All parties involved in shows, model castings and photo shoots for Kering and LVMH brands are to receive training next year as part of a new zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment, abuse or violence.
In a fortification of the model charter they jointly established in 2017, the two French luxury groups said Thursday they are also planning unannounced checks and audits at workplaces, and increased monitoring of interactions with models, particularly during situations of nudity or partial nudity.
The new rules call for a “prior formal agreement, a dedicated space, and the impossibility of being left alone with a member of the production team,” according to a statement shared first with WWD.
Kering and LVMH are also putting in place a “strengthened reporting procedure, which can be activated at any point during the collaboration, guaranteeing anonymity and protection for witnesses.”
They also raised the minimum age “for models to represent adults in fashion shows or photo shoots at 18,” up from 16.
The new protocols come into effect next year, starting with Paris Fashion Week Men’s in January, and apply to all houses, wherever they operate.
Introduced in 2017, the first joint charter came amid heightened concern about size-zero models. It required all models to present a recent medical certificate proving their overall health, and in the wake of casting director James Scully blowing the whistle on several brands, including Balenciaga, Hermès and Elie Saab, for alleged mistreatment.
Marie-Claire Daveu, Kering’s chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer, said the fortified charter reflects a conviction that the “respect, safety and dignity of those who embody fashion are non-negotiable. By collectively raising our standards, we want to help bring about lasting change in the practices of the entire profession.”
“Through this initiative, LVMH reaffirms that the protection of models is not an isolated action but a commitment shared by all players in the industry — brands, agencies, casting directors and models themselves,” Antoine Arnault, the group’s head of image and environment, concurred. “The group intends to help bring about lasting change in the practices of the fashion industry.”
The charter also “reaffirms the principle of inclusion and non-discrimination,” the release detailed. “Model selection processes must respect the diversity of talent, reflect an inclusive society, and take care not to convey stereotypes, while respecting the artistic freedom specific to each brand.
“As the fight against gender-based and sexual violence, and issues of inclusion and protection of the youngest, are now more than ever at the heart of the challenges facing our societies, Kering and LVMH are today strengthening their joint commitments in favor of the respect and protection of models,” it added.
The fortification of the charter echoes efforts by the Kering Foundation, whose longstanding battle against gender-based violence was recently widened to protect children, too.
Marie-Claire Daveu / Antoine Arnault
Courtesy Photo
