Pubdate: Thu, 25 Nov 1999
Source: Irish Independent (Ireland)
Copyright: Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd
Contact:  http://www.independent.ie/
Author: James Lyons

TOP MODEL AGENCY ACTS OVER SEX, DRUGS CLAIMS

Leading model agency Elite yesterday announced an investigation into
allegations that girls as young as 13 were pressured to have sex and take
drugs.

Several senior executives at the agency, which represents supermodels Naomi
Campbell and Cindy Crawford, have been suspended after being filmed by an
undercover BBC crew.

They will be allowed to view the film and explain their actions before
being disciplined, Elite chairman John Casablancas said yesterday.

But, in a statement, he offered an ``unreserved apology'' for the behaviour
displayed by his staff in the documentary.

``Four members of the Elite organisation appear in this programme. The
language and situations in which these individuals allowed themselves to be
involved are shocking, unacceptable and highly inappropriate,'' he said.

The documentary was screened on BBC1 as part of the MacIntyre Undercover
series last night.

It featured a string of astonishing ``confessions'' from fashion world
insiders, including staff from the agency.

Gerald Marie, Elite's European president and ex-husband of Linda
Evangelista, was filmed propositioning investigator Lisa Brinkworth when
she posed as a model, she said.

Mr Marie also told fellow investigator Donal MacIntyre, posing as a
photographer, he was planning to seduce finalists from the Elite Model Look
contest whose average age is just 15, the BBC said.
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