Upcoming events

October 18, 2024 | Parsons

Fashion In Between: The Future of Fashion Business

On Friday, October 18, join us for a conversation on how activism plays a larger role in fashion, as part of Parsons and CFDA's “Fashion In Between: The Future of Fashion Business” symposium. Our founder and executive director Sara Ziff will join Whitney McGuire, co-founder of Sustainable Brooklyn, Summer Dean, artist, digital storyteller and environmental advocate, and moderator Alyssa Hardy, style director and contributing editor of Teen Vogue. 

Past events

October 10, 2024 | Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

Guest Lecture

Last week, our worker council member Rozi Levine and our associate director Sydney Giordano held a guest lecture at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. They spoke about how the fashion industry often draws superficial criticisms, and how we have worked to frame the issues fashion workers face as labor rights issues. They also explained the importance of centering worker voices when pushing for meaningful industry reform.

September 9, 2024 | Virtual

Fashion With Integrity: The Imperative of Fair Labor Practices

Our Founder and Executive Director Sara Ziff participated in the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network’s virtual panel, “Fashion with Integrity: The Imperative of Fair Labor Practices.” The panelists discussed how adopting fair labor practices and the wider impact of government enforced legislations are critical for cultivating a responsible sector. This conversation was a reminder that the allure of fashion should not overshadow the fundamental rights and well-being of those who bring it to life.

September 10, 2024 | NYC

New York Fashion Week Press Conference

During New York Fashion Week, models and allies delivered hundreds of letters from our community urging Governor Hochul to sign the Fashion Workers Act into law.

March 8, 2024 | Virtual

Press Conference for the Fashion Workers Act with Model-Actors

On Friday, March 8, ahead of the Oscars, models-turned-actors Alyssa Sutherland, Carré Otis, Michelle De Swarte, and Lyndsey Scott joined the Model Alliance for a virtual press conference to shed light on the absence of labor protections in the modeling industry compared to the rest of the entertainment industry and urge lawmakers to pass the Fashion Workers Act.

February 8, 2024 | Ford Foundation

Generative AI’s Labor Impacts: Recognition

On Thursday, February 8 at 3:30pm ET, our executive director Sara Ziff joined Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, Şerife (Sherry) Wong, and Aiha Nguyen for the discussion, “Generative AI’s Labor Impacts: Recognition,” as part of Data & Society’s Databite Series.

February 4, 2024 | NYC

Press Conference for the Fashion Workers Act with Beverly Johnson

In honor of Black History Month and ahead of New York Fashion Week, we shed light on the hurdles that Black models face in an industry that notoriously lacks basic labor protections. We were honored to be joined by supermodel Beverly Johnson, NY State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and models Kalae Nouveau, Yve Edmond, Lillian Lightbourn, and Danielle Mareka.

January 24, 2024 | Virtual

Press Conference for the Fashion Workers Act

We held a virtual press conference to announce new amendments to the Fashion Workers Act that would establish baseline protections around transparency and consent for the use of generative AI in the modeling industry. NY State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal joined our executive director Sara Ziff and models Shereen Wu, Robyn Lawley, and Alex Shanklin.

November 9, 2023 | NYC

Navigating Representation Agreements

On Thursday, 11/9, we held an event in NYC for models and content creators to learn how to navigate agency contracts, what the real-life implications are for industry standard agreements, and how to join our efforts to forge a fairer fashion industry. The event featured Model Alliance Worker Council members Nidhi Sunil and Riri Bichri, attorneys Elisabeth Schiffbauer and Chris Kercher, and Model Alliance associate director Sydney Giordano.

October 4, 2023 | Virtual

FTC Virtual Roundtable: Content Creation and Generative AI

On Wednesday, October 4, the Federal Trade Commission held a virtual roundtable discussion on the impact of generative artificial intelligence on creative fields, including the fashion industry. Watch on the FTC’s website.

The roundtable discussion featured our executive director, Sara Ziff, along with various other members of creative fields – including representatives of the Writers Guild of America West, SAG-AFTRA, and the Authors Guild – to explore the ways that generative AI tools are reshaping our respective industries and how we are responding to these changes.

September 13, 2023 | Ford Foundation

Free Future 2023: Preventing Gender Violence Around the World

Our Founder and Executive Director Sara Ziff joined Sarita Gupta, Vice President of US Programs, and Ellen McGirt, Senior Editor at Fortune Magazine, for a conversation on gender-based violence at work at the Ford Foundation’s inaugural Free Future forum. Watch the recording.

September 8, 2023 | Spring Studios

The Model Alliance held a press conference at New York Fashion Week to raise awareness for the absence of basic labor protections in the modeling industry. We were thrilled to be joined by our community of models, content creators, and allies, including SAG-AFTRA and WGA East.

May 3, 2023 | New York State Capitol

Fashion Workers Act Lobby Day

We traveled to Albany to meet with lawmakers and build support for our signature bill, the Fashion Workers Act. This legislation would bring predatory model management companies into regulation for the first time and establish basic labor protections for models and content creators working in New York’s fashion industry. The response from lawmakers was overwhelmingly positive, and we’re hopeful that we can make significant strides in the remaining weeks of the legislative session.

