“”We’re working in an industry that is perceived as frivolous, and so our concerns are not taken seriously,” says model Sara Ziff, who’s been the face of Tommy Hilfiger and Banana Republic and walked the runway for Calvin Klein and Chanel. A model since age 14, Ziff exposed ugly industry stories in her 2009 documentary “Picture Me,” then founded the non-union workers’ group Model Alliance two years ago this month. In a fashion week interview with Salon, Ziff described largely unseen sexual coercion, wage theft and eating disorders; discussed her efforts (in a personal capacity) to foster solidarity between U.S. fashion models and Bangladesh garment workers; and considered what clout her group can bring to bear on the trillion-dollar industry. A condensed version of our conversation follows.

How different is the fashion industry from what most people imagine in the U.S.?

The modeling industry seems very glamorous, and part of a model’s job is to make the work invisible. It’s to make, you know, being beautiful and glamorous seem effortless.

And so it’s not surprising that most people would have trouble seeing modeling as a job, and that the issues like difficulty in some cases getting paid for your work, long working hours, sexual harassment on the job — those are things that are hidden from view. And so I think often people are unsympathetic to models’ concerns because the very nature of the job is to exude sort of effortless beauty and glamour.”* The Young Turks hosts Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian break it down.

*Read more here from Josh Eidelson / Salon:
http://www.salon.com/2014/02/13/liposuction_eating_disorders_and_sexual_coercion_high_fashions_ugly_secrets/

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