December 18, 2024

Dear Governor Hochul,

Fashion models have experienced decades of documented exploitation from the very model management companies that claim to represent them. The Fashion Workers Act (S.9832 Hoylman-Sigal/A.5631 Reyes) aims to correct an enormous power imbalance between workers in the industry and their management companies.

We strongly urge you to sign the Fashion Workers Act into law without further delay.

As models, we know firsthand how urgently we need basic labor protections to create a safe, equitable work environment in the fashion industry. From experiencing sexual exploitation at castings and photo shoots to beginning our careers in debt to our management companies and having our images manipulated with generative AI without our consent – 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.

We need your leadership to end decades of financial, sexual and physical abuse.

We stood with you as you signed the Adult Survivors Act into law, which allowed survivors in our community to seek justice for past harm. You know how vulnerable models are to exploitation in the industry. Now, we look forward to cheering you on again as you prevent this abuse from happening in the first place.

As the fashion capital of the United States, we believe New York has a responsibility to ensure that the people who drive the industry’s success are treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

The Fashion Workers Act will create a more transparent, accountable, and successful fashion industry.

Candidly, many of us have risked our livelihoods to campaign for this bill, and we simply cannot wait any longer.

We urge you to sign the Fashion Workers Act now and keep in place the reforms outlined by the legislature that our industry so desperately needs.

Thank you for your time and leadership.

Nova A.

Nyrus Abdulle

Kofi Addo

Akua Addo

Adesola Adeyemi

Angelina Adhel Bol

Mame Adjei

Jacob Aguilar

Cait Alexander

Alyssah Ali

Alessandra Ambrosio

Berta Amelinaite

Lesa Amoore

Reagan Angelo

Nejilka Arias

Nicole Atieno

Adrianna Ba

Caitríona Balfe

Alexandra Barrett

Adam Bartoshesky

Ambra Battilana Gutierrez

Katarina Benzova

Riri Bichri

Leyna Bloom

Nardia Boodoo

Kai Braden

Dee’Anna Bradford

Meisha Brooks

Aaronn Brown

Clarisa Burnett

Anna Bzhedugova

Audra Callo

Stephanie Cam

Edie Campbell

Jaylin Carlson

Geordette Cervantes Garcés

Lauren Chan

Shreya Chaudhary

Tatiana Chaves

Helena Christensen

Peter Clarkson

Frances Coombe

Kamie Crawford

Stefania Cristian Fanny

Liris Crosse

Brana Dane

Shaina Danziger

Elle Dawson

Daphne de Baat

Thais De Lima

Vittoria Di Palma

Awuor Dit

Jill Dodd

Amy Dorris