Modeugen er i gang i Paris, men tidligt på ugen, stjal modelbooker James Scully opmærksomheden med en kontroversiel udtalelse. Scully posted nemlig på Instagram at flere piger havde udtalt sig om deres ubehagelige oplevelser til castingen op til Balenciagas show, som blev varetaget af bookerne Maida Gregori Boina og Rami Fernandes.

150 piger blev efter sigende efterladt på trappen op til lokalerne, hvor castingen fandt sted, for da Boina og Fernandes gik til frokost, slukkede de lyset, og lod modellerne vente uden at give besked om, hvornår de ville være tilbage – det tog tre timer.

Og eftersom at James Scully ved The Business of Fashions arrangement ”voices” i december slog fast, at han fra nu af ville sige det højt, hvis han oplevede at modeller i branchen blev udnyttet, var han ikke sen til at pointere hændelsen på sin private Instagram-profil: ”Dette var ikke kun sadistisk og ondt, det var farligt og efterlod mere end en af pigerne, jeg tale med, traumatiseret.” Til The Business of Fashion udtaler Scully desuden at han mener, at modellerne tit udsættes for ubehagelige situationer, fordi de på grund af deres unge alder ofte ikke ved, hvordan de skal takle dem.

Ifølge Scully udnyttede bookerne Maida Gregori Boina og Rami Fernandes modellernes mangel på stemme, og behandlede dem utrolig dårligt, da de ikke følte sig forpligtet til at tage hensyn til dem. Det er førhen set, at modeller sjældent udtaler sig, hvis de er blevet dårligt behandlet, da de er bange for ikke at blive booket. Dog har en model, Judith Schilzt, bekræftet Scully’s Instagram post. Hun udtalte, at hun var blandt de modeller, der sad og ventet tre timer på trappen til Balenciagas casting.   

Balenciaga besluttede kort efter Scullys post at afslutte samarbejdet med de berygtede castere. I en pressemeddelelse fra administrerende direktør, Cédric Charbit lød det, at Balenciaga ville ”lave mærkante skift for castingprocessen, hvilket indebar, at frigive sig fra forholdet med det nuværende castingbureau”. Balenciaga tydeliggjorde desuden, at modehuset ikke havde noget med hændelsen at gøre, og udtalte sig undskyldende overfor ” modellernes bureauer, som var påvirket af situationen”.    

Dette var Maida Gregori Boina fra casting bureauet ikke enig i, og mente at selve situationen var blevet gengivet fejlagtigt af Scully. Hun mente i stedet, at de dårlige forhold skyldtes Balenciaga. Boina udtalte at: “Modellerne ventet ikke tre timer i mørket, de sad der ikke engang en time”. Hun tog klart afstand fra situationen og sagde at ”det ville være komplet inhumant” hvis dette havde fundet sted. Boina mener selv, at hun og Fernandes tilbød modellerne komfortable forhold under castingen. Der er dog udsagn, som tyder på dette ikke er rigtigt.

Om hvor vidt skylden skal skydes på Boina og Fernandeseller Balenciaga er op til diskussion. Det er dog klart at modeverdens ’underdogs’ (modellerne) har fået en fortaler i Scully. Hans provokerende Instagram-post giver modellerne en stemme, som der længe har været brug for. Scully selv giver også udtryk for at denne sag ikke er enkeltstående, og at der uden tvivle vil komme flere, om det så handler om castingforhold, etnicitet eller farve.

Balenciagas AW17 show finder sted d. 5. marts ’17 under Paris modeuge. 

 Kilder: Mode a Paris,The Business of Fashion & Soundvenue

 

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Balencaiga’s dream casting turned into a night for the models 

These days, fashion week is taking over Paris, but earlier this week the modelling agent James Scully stole the show with his controversial statement. Scully posted on Instagram that more than one model had stated, they had had uncomfortable experiences at the casting for Balenciagas show. The casters in charge were Maida Gregori Boina and Rami Fernandes. 150 girls were left on the stairway when Boina and Fernandes went to lunch. The models were sat waiting without any light and without knowing when the casters would be back – it took three hours.

James Scully stated at The Business of Fashion arrangement ” voices” in December that he from now on would speak out if he experienced that models in the industry got taken advantage of; he was not late to point out the incidence on his private Instagram account. He stated it was “sadistic” and “cruel” to leave the girls on the stairway. The model, Judith Schilzt, confirms Scully’s Instagram post. She states that she was among the models that were waiting for three hours at the stairway at Balenciaga’s casting.

Quickly after Scully’s post, Balenciaga determined their cooperation with the casters. The administrating director, Cedric Charbit, stated to the press that they were going to make drastic changes in their casting process which ended in letting the casting agency go. Balenciaga also strongly indicated that they had nothing to do with the incidence and apologised to the model agencies that had been affected.

Maida Gregori Boina from the casting agency did not agree and said that the situation had been twisted by Scully. Instead she stated that the poor conditions were Balenciaga’s responsibility. Boina makes it clear that the girls did not sit in the dark for three hours. She distances herself from the incidence and says that she and Fernandes provided comfortable conditions for the models.

Whether the incidence was Boina and Fernandes or Balenciaga’s fault is definitely up to debate. It is clear, however, that the fashion industry’s ‘underdogs’ (the models) have got a voice in Scully. His provoking Instagram post has given a voice to the models that has long been needed. Scully states that the incident does not stand alone and more will follow; whether it is about poor casting conditions, ethnicity or colour.

Balenciaga’s AW17 show is due on Sunday, March 5 ’17 at Paris Fashion Week.

Sources: Mode a Paris, The Business of Fashion & Soundvenue