Lost sensitive photo archive of supermodels in swimsuits

On September 18, Page Six reported that a private Polaroid photo archive containing snapshots of some of the world's most famous models at various moments had been lost.

These are photos not intended for public consumption of A-list names in the entertainment world, including Gigi Hadid, Kim Kardashian, Martha Stewart, Kate Upton, Brittany Mahomes, Gayle King, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Irina Shayk, Emily Ratajkowski, Megan Thee Stallion, Christie Brinkley, Chrissy Teigen, Kim Petras, Ashley Graham and anyone who has ever appeared on the famous pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition.

SI is in crisis because it lost a trove of sensitive photos of supermodels in swimsuits. Photo: Getty Images/IG.

In addition, a large number of swimsuits, worth thousands of USD, that the magazine borrowed from brands for photo shoots also "disappeared".

According to the US news site, the photo archive went missing during the process of transferring control of the world's largest swimsuit magazine from one corporation to another.

When Manoj Bhargava took over Sports Illustrated and its famous bikini edition in 2023, the Five Hour Energy drinks billionaire gained control of all the assets inside the magazine, including cameras, lighting, swimwear, and the vast archive of photos taken during most fashion magazine photo shoots.

Sources said Bhargava moved everything into a new office in a building at his company's headquarters in New York (USA).

However, his tenure at the helm of the magazine was marred by unprecedented turmoil. After firing a series of veteran and prominent writers, Bhargava's relationship with SI's parent company ended in a series of nasty lawsuits.

A new company took over the magazine in March. However, many things were lost during the corporate restructuring. SI did not get back the previous assets.

According to the source, SI staff asked Bhargava’s team about the items in the email in April. The Indian-American businessman said he would look into the matter, but then took no action.

Months have passed since receiving the email response, and SI has no choice but to replace the device. However, the sensitive photo archive is a serious concern.

Insiders say that because the photos are not intended for publication, the models are often captured in a “vulnerable” state. Most of them expose private parts and are therefore removed from the public gallery. This is why the all-female editorial team ensures the safety and privacy of the group of models.

Gigi Hadid is one of the supermodels whose nude photos have been lost. Photo: Getty Images.

The SI staff repeatedly asked for the return of the photos and items, but Bhargava's team remained silent.

“We don’t know where those Polaroids are. We don’t even know if they’re in New York,” an insider shared with a worried expression.

Page Six sources added that thousands of photos were missing, including more than 100 photos of models who had worked with the magazine multiple times.

Meanwhile, swimwear brands, mostly small businesses, are demanding back the items they lent out for photo shoots.

Representatives of parent company SI and Mr. Bhargava declined to comment when asked by the press about the incident.

Source: https://danviet.vn/kho-anh-nhay-cam-cua-dan-sieu-mau-ao-tam-bi-that-lac-20240919100751076.htm