April 24, 2023 | Virtual

Rana Plaza 10 Years On: Workers’ Rights in the International Garment Industry

We honored the 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh with a virtual screening of the short documentary “Tangled Thread” and a discussion about the continued fight for safe, dignified working conditions in the garment industry. The conversation featured leading voices in the garment worker rights movement including our board member Theresa Haas, Director of Global Strategies at Workers United, Faiza Tuba, Programme Manager at the Laudes Foundation, Khalid Mahmood, Director of the Labour Education Foundation, and Zehra Khan, General Secretary, Home-Based Women Workers’ Federation. 

April 23, 2023 | NYC

New York Crime Victims Candlelight Vigil

Our founder and executive director Sara Ziff spoke at the 38th Annual New York Crime Victims Candlelight Vigil in New York City alongside New York State Attorney General Letitia James, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and community leaders who shared stories of how their lives were forever changed by crime. 

April 11, 2023 | Meatpacking District

Fashion Workers Act Press Conference

Amazon Labor Union President Chris Smalls, Senator Brad Hoylman-Segal, Content Creator Riri Bichri, models Rozi Levine, Camryn Herold, and Kenny Sale, and other worker leaders and allies joined together in support of the Fashion Workers Act.

October 13, 2022 | Lincoln Center

Survivors of Weinstein Rally for the Fashion Workers Act

Survivor advocates Kaja Sokola and Dominique Huett, models Robyn Lawley and Camryn Herold, Photographer Tony Kim, and other worker leaders and allies rallied for the Fashion Workers Act ahead of the She Said film premiere, which chronicles the New York Times investigation into Weinstein.

September 12, 2022 | Lower Manhattan

NYFW Rally for the Fashion Workers Act

Supermodel Karen Elson, survivor advocates Ambra Gutierrez and Kaja Sokola, model-turned-actress Ingrid Sophie Schram, and Senator Brad Hoylman came together to rally for the Fashion Workers Act in Lower Manhattan during New York Fashion Week.

September 7, 2022 | Zoom

Model Alliance X Bring Your Nude Thong

Our Founder and Executive Director Sara Ziff joined Bring Your Nude Thong for a virtual conversation on channeling adversity into action. She discussed why she founded the Model Alliance, how models and creative artists have been uniquely carved out of labor protections, and the decade-long fight to win basic protections for our community.

September 5, 2022 | Times Square

Labor Day March for Recognition

On Labor Day, the Model Alliance joined Amazon Labor Union President Chris Smalls and workers from Starbucks, TikTok, Google, Apple, andTrader Joe’s to march from the residences of Howard Schultz and Jeff Bezos to Times Square. We called on Schultz and Bezos to recognize their worker-led unions, and stood in solidarity with workers across industries who are organizing for safer conditions.

June 24, 2022 | Levi’s Flagship Times Square

The Model Alliance joined renowned Bangladeshi trade union leader Kalpona Akter and Workers United Secretary-Treasurer Edgar Romney in a live demonstration urging Levi’s to sign the Accord. The demonstration was held at the Levi’s flagship store in Times Square with an incredible group of allies including Remake, the Triangle Fire Coalition, United Students Against Sweatshops, Clean Clothes Campaign, and many others.

May 27, 2022 | NEXT Model Management

Rally for the Fashion Workers Act

Amazon Labor Union President Chris Smalls stood with the Model Alliance in support of the Fashion Workers Act, which would regulate predatory management companies that currently operate without oversight. We’re so grateful to Chris for his solidarity, and to Senator Hoylman, Assemblymember Niou, Nick Barose, Madisyn Ritland, Tony Kim, Kaja Sokola, and Alex Shanklin for their powerful words.

May 13, 2022 | Ferrara Manufacturing

Introduction of the FABRIC Act

The Model Alliance joined Senator Kristen Gillibrand, the Garment Worker Center, Workers United, Remake and other allies for the introduction of the FABRIC Act, which would establish fair, dignified wages for American garment workers. We support the rights of workers from the runway to the factory floor, and we’re proud to endorse this crucial piece of legislation.

May 1, 2022 | Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rally for the Fashion Workers Act

On May Day, we rallied for the Fashion Workers Act on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art where, 24 hours later, the fashion industry gathered for its biggest night out — the Met Gala. Thank you to our bill sponsors, Senator Hoylman and Assemblymember Reyes, and our speakers Nidhi Sunil, Teddy Quinlivan, Madisyn Ritland, and Tony Kim.

March 25, 2022 | Lincoln Center

Introduction of the Fashion Workers Act

We’re proud to announce the introduction of the Fashion Workers Act, which will create financial transparency and accountability in New York’s fashion industry. Thank you to our bill co-sponsors Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Karines Reyes, and to Karen Elson, Teddy Quinlivan, Alex Shanklin, Dawn Jacobson, and Rafael Espinal for your support and solidarity.

February 18, 2022 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am EST

Listening Forum for Creatives in Fashion

Calling fashion creatives! The Model Alliance is co-hosting a virtual listening forum with Think Tank to discuss how we can address lack of financial transparency and accountability at agencies in New York. This is an important opportunity to learn about efforts underway to improve our working lives and be heard. You reach reach out with any questions and RSVP at rsvp@modelalliance.org.

