After years of campaigning, New York has passed a law that will give models working in the state greater protection from exploitation, harassment and abuse and the growing use of Artificial Intelligence.
The Fashion Workers Act was signed by Governor Kathy Hochul over the weekend and will come into effect in June 2025.
The new rule will require model management companies to register with the state and provide greater transparency to the models they work with about contracts and expenses. It will also establish better protections against harassment and abuse and provide recourse for the unauthorised use of digital images.
“This is a major leap forward for the fashion industry which since its inception, has been a backwater for workers’ rights, rife with a range of abuses camouflaged by glamour,” said Sara Ziff, executive director of advocacy group the Model Alliance. “New York – one of the fashion capitals of the world – has said unequivocally that the status quo is unacceptable. It is a major victory for our workforce of overwhelmingly young women and girls.”
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New York Lawmakers Pass Groundbreaking Bill to Protect Models
The Fashion Workers Act, which aims to curb exploitation in the industry, must now go to Governor Kathy Hochul to be signed into law.
