during a shooting or whilst getting dressed after or before a show, the model will never be alone with a person linked to the production or a photographer
Models must have access to a dedicated model zone/ private space during shootings or fashion shows, especially when they are held outside, in order to allow them to change in a dignified manner (out of sight of people who do not belong to the production or to the brand). The brands may provide bathrobes in order to preserve privacy, as far as possible, before and after wardrobe changes — A comfortable temperature should be maintained to safeguard the model’s health in the case of nudity or semi-nudity
Food and drinks
Models must have access to food and drinks that comply with dietary requirements
The brands shall provide models with useful information to maintain a healthy diet throughout the working day — Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the workplace at all times, unless exceptional authorization has been given by the brand (e.g. after-show cocktail). Strong alcohols are forbidden
Transportation and accommodation
The brands must require the agencies to provide models with a level of accommodation that ensures her/his well-being — After 8pm, brands must provide transportation for models to return to their place of residence
Hours and compensation
The model’s hours must be monitored and comply with local law
Agencies and brands must coordinate to ensure legal requirements, with regards to time-off, are met — Specific negotiations must be carried out with the agencies if the “call time” exceeds 4 hours before the show — The brands must require the agencies to ensure that the contract with the models (or his/her agency) enables her/him to be paid within the timeframe required by law
Young models
The brands must not hire models under the age of 16 to participate in shows and shootings representing an adult — Models between 16 and 18 years old are not allowed to work between 10pm and 6am
Nudity or semi-nudity for models under 18 is only allowed through an agreement signed by both the model and her/his legal representative
The presence of a chaperon/guardian appointed by their agencies, and who can also be one of the model’s parents, is mandatory for models from 16 to 18 years of age — Any model under the age of 18 must be housed in the same accommodation as her/his chaperon/guardian — The brands must require agencies to ensure that models meet their school attendance obligations