Outcry over topless shots of model Zippora Seven
An Australian magazine is being investigated after photographing a 16-year-old girl topless in two fashion shoots.
Russh Australia, a lifestyle and fashion magazine, hired Zippora Seven for a provocative 18-page editorial fashion spread alongside 16-year-old male model Levi Clarke.
Shot in March, one of the images depicts the pair sharing a bubble bath nude with Seven topless and Clarke’s eyes closed as if he is passed out.
In the foreground are four bottles of champagne.
The Classifications Act prohibits the depiction of nudity and sexual activity of minors under 18.
A spokesperson for the Australian Classification Board said: “I can advise that the board has contacted the publisher of Russh Australia.”
Seven’s Australian agent, Priscilla Leighton-Clark, said the photo shoot had gone too far.
“It’s wrong that our girl has appeared in a magazine exposing her breasts when she’s so young,” Ms Leighton-Clark said.
Russh editor Natalie Shukur defended the Seven shoot, which was inspired by supermodel Kate Moss and actor Johnny Depp when they dated.
“We believe Russh readers ‘get it’ in this narrative story,” she said.
“These are beautiful images of two young people in character.”
Russh is marketed towards fashion-minded 18 to 35-year-olds with almost equal readership of males and females.
In a brief interview with Seven, the magazine asked, “When and where was your first kiss?”
“My first lick was in the bubble bath with Levi,” she answered.
Seven lives in Auckland, New Zealand, but is in demand in Australia and has been shot locally for Vogue and Oyster magazines.
It was her second shoot with Russh this year. She appeared in the March issue topless while riding a horse.
In NZ, Seven is represented by Red11 agency and her mother, Ursula, is heavily involved in her career.
In Australia, she is represented by Priscilla’s Model Management, an agency that has a long-standing reputation for being extremely protective of its models.
“I can’t be on every shoot,” Ms Leighton-Clark said. “Had I known it was to be a topless shoot, (Seven) would never have done it.”
2 comments May 12th, 2008