February 10, 2022 | 6:00 pm EST

Sara Ziff’s Knighting Ceremony & MA 10th Anniversary Celebration

Model Alliance Founder and Executive Director Sara Ziff was presented with the insignia of Knight in the National Order of Merit by the French government in recognition of her distinguished defense of women’s rights in the global fashion industry. We celebrated this milestone, and the Model Alliance’s 10 year anniversary, at the French Consulate in New York with family, friends, and members of the MA community, including special guests Karen Elson and Senator Brad Hoylman.

November 10, 2021

2021 CFDA Awards Ceremony

The Model Alliance received the inaugural Positive Social Influence Award from the Council for Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). The award was presented by supermodels and survivors Carré Otis and Beverly Johnson, and accepted on behalf of the Model Alliance by Founder and Executive Director Sara Ziff.

November 3, 2021 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am EST

Justice for Jeyasre Speaking Tour

The Model Alliance hosted the New York stop of the virtual Justice for Jeyasre speaking tour, featuring Thivya Rakini, president of garment worker union Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU), and members of the Justice for Jeyasre campaign. Thivya Rakini shared the legacy of Jeyasre Kathiravel, a young Dalit woman and union member who was organizing for better workplace conditions and was killed by her supervisor, inspiring a campaign to hold fashion brands accountable for their practices down the supply chain.

September 7, 2021 | 10:00 am EST

Gerald Marie Survivor Press Conference in Paris, France

We will be holding a press conference in Paris, France with survivors of Gerald Marie and their attorney, Anne-Claire Le Jeune. Watch the live stream on our Instagram @modelallianceny.

June 5, 2021 | 11:00 am EST

Adult Survivors Act Rally in Manhattan, NY

Rally with us for the Adult Survivors Act in downtown Manhattan. Email info@modelalliance.org for more details.

May 20, 2021 | 12:30 pm EST

Adult Survivors Act Rally in Albany, NY

Join us in Albany for a rally to pass the Adult Survivors Act. RSVP at info@modelalliance.org.

May 19, 2021 | 11:00 am EST

Adult Survivors Act Virtual Phone Bank

Join us for a virtual training and phone banking session to urge New York State lawmakers to pass the Adult Survivors Act this legislative session. RSVP at info@modelalliance.org.

April 27, 2021 | 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST

Taking Power Back with Beverly Johnson, Carré Otis, and Johnathon Schaech

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Model Alliance and Voices in Action hosted a virtual conversation on sexual harassment and abuse in the fashion and entertainment industries. We heard from three survivor-advocates about how they navigated reporting their experiences and sharing their stories, and their perspectives on how we can work towards justice and prevention. The conversation was hosted by Model Alliance founder Sara Ziff and Voices in Action founder Jessica Barth, and moderated by actress and advocate Mira Sorvino.

April 5, 2021 | 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm EST

To join, visit @barrettpall on Instagram.

March 29, 2021 | 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EST

One Year Later: Health & Safety in the Age of COVID-19

March marked one year since the COVID-19 lockdown began, leaving an enduring impact on our industry's creative workforce. In recognition, the Model Alliance hosted an intimate community conversation with freelance fashion creatives to share their experiences within the industry over the past year and ideas for how we can continue to protect and empower our workforce, during the pandemic and beyond.

February 28, 2021 | 1:00 pm ET

Black Beauty Roster Virtual Beauty Summit

The Model Alliance’s Founder & Executive Director Sara Ziff hosted a panel discussion on model advocacy featuring Mamé Adjei, Eugena Washington, and Model Alliance Leadership Council member Meisha Brooks. Black Beauty Roster pushes for more diversity in TV, Film & Editorial through education, opportunity, and advocacy, and we are proud to be an ally.

February 11, 2021

Model Alliance Instagram Live

Join us this Thursday, 2/11 at 8:00 pm EST for a candid conversation on racism, Black representation, and inclusivity in the fashion industry with solutions for change.

January 15, 2020

Model Alliance x TIME’S UP Instagram Live

Tune in at 1:00 pm ET to hear MA’s Founder & Executive Director Sara Ziff and TIME’S UP Foundation’s VP for Advocacy & Survivor Initiatives Latifa Lyles speak about labor issues in fashion, proposed solutions, and how you can get involved in our fight for change.

December 17, 2020

Model Alliance in Action: A Community Conversation

Join us for an intimate conversation with Model Alliance members as they share personal stories about the challenges they have overcome with the support of our community.

We are delighted to welcome Writer and Professor Jonathan Michael Square, PhD as our host of this virtual event. Jonathan will be guiding our conversation with Ambra Gutierez, Carré Otis Sutton, Chloe Hayward, and Shivani Persad - four models who have blazed the trail for the industry.

During the conversation, we will dive deeper into the impact of our advocacy over the past year and unveil our goals for 2021. You will have the unique opportunity to ask our community members about their experiences fighting for a fairer, safer industry for themselves and their peers - so please come prepared with questions!

November 17, 2020

Sara Ziff & New York Times Fashion IG Live Conversation

Join us on Tuesday, 11/17 at 12:20 pm ET for an Instagram Live conversation to hear Model Alliance's Founder & Executive Director Sara Ziff speak about issues of harassment within the fashion industry and solutions for change.

