More than 200 fashion models urge New York governor to sign bill of rights
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Alessandra Ambrosio, Christy Turlington and others ask Kathy Hochul to sign Fashion Workers Act in open letter. More than 200 top fashion models including Christy Turlington, Helena Christensen, Alessandra Ambrosio and Beverly Johnson have sent an open letter to the New York governor, Kathy Hochul, asking her urgently to sign a bill of rights giving models protection from sexual harassment, discrimination and AI.
The Fashion Workers Act was passed in the New York assembly and Senate in June, but needs Hochul’s signature to become law before a deadline of 24 December. “As models, we know firsthand how urgently we need basic labor protections to create a safe, equitable work environment in the fashion industry,” the letter reads.
“Each one of us has a story that demonstrates how New York is failing the faces of one of its most culturally vibrant, economically significant industries in the world.”. The Fashion Workers Act has been in the works since 2022, overseen by the Model Alliance, an organisation that advocates for the labour rights of models working in the US.
“I really do hope that as the first female Democratic governor of New York, she will stand with our mostly female, often immigrant, workforce,” said Sara Ziff, the executive director. The bill aims to protect against “power imbalances” between models and agencies. Models, who are often young women in their first job, are typically not aware of the money they are earning, nor the impact of various commissions and other expenses.
