MANHATTAN (CN) - A fashion photographer claims that Hachette Filipacchi Media, the world's largest magazine publisher, lost 1 million of his archived photos. Gilles Bensimon sued the publisher/photo archivist in New York County Court.
Bensimon, a fashion photographer for more than 40 years, says that American ELLE Magazine, owned by Hachette Filipacchi, hired him regularly since it was launched in 1985 until 2008. He says their agreement allowed him to retain most of his copyrights, and called for Hachette Filipacchi to archive outtakes not published in its magazines.
Bensimon says that his agents discovered in October 2008 that Hachette had lost more than 1 million of his photographs, which made up more than 60 percent of the 1.7 million in its custody.
Bensimon seeks damages for breach of contract, breach of bailment, fraudulent inducement, negligence and conversion.
He seeks $20 million in damages and is represented by Aaron Golub with Aaron Richard Golub.
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