Marc Jacobs Doesn't Pay His Models?

 Jezebel ran an article recently called “Marc Jacobs Doesn’t Pay His Models, Says Model.” The model they’re referring to is Hailey Hasbrook, a 17-year-old from Oregon, who keeps a blog in which she detailed her experiences working during New York Fashion Week last month, which she also spoke about briefly in an interview withWWD. Of particular interest is her account of working with Marc Jacobs. While she says she had fun and everyone was really nice, there were definitely some rules broken.

Jenna Sauers points out that Marc Jacobs violated (another) CFDA guideline which asks that under-18 models not be kept working past midninght. Hasbrook’s blog confirms not only that she worked far past midnight (one night she was kept in fittings until 4:30am when she had an 8am call time the following morning), but that she also wasn’t paid a dime for the 20 some hours she spent at Jacobs’ studio doing “looks,” i.e. spending hours trying on different looks–which she apparently wasn’t even scheduled to do. Here’s how one particularly grueling day went:

Sunday was a VERY hectic and LOOOOONGG day…..

It started with a casting for Rodarte at 11:00 in the morning.

Then, I had MORE looks for Marc Jacobs. The SCHEDULED time was Noon-4:30. They ended up keeping me until 6:00, though, causing me to have to switch around my schedule and cancel some things.

Hasbrook eventually left to go to another job — looks for Reed Krakoff — but she ended up getting cancelled from the gig (after spending $20 on a cab) because Jacobs had kept her so long. Then, the same evening, she went straight to another casting.

I get a call from my agency saying Marc wants me BACK to do more looks. They told him that I would do it but I had to have an early night because I had shows early the next morning. They told me that I shouldn’t be there any later than 10:30.

Well, 10:30 rolls around and I ask Shawn if he knows when I will be ready to leave. Only to find out that they have me booked open-ended. Meaning that they had no specific end time for me. After a couple phone calls, they decided on 2:00 am.

Well, 2:00 rolls around…. I hadn’t been trying things on for a while so we all thought I would be good to go. I go and start to get dressed only to be called for in the other room by Marc.

I didn’t end up leaving until around 4:30 in morning.

Ultimately, the model walked in both the Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc shows and was paid in trade, meaning she got some clothes and accessories. Sauers, a former model herself, writes,

When I modeled, doing looks during fashion week was how you earned money to make up for all the magazine editorials, shows, presentations, and myriad other modeling jobs you had to do for free or for trade. Now the looks are for trade, too? That’s bullshit. Working for free for Marc Jacobs — a company that’s majority owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s largest luxury conglomerate? That’s complete and total bullshit.

This comes on the heels of news that Marc Jacobs defiantly employed at least two 14-year-old models during this past NYFW, despite the fact that he is a member of the CFDA–the organization that has put forth pretty clear guidelines encouraging its members not to use models under the age of 16. “If their parents are willing to let them do a show, I don’t see any reason that it should be me who tells them that they can’t,” Jacobs told the New York Times.

Similarly, Marc Jacobs defended their decision not to pay models; though this time, it’s on Twitter. In a tweet aimed at Jezebel, Huffington Post, and writers Jenna Sauers and Ellie Krupnick, Marc Jacobs Intl wrote, “models are paid in trade. If they don’t want to work w/ us, they don’t have to.” This started a mini Twitter war between MJ and Sauers, which you can see below. MJ’s zinger refers to Sauers’ zany Twitter bio, which reads, “I used to make my living encouraging bulimia in teenage girls.”

Twitter squabbles aside, Marc Jacobs (both the company and its designer) sound pretty stuck in their ways. And because models of all ages are no doubt eager for a chance to walk in what is arguably New York Fashion Week’s most important show, this kind of thing will continue to happen. What do you think of Marc Jacobs’ defiant attitude about it all?

17 year old Hailey, who ended up working over 30 hours for Marc Jacobs during New York fashion week while the designer styled his collection, and who is just one of the many runway models Jacobs doesn't pay — has written a response to the controversy. 

First I want to set one thing straight, I loved working and doing looks for Marc Jacobs. I was actually one of the favorite jobs I have had so far. Everyone there were absolutely amazing and awesome to work with. It wasn't like I was non-stop trying clothes on for a full 9 hours. There were many times where Marc and Camille were going over other things. I had many breaks where I could go and lay on the couch, read, or just relax. They took really good care of me there. All I had to do was ask if I needed anything. There was plenty of food and drinks there the entire time. They were all very understanding, flexible and accommodating.

I actually preferred to be paid in trade. I love everything that I got, and it was well worth it. There was an entire room filled with clothes and shoes that I was asked to choose from. Everything was amazing.

I feel like the authors of these blogs tried to remake my entire post and make it seem that I was slamming the company. As I said, it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed my time there, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I am not and was not complaining one bit about it at all. I hope that everybody can see and understand that I meant no harm by those posts and that this will help clear everybody's mind of any false beliefs that were put there by Jezebel or any other posts that may have mentioned me in them.

It's of course good to know that Jacobs and company treat their models well while they're working. He still didn't pay her. What if the models, heaven forbid, need to pay rent, and their landlords won't accept shoes or scarves? Pay your models, Marc. You can afford it.