Police Action In Herchcovitch Fashion Show Exposes Fashion Industry's Labor Issues

08/14/2018 - 14h46

What was supposed to be one of 2018's most important fashion shows in Brazil became a police matter and sparked a discussion that has been whispered for a long time in the backstage.

Inspectors from the union of art and entertainment workers in São Paulo (Sated) tried to force their way into the backstage of À La Garçonne's fashion show, this Monday (13), at Masp. They wanted to demand from the brand's owners, entrepreneur Fábio Souza and designer Alexandre Herchcovitch, an explanation about the show's models' labor contracts.

The brand's staff didn't let the inspector in, who in turn called the police at the end of the fashion show in order to gain access to the contracts.

	Danilo Verpa
	The moment when the police arrive at the event

The inquiry happened after three model agencies accused Souza and Herchcovitch of hiring unregistered young men and women from upstate São Paulo, with the intent of avoid paying union rates.

One third of the models were cast through social media and in places where Herchcovitch has recently been. Each model would received the outfit they wore in exchange for their time.

Just before the fracas, Herchcovitch said it was an industry standard to cast unknowns and new faces to a fashion show.

According to a 1978 law, anyone who works as a model needs to be registered in the state labor department, and be contracted for each modeling job.

After the altercation, the union representatives registered an occurrence in the nearest police precinct and said they will notify Brazil's Labor department and request an official investigation.

Translated by NATASHA MADOV

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