To join, visit @nytimesfashion on Instagram or click the link below.

August 13, 2020

IG Live Session: Audrey Winn & Kai Braiden

A conversation between Audrey Winn, a Skadden Fellow at the Model Alliance, and Kai Braden, a model and member of our Leadership Council about support during the COVID crisis. 

July 14, 2020

IG Live Session: Shivani Persad & Sarah Newell

The Model Alliance was joined by Shivani Persad, a model and member of our Leadership Council, and Sarah Newell, the Director of Outreach and Communications at the Worker-Driven Social Responsibility Network for a solution-oriented conversation about conditions in the fashion industry. 

March 5, 2020

From the Fields to the Runway: Women Workers Fighting to End Sexual Assault at Work

The CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies presents, "From the Fields to the Runway: Women Workers Fighting to End Sexual Assault at Work," featuring worker leaders from the Model Alliance and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Learn about their worker-driven approach to end and prevent sexual assault and discrimination from the fields of Florida to the fashion industry in New York, as well as their current campaigns to grow worker power and ensure respect in the workplace. 

March 4, 2020

Fashion Labor Activism Across the Global Value Chain

 Join us for a discussion on fashion labor activism with Marissa Nuncio, Executive Director of the Garment Worker Center, Chaumtoli Huq, Professor at CUNY School of Law, and Sara Ziff, Executive Director of the Model Alliance, and Minh-Ha T. Pham, Associate Professor at Pratt Institute. This event will be held in the Alumni Reading Room at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. 

March 2, 2020

The Faces of Fashion: A Discussion Around Models' Rights

Join the Columbia Fashion Society, the Middle Eastern Law Student Association, and the Model Alliance for "The Fashion of Fashion: A Discussion Around Models' Rights" at Columbia Law School. This event is part of the law school's successful Political Fashion series and will take place at Jerome Green Hall 101 at Columbia Law School. Speakers include Sara Ziff, Founder and Executive Director of the Model Alliance, and Leadership Council members Shivani Persad, Ava Smith and Nathalia Novaes.

January 22, 2020

Your rights at work

 Join us at the law firm Quinn Emanuel for a conversation about your rights at work with Ambra Gutierrez, Manisha Sheth and Christopher Kercher. Refreshments will be served. Gutierrez was involved in a sting operation with the New York Police Department to prove that Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her in 2015. Her bravery cracked open the Weinstein case, and she has since become a leading advocate in the #MeToo and TIMES'S UP movements. Sheth is Co-chair of Quinn Emanuel’s Sexual Harassment and Employment Discrimination practice. She recently served as the Executive Deputy Attorney General for the Division of Economic Justice at the Office of the New York Attorney General.⠀⠀Kercher is a seasoned litigator with experience in complex commercial litigation and arbitration relating to contract disputes and employment matters. He has extensive experience providing general legal advice to clients and is a recipient of the Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Award. 

October 24, 2019

Fashion, Anxiety and Society: Labor

 Organized in conjunction with Bard Graduate Center Gallery’s fall exhibition, French Fashion, Women, and the First World War, this conversation will explore contemporary questions about labor is it relates to fashion. With Marissa Nuncio, director of the Garment Worker Center, Minh-Ha T. Pham, associate professor in the Graduate Program in Media Studies at Pratt Institute, and Elizabeth Wissinger, professor of sociology at City University of New York’s Graduate Center and at Borough of Manhattan Community College. Conversation curated and moderated by Sara Ziff, founding director of the Model Alliance.  

Purchase your tickets here.

September 4th, 2019

Community & Conversation

In light of the Jeffrey Epstein case and ongoing concerns about trafficking in the modeling industry, we hosted "Community and Conversation," an event where models shared their experiences to demonstrate the need for greater protections and oversight of the industry. Our partners at John Jay School of Criminal Justice and Safe Horizon were on hand to help provide a framework to better identify and understand models’ experiences in the context of trafficking, as well as the resources available to survivors. Likewise, we’re urging companies to create a safe work environment in the fashion industry by joining the RESPECT Program. We expect this will be the first of many conversations about these issues in our industry as we push for genuine accountability and work towards prevention.

June 11th, 2019

Does It Really Matter What I Do? Individual Action, Policy and Activism

At a time when activism has become commercialized and glamorized, how can we use our voices to make real change through policy changes and initiatives? How can our individual work have the most impact on a systemic level? Join us to talk about this and more on June 11 from 6-7pm at Good Stuff's pop-up in NYC.  

May 9th, 2019

TIME'S UP Gathering

On May 9th, we joined TIME'S UP for an Affiliate and Partner Gathering in Los Angeles. It was energizing to spend the day together and to hear from leaders across industries who are insisting on safe, fair and dignified work for women of all kinds. We can't wait to see what change we drive in the future. 

March 8th, 2019

International Women's Day

On March 8th, we celebrated with Kenneth Cole, who hosted a panel on the future of women's representation in the arts. The panel featured MA's founding director Sara Ziff, the CFDA's Sara Kozlowski, filmmaker Katheryn Everett, and actress Mandi Masden. 

