Paulina Porizkova Discusses High Fashion’s Harsh Realities

Paulina Porizkova has opened up about the unsettling aspects of the high fashion industry, recounting how her ascent to fame was marked by uncomfortable situations.

The model, now 60, recalled her experiences with sexual harassment starting from a young age, specifically highlighting encounters that involved individuals who were supposed to guide her career but often placed her in risky scenarios.

“I began modeling in Paris when I was just 15, during my summer break from school,” Porizkova explained in a video shared online. “Every day, I was sent out on multiple ‘field trips,’ wandering the city on my own, without knowing the language or where to go.”

Although some meetings were professional, many turned out to be anything but.

“Some of the individuals I met were polished and conducted themselves in offices, but others were older men living in disorganized apartments who seemingly wanted nothing more than casual photos, often topless,” she shared. “I lost track of how many men in bathrobes welcomed me in hotel rooms or apartments set up through agencies.”

As the first Central European model to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 1984, Porizkova pointed out that unacceptable behavior wasn’t confined to untidy living spaces.

She recalled encounters with well-dressed men who would invite her to glamorous parties and luxurious locations.

For years, many supermodels accepted these situations as an expected part of their profession.

“I took it as just part of the job,” she admitted. “It was about learning how to undress, re-dress, and navigate the advances of enthusiastic men without causing offense or risking my place.”

It wasn’t until the 1990s, while watching an episode of Oprah Winfrey’s show discussing workplace sexual harassment, that Porizkova recognized her experiences qualified as harassment.

“I turned to my friend and asked, ‘Is that sexual harassment? I thought it was a compliment,'” she recalled.

In her book, “No Filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful,” she reflected on how easily children can be influenced by adults in powerful positions.

“Children adapt to any situation. If adults tell them this is how things should be, who are they to argue? This makes children particularly vulnerable,” she noted. “And if someone doesn’t recognize a child’s age, it shows a lack of understanding or empathy.”

Porizkova included hashtags such as “#Epstein,” “#EpsteinFile,” and “#Justice” in her social media posts, drawing attention to broader issues.

Her distinguished career has included being the face of Estée Lauder and serving as a judge on “America’s Next Top Model” alongside Tyra Banks.

Over 41 years, she appeared in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue 11 times.

Additionally, Porizkova is an accomplished author, with her first novel, “A Model Summer,” published in 2007, and her nonfiction work “No Filter” released in 2022.