A second male model is accusing famed fashion photographer Bruce Weber of sexual harassment, saying he had not stepped forward earlier over fears that he would have been “blacklisted” in the fashion industry.
The 71-year-old Weber, one of the most renowned photographers in the fashion establishment, is being accused of groping and non-consensual kissing by two male models, 31-year-old Mark Ricketson and 28-year-old Jason Boyce.
According to Ricketson, in 2005 during a private New York photo shoot, Weber began a series of strange acts that ultimately led to him coercing the model into rubbing his own genitals, according to the Daily Mail.
“He told me I ‘looked tense’ and proceeded to press his thumb on my forehead,” Ricketson said.
“He then took my hand and told me to ‘find the energy’ by guiding my hand and rubbing it on one of three places — my forehead, chest or my stomach,” Ricketson continued.
“Each time the ‘energy’ in my stomach would get lower and lower until I had to navigate the remaining space left before having to touch myself. I felt ashamed and embarrassed,” he said.
Though the incident occurred more than a year ago, Ricketson said he did not speak out against Weber because he was afraid the fashion industry would blacklist him, as Weber is beloved and revered in the industry.
“If you wanted to work, you did what you were told,” Ricketson said.
“Trying to cope with the trauma of what I’d experienced while staying silent all these years led to a battle with depression, addictive tendencies and struggling to form loving and lasting relationships,” Ricketson continued.
Boyce previously revealed his accusations against Weber in a lawsuit, where he told a similar story to that of Ricketson, where Weber allegedly coerced him into touching his genitals during a photo shoot, as Breitbart News reported.
During a casting shoot with Weber, Boyce alleges that the photographer said he was “so tense” and instructed him to remove his shirt and pants. Shortly after obeying the order, Weber allegedly removed Boyce’s underwear, where he then allegedly “instructed Mr. Boyce to put his hands on himself, ‘wherever you feel your energy go,’” the lawsuit states.
After Boyce put his hands on his chest, Weber allegedly moved the models’ hands to his genitals.
“Mr. Weber grabbed Mr. Boyce’s arm, and moved it back and forth, so that Mr. Boyce was forced to rub his own genitals,” the lawsuit claims.
Weber, according to Boyce, then put the models’ hand on his own crotch and put his fingers in his mouth as well. Boyce says in the lawsuit that he was “terrified and repulsed.”
This is when Weber allegedly whispered to Boyce, saying “If you just had confidence, you’d go really far. How far do you want to make it? How ambitious are you?”
Boyce did not respond to the comments, leaving Weber to allegedly end the casting photoshoot, saying “You know what? Put your underwear on. I think we’re done here,” the lawsuit claims.
Before the male model could leave, though, Weber allegedly grabbed Boyce and kissed him on the lips.
Weber is famous for his all-American-style fashion photography that helped create iconic imagery for brands like Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Most recently, Weber has worked closely with Louis Vuitton to create a series of fashion ad campaigns. He is also a favorite among Vogue fashion editors like Anna Wintour and the influential Carine Roitfeld, who previously headed up French Vogue.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.
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