February 7th, 2019

7th Anniversary Celebration

On February 7th, we celebrated our seven year anniversary at Neuehouse in NYC. Models and industry stakeholders joined together for a screening that highlighted our work to date followed by a positive, solutions-focused discussion about next steps. We are grateful to those who shared their accounts of abuse and trauma that nobody should have to endure on the job. We also thank all those who have spoken out, despite very understandable fears, about unsafe and unfair working conditions in the industry and for calling on industry leaders to commit to meaningful change by joining the RESPECT Program. Thank you to all who have contributed to building this game-changing initiative for our industry -- for using your voice in service of a vision of dignity and respect for all on the job.

To see the images from this wonderful night click here.

January 31, 2019

Global Week of Solidarity with Garment Workers

Join us in NYC on Thursday, January 31 at 1:00pm for lunch and a conversation about how you can support garment workers in the U.S. and Bangladesh in their fight for safe and fair working conditions. This event is being co-hosted by the Garment Worker Center and the International Labor Rights Forum.

Seating is limited. For details, RSVP to rsvp@modelalliance.org

December 4, 2018

The Spoke Club, TorontoRenew: A Conversation on Sustainable Fashion

The Model Alliance hosted conversation on the growing sustainable fashion industry, and what these changes mean for the industry as a whole. We joined by several leading local sustainable Toronto brands and organizations for a panel discussion about their work and how we as a community can reduce our environmental impact when it comes to our closets.  

December 4, 2018

The Freelancers Hub, New York CityCreative Responses to the #MeToo Movement

At this panel, Model Alliance founder Sara Ziff joined artists and advocates to discuss our new initiative, the RESPECT Program, and how models and freelance creatives can use their platforms to fight back against sexual harassment and discrimination.     

September 10, 2018

NYFW Brunch and #MeToo Discussion

The Model Alliance met over brunch to talk about the RESPECT Program, its recent coverage in the New York Times, and discuss next steps on this important initiative for our industry.     

June 28, 2018

Los Angeles Listening Session

The Model Alliance met with Los Angeles-based models to gather feedback on the RESPECT Code of Conduct and next steps for the program.     

June 22, 2018

Model Alliance Meeting in NYC

Models joined the Model Alliance in New York City to review the RESPECT Code of Conduct and offer their feedback.     

June 5, 2018

Model Alliance Working Brunch in NYC

The Model Alliance held a meet and greet for New York-based models.     

May 14-17, 2018

The Well-Being of Models in a #MeToo Economy - Copenhagen Fashion Summit

The well-being of models is not a new topic. Ethical charters going beyond BMI standards have been around for many years. What’s more, increasing numbers of companies have taken action to improve conditions for the faces that represent them. But recent exposure of mistreatment, harassment and exploitation by casting directors, agents and photographers has increased the urgency to safeguard the health and well-being of models and to improve the modeling industry’s underlying systems.

Featuring: Sara Ziff, Founder and Executive Director, Model Alliance; James Scully, Casting Director, Model Alliance; Edie Campbell, Model; Marie-Claire Daveu, CSO and Head of International Institutional Affairs, Kering

More information here.

April 20, 2018

Fashion Law 2018 -- New York State Bar Association

In this #MeToo era, the fashion industry continues to grapple with issues of sexual harassment and sexual assault that some argue have long plagued the industry. Please join the Fashion Law Committee for a timely and engaging discussion that will explore the ways industry stakeholders are tackling these issues from a legal, policy and organizational perspective. Hear industry insiders, attorneys and advocates discuss employer obligations and best practices, legal protections available to employees and independent contractors, recent legislative and policy initiatives and the impact the recent scandals have had on the fashion industry.

Featuring: Andrew W. Singer, Esq., Partner, Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP; Mirande Valbrune, Esq., Author, #MeToo: A Practical Guide to Navigating Today’s Cultural Workplace Revolution; Sil Lai Abrams, Activist and Writer; Toi Eaton, Chief Human Resources Officer, Blacture; Katherine Rosenfeld, Esq., Partner, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP; James Scully, Casting Director, Model Alliance; Agatha Schmaedick Tan, Esq., The Asian Pacific Legal Resource Center, Model Alliance

Register Here!

April 20, 2018

A Closer Look: Addressing Sexual Harassment Through State Legislation -- NYU Wagner

Ever wonder how a piece of public policy really comes together? Join WWC on Friday, April 20 for a legislative policy workshop featuring New York State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, Chair of the Assembly Task Force on Women’s Issues, and Sarah Ziff, Founding Director of the Model Alliance. As the public conversation on sexual harassment in the workplace continues across the nation, Rozic has teamed up with the Model Alliance to advance state legislation that would provide models with new protections against sexual and other forms of harassment in the industry. Rozic and Ziff will give an overview of how their partnership began and the necessary legislative advocacy and procedural processes they continue to engage in for this bill. Following this discussion, we will facilitate an interactive workshop on policy formation and advocacy, tracing a bill’s journey from an idea to a law.

More information here.

April 4, 2018

Celebration and Conversation with Karen Elson -- Rachel Comey, NYC

Please join Sara Ziff, Shivani Persad, Kenza Fourati, Robyn Lawley and James Scully to celebrate the election of Karen Elson to the Model Alliance's Board of Directors. See photos from the event here.

