Model Alliance, a research and policy organisation, rallied on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art yesterday to spotlight the Fashion Workers Act, a bill proposal that hopes to regulate New York’s model management agencies.

The rally, which was notably organised on the eve of Met Gala Monday, saw attendance from models, including Kaja Sokola and Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, as well as lawmakers, labour advocates and supporters, who came together to push for the introduction of labour protections in the state.

Condé Nast union also offered its support for the cause, as members of the group appeared at the rally simultaneous to the release of a statement standing with industry workers and the proposed act.

Issued by the “unionised editorial staff at Condé Nast brands”, the statement expressed the group’s “full support for fashion’s creative workforce, who are seeking basic rights to workplace protections, transparency and accountability”.

Unionised Condé Nast workers show support

The document added that the Fashion Workers Act “would close a legal loophole that allows management companies to avoid accountability and for the first time establish basic labour protections for these workers”.

The input of unionised employees from Condé Nast is notable considering the rally was held at the location of the upcoming Met Gala and on the evening prior to the prestigious event, which is organised by Condé Nast-owned Vogue and chaired by the publication’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

At the rally, Model Alliance founder Sara Ziff said: “As fashion’s biggest stars head to the Met Gala tomorrow, we cannot forget the workforce that is propping up this 2.5 trillion dollar industry. Despite the prestige that the Met Gala and the broader fashion industry projects, models continue to work without basic workplace protection.”

Ahead of the rally, Model Alliance also announced that a donor was set to match donations to the organisation of up to 10,000 dollars, an initiative that will carry on until May 15 and hopes to support the nonprofit in its pursuit of integrating the act into law.

What is the Fashion Workers Act?

New York has been mulling the implementation of the Fashion Workers Act for quite some time now. Introduced early 2022, the bill proposes the regulation of model and content creator management agencies that have largely been able to escape accountability when it comes to the treatment of their employees.

Currently, management agencies in the industry are under the “incidental booking exception” under New York State General Business Law, allowing them to escape licensing and regulation. Additionally, these firms have the right to accept payments on behalf of models, many of whom are further subject to unsatisfactory living conditions and unjust rental fees.

The Fashion Workers Act aims to dismantle these practices and require agencies to pay models and creatives within 45 days of completing a job, carry out health and safety checks on sets and provide models with copies of contracts.

It will also forbid management companies from taking action against a model filing a complaint through the bill and engaging in discriminatory behaviour or harassment of any kind.