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Model bosses quit after BBC exposé
Supermodel Cindy Crawford is on Elite's books |
Two senior executives at a top model agency have resigned after a BBC programme exposed the seedy side of the fashion industry.
A team led by undercover journalist Donal MacIntyre alleged girls as young as 13 were pressured into sex and drugs by people in trust.
Gerald Marie, president of Elite Europe, and Xavier Moreau, president of Elite Model Look, have both had their resignations accepted by the Elite board of directors.
Mr Marie, former husband of supermodel Linda Evangelista, was filmed propositioning journalist Lisa Brinkworth when she posed as a model in Tuesday night's programme, part of the MacIntyre Undercover series.
Mr Marie was also filmed telling Mr MacIntyre, who was posing as a fashion photographer, he was planning to seduce finalists from the Elite Model Look contest, whose average age was 15.
Gerald Marie: Resigned |
'Darkest aspects'
On Wednesday Elite chairman John Casablancas said several senior executives had been suspended and ordered to explain themselves.
In a statement, he offered an unreserved apology for the behaviour displayed by his staff in the documentary on what he called "some of the darkest aspects of the modelling industry".
Other senior members of Elite condemned the film. Director of Elite's Milan office Brunella Casella said: "This is an attack on our reputation and an attack on the world of fashion".
Donal MacIntyre: Secretly filmed the fashion world |
'Used for sex'
The film featured a string of astonishing "confessions" from fashion world insiders, including staff from the agency.
It also included evidence that men employed as chaperones to young models were using them for sex without the knowledge of the agencies involved.
One scene also showed a booker with a minor agency admitting she sold cocaine to models. She went on to sell Mr MacIntyre a wrap of the drug. This was done without the knowledge of the agency which employed her.
Elite said Mr Moreau would be replaced by Thierry Grin, a Swiss attorney with the company in New York, and Mr Marie's replacement would be announced in the near future.
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