March 17, 2018

Model Alliance Lunch and Listening Session -- Los Angeles

The Model Alliance will host a lunch and listening session in Los Angeles for agency-represented models. This is an opportunity for models to learn more about our work, and for us to hear from LA-based models about their experiences and how they think the industry could be improved. For more information, click here.

February 9, 2018

2018 Fashion Law Conference - Federal Bar Association

The Federal Bar Association's 5th Annual Fashion Law Conference features an impressive lineup of attorneys and industry insiders who will discuss the advancement of fashion law in today's globalizing world. Join legal professionals and industry representatives on Friday, February 9th in New York City at the Theresa Lang Center at The New School for this exciting conference.Panel V: Tackling the Workforce: Best Practices from Industry Insiders

Featuring: Katherine Gonzalez , Capital Member, Ferraiuoli LLC; Sweet Joy Hachuela , Principal, The Medici Group LLC; Sara Ziff, Founder and Executive Director, Model Alliance

Register Here!

February 2, 2018

How To Avoid The Next Harvey Weinstein -- NYU School of Law

NYU Labor Center hosts a timely and balanced forum on the use of non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements in the workplace, best practices for companies for preventing sexual harassment claims and handling crisis management, and more.

Featuring: EEOC Commissioner Charlotte Burrows; Michael Delikat (Global Chair, Employment Litigation Practice -Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe); Professor Samuel Estreicher (NYU School of Law); EEOC Chair Victoria Lipnic; James Philbin (The Philbin Law Firm; former General Counsel Maersk); Zoe Salzman (Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady); and Sara Ziff (Model Alliance).

Register Now! Use promo code ALLIANCE for a reduced registration fee of $15.

November 2, 2017

Ending Sexual Violence in the Global Fashion Industry

Featuring: Kalpona Akter, BCWS; Moderated by Vogue's Maya Singer

RSVP to rsvp@modelalliance.org

JUNE 8, 2017

Workers’ Rights in NYC’s Fashion Industry

With the passage of the Freelance Isn't Free Act, we hosted this industry workshop presented by the Office of Labor Policy and Standards, a dedicated City resource for workplace questions and complaints. Given the multi-level structure of hiring in the fashion industry, many models, hairdressers, make-up artists, stylists and photographers share similar experiences with respect to financial transparency and accountability, fair contracts, and control over their work. This workshop was open to professional models and creative artists working in NYC's fashion industry.

February 24, 2017

Eating Disorders Research Planning Session with Dr. Bryn Austin

We gathered during NEDA Week for a strategic planning session with Dr. Bryn Austin regarding our research study into eating disorders and health standards in our industry. We also discussed the upcoming NYFW campaign which aimed to build models’ collective power and community. Our planning session brought together a powerful group committed to improving our industry and beyond. Thank you for sharing your stories and ideas. Your voice matters. This work matters.

March 22, 2016

From the Runway to the Factory Floor: Labor Rights, Safety, & Public Health

On Tuesday, March 22, a panel of experts joined us at Harvard Kennedy School for a conversation about labor rights, safety, and public health in the global fashion industry. The discussion centered around initiatives that would bring positive change to the runways and factory floors.

Click here to read more about this event.

February 1, 2016

New Frontiers in Organizing: The Model Alliance

November 20th, 2015

The True Cost Screening & Panel Discussion on Sustainable Fashion

The Harvard Extension Environmental Club invites you to a special screening of "The True Cost" documentary followed by an expert panel on sustainable fashion, on Friday, November 20th from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the Grossman Common Room (51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA). Discover the true social and environmental costs of the fast fashion industry and hear from industry experts and academics who will share their insights on the challenges and opportunities of making fashion truly sustainable. Light refreshments will be served. 

November 5th, 2015

Fashion, Labor and Social Justice

Executive Director Sara Ziff guest lectures on labor issues in the modeling industry and transnational solidarity efforts across fashion's supply chain.

March 5, 2015

Careers Beyond the Runway

A panel discussion for models who are interested in developing new careers within or outside of the fashion industry.

Featured speakers: Monica Watkins (Founder, Art in Motion); Tara Stiles (Founder & CEO, Strala Yoga); Paula Viola (Counsel, WME-IMG); Lisa Davies (Registered Nurse, Lenox Hill Hospital); and Lauren Gordon (Career Counselor, Career Transitions for Dancers).

View photos from this discussion here.

December 12, 2014

Model Citizen Benefit Match X Dirty Dozen Showdown

Come out and help raise funds for the Model Alliance and Kids For Tomorrow. Battle it out in the ultimate ping pong tournament and have your chance to win various prizes! We hope to see you there!

September 2, 2014

Model Alliance 2015 Calendar Launch Event

We're thrilled to announce the launch of our first Model Alliance Calendar, and we hope you'll join us!

The MA Calendar 2015 features portraits of 12 models who we feel represent diversity and women's empowerment in the American fashion industry: Alva Chinn, Arlenis Sosa, Eileen Feighny, Elettra Weidemann, Emme, Geena Rocero, Jaunel Mckenzie, Lily Goodman, Louise Donegan, Lyndsey Scott, Robyn Lawley and Stephanie Shiu.

