Warning: This article contains details of sexual assault and harassment.
Emanuele D'Angelo of Livincool has been accused of sexual exploitation by multiple women. Diet Prada published statements from six people yesterday, following months of researching stories that first came to light on a Shit Model Management Instagram post back in December.
According to allegations, there are traumatic stories of assault behind these shoots. In Diet Prada's coverage, six women — Ellie Fox, Madelyn, Sofia, Emily Kretzer, Ava, Alexus Ade — have shared their experiences. These accounts speak of violation, harassment, humiliation, and sexual assault. Several alleged victims claim that he lied about working with Agent Provocateur as a way to get them to do intimate lingerie shoots for his own portfolio, and say he would coerce them into posing topless. One woman talks of having her underwear photoshopped out of an image without her permission, before it was published as a nude. Several allegations speak of him exposing himself, of groping, and of pulling women onto his crotch — all without consent.
For those unaware, D'Angelo is an Italian photographer, born and raised in Rome. He moved to London in the late ’00s with a plan to befriend the fashion industry, attend shows and parties, and take street style shots and portraits of big names. That plan worked, and since he has snapped Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, and his website lists work with Gucci x GQ, Louis Vuitton, and more. Livincool is his lifestyle brand and he often taps models and celebrity friends to model the merch.
So far, Ratajkowski is the only person affiliated with D'Angelo to speak up. (For transparency, Highsnobiety interviewed D'Angelo in 2018. In that interview, he described Ratajkowski as his "friend/muse." I'm not going to link the piece here — I suggest you read the victim's statements instead.) As was (and still is) the case when accusations against Alexander Wang first surfaced, it would seem that the rest of the industry is keeping quiet.
Ratajkowski left the following comment on Diet Prada's post: "It’s no small feat to share with the world the things that have happened to you in situations where power dynamics are abused. I’m horrified to learn that someone I worked with is guilty of taking advantage of his position and of hurting women. I hope that these women are healing, I hope that the men in positions of power are beginning to recognize their place in the world and facing the consequences of their abuse and I hope that our industry and culture as a whole changes and very soon."
D'Angelo is not the only fashion photographer to face allegations of this nature — Terry Richardson, Mario Testino, Bruce Weber, and Jonathan Leder, have all been accused of sexual assault and/or exploitation in recent years.
At the time of publishing this article, no other fashion publication has picked up the story. For thoughts on why that could be, read: Why Does the Fashion Industry Keep Ignoring its Me Too Moments?
Related Reading:
- Men, We Need to Talk About Domestic Abuse
- Domestic Abuse Is Not a Women's Issue
The pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home regulations have led to an increase in domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline (US) and National Domestic Abuse Helpline (UK) to find out how to get help. You are not alone.
