Photographer Jonathan Leder has adamantly rejected accusations that he sexually assaulted model and actress Emily Ratajkowski
After being contacted by Page Six, Imperial Publishing, which Leder owns, wrote that "Mr Leder totally denies her outrageous allegations of being ‘assaulted'".
Imperial claims that she concocted the “salacious accusations” because she was unable to stop the publication of Leder’s book which included photographs
Quoting Leder, New York magazine also wrote that Ratajkowski’s allegations are “too tawdry and childish to respond to”.
“You do know who we are talking about, right?”, Leder is quoted as saying.
“This is the girl that was naked in Treats! magazine, and bounced around naked in the Robin Thicke video at that time. You really want someone to believe she was a victim?”
Ratajkowski made the accusations of sexual assault in an essay published in The Cut on Tuesday titled 'Buying Myself Back: When Does a Model Own Her Own Image?'
She recalls the alleged incident from a photoshoot in 2012, saying that her then-agent asked her to stayover at Leder’s flat in Woodstock, New York, as part of an unpaid photoshoot for a magazine called Darius.
She writes that she Leder appeared "disinterested" upon meeting her and that she "wanted to prove myself worthy of his attention. I knew that impressing these photographers was an important part of building a good reputation".
Ratajowski said she initially felt relief after seeing two children and a female make-up artist upon arriving before being surprised to discover that the shoot was a lingerie one.
In an attempt to seem mature and professional, she also accepted Leder's offer of red wine throughout the photoshoot, writing that her she had been "taught that it was important to earn a reputation as hardworking and easygoing".
Ratajowski then writes that Leder asked her to conduct the shoot naked.
"I began to float out of myself, watching as I climbed back onto the bed. I arched my back and pursed my lips, fixating on the idea of how I might look through his camera lens. Its flash was so bright and I’d had so much wine that giant black spots were expanding and floating in front of my eyes", she said.
She then explains that her mood dropped once the female make-up artist left the room and that Leder proceeded to sexually assault her.
“Most of what came next was a blur except for the feeling. I don’t remember kissing, but I do remember his fingers suddenly being inside of me”, she said.
“I brought my hand instinctively to his wrist and pulled his fingers out of me with force. I didn’t say a word".
She said that she did not tell anyone about the incident and took the train home the next morning.
The photographs Leder took were published in a book in 2016, called 'Emily Ratajkowski'. The model claims the project was made without her consent, which Leder disputes. A second and third book were published of the outtakes, with one titled 'Two Nights With Emily'.