On September 2nd, 7-11:30pm, at Above Allen, the rooftop bar at Sixty LES, come celebrate with us over hors d'eourves from Blue Ribbon Sushi, open bar from 7:00-9:00pm, and music by exciting DJs. Don't forget to pick up your gift bag filled with goodies courtesy of Howl, Dylan's Candy Bar & GlossyBox!

Tickets reservations are required for entry. All proceeds from the event will support the MA.

To purchase tickets, please visit Eventbrite.

August 23, 2014

Fresh Faces Brunch

A complementary brunch for new faces and team members. Co-hosted by Sara Ziff, Kat Cooper Brown and Susan Van Tassel at the Tribeca Grand.

See the full post and photos here.

June 24, 2014

Model Alliance Summer Solstice Celebration

It was a perfect evening and a smashing event at our membership drive and fundraiser at the Mondrian Soho Rooftop.

Check out the full album here.

The Model Alliance was invited to the White House to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act. Through our partnership with the Retail Action Project, and with the White House's support, we enrolled our members who were uninsured in affordable health care plans. Sara Ziff and Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann, who participated in the campaign and got covered through the partnership, were thrilled to join in the event.

December 6, 2013

Karma Class

On Friday, December 6th, join us for an evening of hot yoga, live music and good karma! This hour-long class will be held at Modo Yoga at 434 6th Avenue, 2nd Floor (corner of 10th Street) in NYC. Suggested donation of $7. Proceeds will go to the Model Alliance.

December 3, 2013

Yale University Panel

On Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013, Model Alliance's executive director Sara Ziff and advisory board member Coco Rocha will speak at Yale University. The talk was organized by Model Alliance member and Yale student Camille Chambers.

November 21, 2013

Fashion & Fairness

HOSTED BY: Elettra Wiedemann, Arlenis Sosa, Paula Viola, Alise Shoemaker, Emme, Anita Bitton, Alison Nix & James Scully

TICKETS: $30 IN ADVANCE $40 AT THE DOOR

LOCATION:

SPiN NYC

48 East 23rd Street

Open Bar 9-10 PMLIVE AUCTION, MUSIC AND—OF COURSE—PING PONG! 

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

July 31, 2013

Child Labor Legislation Information Session

On July 31st, 2013, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) hosted an information session featuring Model Alliance's Sara Ziff, Doreen Small, and Susan Scafidi, who explained the child labor legislation to agents, casting directors, show producers, and other industry leaders.

April 17, 2013

The Business of Modeling: Essential Tips For a Successful Career

February 25, 2013

Inside The Modeling Industry: A Conversation About Health And Beauty In Fashion

February 12, 2013

Violations En Vogue?

Model Lounge: The Business of Modeling

The Model Alliance is teaming up with Model Lounge to share business tips that every successful model should know. Supermodel Coco Rocha, law professor Doreen Small and Model Alliance Director Sara Ziff will host the event. Model Lounge is an exclusive retreat for female fashion models at invited top 10 modeling agencies. This event is for female models only and it is not open to the public.

April 25, 2012

Fashion Law Institute Second Annual Symposium

The Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University gathered hundreds of legal experts, fashion industry stakeholders, designers, and lawyers of the future to discuss everything from the impacts of emerging economies on global trade to the future of intellectual property enforcement. There to talk about advertising, Photoshop, labor issues, false claims, and public health were community organizer Seth Matlins, photographer Adam Katz Sinding, computer scientist and Photoshop expert Eric Kee, law professor Barbara Pozzo, lawyer Annie M. Ugurlayan, and Model Alliance founder Sara Ziff. Matlins, the founder of body-positive organization Off Our Chests, kicked things off with a call-to-arms against the advertising industry for promoting negative self esteem among (particularly) young girls and women. Matlins even raised the possibility of consumers suing brands that foster an unhealthy body image via their advertising, comparing the advertising industry to the National Football Association, which has been the targets of hundreds of lawsuits over head injuries. If the NHL bears a responsibility for players' head injuries, asked Matlins, "what are the responsibilities of the fashion and beauty industries to their consumers?"In Italy, explained the University of Milan's Barbara Pozzo, advertising is strictly regulated because it is understood to be a form of communication that depends on access to public spaces and airwaves, and should therefore conform to commonly held norms. There are 49 separate provisions governing advertising, and special oversight is directed towards ads that target vulnerable groups like children. Ads have to be truthful, they have to not encourage violent or dangerous behaviors, and they also must adhere to more nebulous conditions -- like respecting "human dignity," and avoiding "vulgarity." Professor Pozzo showed numerous examples of fashion ads that had been banned in Italy, including several high-fashion ads that sexualized violence against women.In the U.S., explained Ugurlayan, the law holds that advertising claims must be truthful -- and that claims are not exclusively verbal. (A photo of a model with eerily smooth skin, in an ad for wrinkle cream, is making a claim about the advertised product's effectiveness.) She also added that disclaimers -- the tiny print that reads "Lashes enhanced in post-production" on a mascara ad -- are no defense against making false claims.Sinding said that in his work as a photographer and occasional retoucher, his clients often send images back for more edits, and that the cumulative effect of several rounds of changes can lead to an increasingly unrealistic end product. After making minor edits to a batch of images for a major fashion client he declined to name, Sinding says he got the feedback, "Don't you think it's distracting that her thighs are touching?" So he had to further whittle away the model's body. Sinding also said that in shooting street style photos for major publications he has learned that photos of models and thin people are easier to sell, regardless of how the subject is dressed, than photos of even particularly well-dressed people who happen to be shorter or fatter than models.Recent Model Alliance interviewee Eric Kee Skyped into the symposium to talk about the technology he helped develop to rate images on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being relatively little altered and 5 being significantly 'shopped. Ziff put the issue of advertising regulation and the use of Photoshop into the context of models' overall lack of empowerment within the industry. She also pointed out that the issue of body image is often covered in a way that focuses on the effects of fashion ads on women in general -- but rarely examines the effects on the models who have to live up to the industry's standards. "There's a public health issue," said Ziff, that gets a lot of ink, "but there's also a labor issue." Models have died of eating disorders, and the risk of entering recovery and seeing one's work dry up is very real. Even high-profile models, meanwhile, have been Photoshopped after the fact by clients seeking to misrepresent their bodies (like Crystal Renn, who was Photoshopped down to a size 0, and Irina Shayk, who with the help of Photoshop had a lingerie shoot for Spanish GQ turn into a nude shoot). The fact that such misrepresentation happens to girls with industry clout shows how hard it is for younger, less-established models to have a say in how their photos are ultimately published.

