Condé Nast Bans Terry Richardson From Its Publications
Terry Richardson. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
In light of the sexual harassment accusations surrounding now-disgraced media mogul Harvey Weinstein, there's been much industry chatter about what will become of Terry Richardson — a man who harbors a slew of his own sexual assault charges, but yet, continues to book jobs, both commercially and editorially. But as of Monday, it appears that this will no longer be the case for Condé Nast International's stable of high-gloss publications, which includes Vogue's European editions, such as Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia and British Vogue.
According to an internal email to "country presidents" sent by Condé Nast COO James Woolhouse, obtained by the Telegraph, the media conglomerate states that any unpublished work already commissioned from the American photographer should be "killed or substituted with other material."
Per the Telegraph, Woolhouse's email reads in full:
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.
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A spokesperson for Condé Nast International confirmed the news, as well as the contents of the email, to Fashionista.
Though the message did not specify what, if any, projects Richardson had in the works, this sets a powerful precedent for the remainder of the industry — especially as models continue to come forward regarding their own abuse, often via casting director James Scully and advocate Cameron Russell.
The backlash toward Richardson began simmering upon the first slew of allegations in 2013, when companies including Target, Aldo and H&M severed ties with the photographer. However, that hasn't stopped brands like Valentino, magazines like Carine Roitfeld's CR Fashion Book and celebrities like Kylie Jenner (for her own personal calendar) from hiring him into 2017. Perhaps, with Condé Nast's direction, that finally ends now.
Note: This story has been updated to reflect that Condé Nast International does not encompass Condé Nast's U.S.-based titles. We've also updated to include confirmation from Condé Nast International.
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