Some of the biggest names in high-fashion editorial photography, including Princess Diana's personal photographer Patrick Demarchelier, David Bellemere, Greg Kadel and Seth Sabel, have had allegations levelled at them in a new investigation by The Boston Globe's Spotlight team.
Patrick Demarchelier, The 74-year-old French fotog, who snapped the famous picture of Diana wearing a strapless dress and tiara, described the charges as “ridiculous.’’
His accusers are a former assistant and six models.
According to media reports,the ex-assistant charged that he started coming on to her when she was only 19. She said she rejected him but eventually gave in because she felt her job was at risk.
“I remember many test shoots with teenage girls where Patrick’s team of assistants (including me) was dismissed for the day only to find naked photos of the girl in the darkroom the next day,” she said.
The newspaper quoted one of the models saying that when she was a teenager working in Paris, Demarchelier asked her if she would perform a sex act on him, offering to make her famous if she agreed. She flat out refused.
About two years later, she was assigned to a shoot in New York, where the photographer lives. She said he then repeated his offer.
Demarchelier has denied any wrongdoing.
"People lie and they tell stories. It's ridiculous," he told The Globe.
"He admitted he believes these allegations can be a model's form of retaliation, stating they 'get frustrated if they don't work'," the report stated.
Demarchelier is considered one of the biggest names in fashion photography. He was the first non-British official photographer of the Royal Family when Princess Diana requested he take on the role of her personal photographer.
"We became friends," he said an interview with London's Telegraph back in 2008. "She was funny and kind - but fundamentally she was a very simple woman who liked very simple things."
After being contacted by the Spotlight team, Vogue, Glamour and GQ in the United States have announced they have stopped working with Demarchelier for now.
Other accusations by models include him grabbing their breasts, forcing their hands on his genitals and making vulgar propositions.
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