— By Jenna Sauers

Model Alliance Launch

On Monday February 6th, 2012, The Model Alliance was officially launched! Hosted by the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University and Coco Rocha, the event was held at the Standard Hotel, perched above the Hudson River at dusk. Founders Sara Ziff and Jenna Sauers found themselves surrounded by hundreds of colleagues from within the fashion industry. Famous faces Doutzen Kroes, Anna de Rijk and Crystal Renn showed their support and watched as the Model Alliance's first campaign video — produced with help from Bunker Media, B2Pro, and with original music by John Forté of Fugees fame — rolled on the big screen.The crowd listened attentively as Fashion Law Institute Director Susan Scafidi addressed the abuse of women and girls in the modeling industry. Rocha smiled radiantly as she took to the podium next saying, "I am ultra excited about The Model Alliance." She further noted that many other top models including Agyness Deyn, Behati Prinsloo, Hilary Rhoda, Dree Hemingway and Karlie Kloss have expressed their support for the organization despite not being able to attend the event. "With all of the positive changes that the industry has gone through," Rocha stated, "there is still a long, long way to go."The Model Alliance was founded as a nonprofit organization committed to establishing a voice for models in the American fashion industry and as Columbia University's American Politics professor Dorian Warren highlighted during his speech, "is part of a growing movement of workers of all kinds."He drew an interesting comparison between the Alliance's efforts to effect change in the fashion industry and that the NBA and NFL, while congratulating Ms. Ziff for forging relationships with these and other groups aiming to improve their industries.After the remarks had been made and the video had played, attendees fêted the launch to the sounds of D.J. Ted Gushue, who donated his time to the event. Vodka was courtesy of Smirnoff. But the celebration could only continue for a short while longer as Ziff and Scafidi were bound for radio appearances with Brian Lehrer early the following morning. Professor Warren confided that the Alliance, although fully fledged by the time of its launch, had humble beginnings. It began as an idea for a paper Ziff wrote for an assignment three and a half years ago to finally grow into a reality today. Applause and cheers rang out as Prof. Warren closed, "Hats off to Sara. Hats off to The Model Alliance."

— By Marcia Mitchell

Screening and panel discussion of "Picture Me"

On October 25 2010, the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School hosted a screening and panel discussion of Model Alliance founder Sara Ziff's documentary Picture Me. The 80-minute film, co-directed by Ziff and her partner Ole Schell, follows Ziff on the international runway circuit and features interviews with Lisa Cant, Cameron Russell, Gilles Bensimon, and Nicole Miller, among others.Picture Me shows the behind-the-scenes reality of models' lives — sometimes glizty, sometimes dramatic and raw. Agency debt, sexual harassment, eating disorders and exhaustion from long hours at fashion weeks are all tackled. After the screening, Ziff and Schell joined a panel of industry experts to discuss.All four members of the Model Alliance board — Ziff, Fordham law school professor Susan Scafidi, Columbia University labor professor Dorian Warren, and former model and Jezebel blogger Jenna Sauers — were represented on the panel, with Scafidi serving as moderator. Also present was model Victoria Keon-Cohen, who is the chair of the models' division of UK trade union Equity, along with the acting chair of the CFDA Health Initiative Nian Fish, casting director James Scully, then-general counsel to the Ford agency Doreen Small, and president of Marilyn models, Chris Gay. As Style.com reported at the time, Gay told the crowd, “The business should be regulated. It would be very tough for us to regulate from within.” Fish, who currently tackles eating disorders and underage employment through the Initiative, agreed.In Ziff's view, the underlying problem is the lack of a formal professional organization for models working in the American fashion industry. As independent contractors, models have little in the way of workers’ rights, and their youth and disposability makes them particularly vulnerable. And so the Model Alliance was born.

— By Model Alliance staff

October 30, 2010