In most industries today, there now exists a “list” — an anonymous catalogue compiled by an unnamed source, detailing the abusers within their industry. Some accuse specific individuals of wrongdoing. Others skate around the libel laws by using heavy insinuation.
The fashion industry has lots of lists. Some are very public. The list of male photographers, editors and stylists who have habitually abused models and subordinates is growing daily. Last week, The Boston Globe published a fresh flurry of allegations against many leading figures, among them Patrick Demarchelier, personal photographer to Princess Diana. There’s also a list of those photographers with whom the publisher Condé Nast will no longer work; and a list of guidelines now being drawn up to protect vulnerable youths from wandering hands.
And then there are the quieter, less official lists. “Intern 1 no name” tells stories about life in the fashion world under the Instagram handle @fashionassistants. It started as a light-hearted look at the idiosyncrasies of working in the fashion industry — the silly hours, the unreasonable expectations of stylists — but in light of #MeToo and Time’s Up, the feed has evolved to include more specific examples of harassment. By inviting fellow assistants to anonymously share their stories, it has become a catalogue of abuses, both personal and general, highlighting the industry’s unholy meanness.