Don't be fooled by the pretty faces — Victoria's Secret models have been
accused of some seriously shady behavior. Let's break down the
ugly and not-at-all angelic side of these past and present Victoria's Secret models.
In December 2018, model Kelly Gale was accused of fat-shaming when she filmed herself jumping
rope right outside of an In-N-Out Burger. In one clip, she makes a show of enjoying
fruits and vegetables she brought with her to the restaurant, while another shows her
setting up exercise equipment at an outdoor table. At best, she was acting desperate for
attention — but to many viewers, she was also not-so-subtly shaming people who enjoy fast food.
"Maybe start putting tomatoes on your In-N-Out burgers."
Gale was chastised by her followers for the stunt,
with some pointing out that you don't need to shame other people for your fitspiration posts.
Taylor Hill may have had a little bit too much fun at the Coachella Festival in April 2018. The model
was photographed in a compromising position with her boyfriend, Michael Shank, and another friend
as they exited the festival's Neon Carnival party. Hill apparently needed some assistance
getting out of there, being photographed with her friends holding her upright as she stumbled along.
Paparazzi recorded the model shouting about her love for Beyonce before going silent,
prompting some photographers to ask if she needed an ambulance. She eventually
made her way into a waiting SUV.
In April 2018, Bella Hadid came
under fire for seemingly using the N-word while rapping along to a Lil Wayne song at
Coachella. The reported incident led Hadid's followers to dredge up old tweets in which
she'd also used the racial slur, as well as other stereotypes against people of color.
That wasn't Hadid's only headline-making scandal. In 2014, when she was 17, she was busted for DUI,
allegedly blowing almost twice the legal limit after ignoring a stop sign and almost hitting
a police car. After the incident, Blind Gossip obtained an email allegedly sent from Yolanda
Hadid to her youngest daughter, begging her to clean up her act — as well as her car,
which the email said was strewn with prescription drugs, beer cans, vodka bottles, rolling papers,
and, perhaps worst of all, dirty underwear. Bella Hadid later claimed that her DUI behavior
was actually the result of her Lyme disease diagnosis — a creative excuse, if nothing else.
Bella Hadid isn't the only Victoria's Secret model accused of using the N-word. In November 2017,
a group of mostly blonde beauties rapped along to a lyric in Cardi B's
"Bodak Yellow" containing the racial slur. From the surviving video of the incident,
it isn't crystal clear who exactly yelled the word out. The only model who was truly
safe from being accused of using the word was Devon Windsor, who faced the camera
and skipped the entire line of the song, effectively keeping herself out of trouble.
What's even sketchier is that Jezebel reported that the footage may have originated from a
behind-the-scenes Victoria's Secret Fashion Show video that Karlie Kloss
posted on her own YouTube account — and when the viral moment faced criticism,
it appeared that Kloss edited out the models reciting the line with the N-word.
You may have noticed that Gigi Hadid was absent from the Victoria's Secret Fashion
Show in 2017. That could be because the show was held in Shanghai, China, and,
before it was filmed, Hadid had come under fire for making fun of the way Asian people look.
Hadid announced she'd be walking in the show in August, drawing an
instant backlash of angry comments on her Instagram. A few days later,
she issued an apology on Weibo in both English and Mandarin, writing,
"It hurts me to hurt anyone, and I want you all to know that it was never my intent to
offend anyone through my actions and I sincerely apologize to who felt hurt or let down by me.
I have the utmost respect and love for the people of China and cherish the incredible
memories I have made while visiting in the past. I have learned to be very careful of
how my actions can come off or be portrayed, and I'm hopeful you'll accept my apology."
However, Teen Vogue reported that the apology fell flat,
in part because she only issued it on Weibo and not on Twitter or Instagram.
In the November 2015 issue of Vogue Italia, Gigi Hadid could be seen wearing a lot of
bronzer and several afro wigs. And when we say "a lot of bronzer," we mean a lot of bronzer.
In the May 2018 issue of the same magazine, Hadid was once again photographed in uncomfortably dark
makeup, looking almost unrecognizable. This shoot once again led to backlash about the
magazine's lack of diversity, and Hadid's perceived habit of cultural insensitivity.
She apologized on Twitter, alongside a photo of her wearing bronzer leaving the shoot. In her
apology, she noted that the styling for the shoots was completely out of her control. She wrote,
"Please understand that my control of a shoot 1. is nonexistent in terms of
creative direction 2. ends completely when I leave set,
and anything done to a photo in post is out of my control fully."
It's important to note that Hadid still apologized for the issues the shoot raised,
while making it clear that it wasn't her idea, saying in part,
"[...] my intention is never to diminish those concerns or take
opportunities away from anyone else."
At the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show,
Karlie Kloss wore a Native American-style headdress on the runway, accompanied by
leopard print underwear and a turquoise necklace. It was
an ethnic grab bag of a look which rubbed many viewers the wrong way.
Navajo Nation spokesman Erny Zah told the Associated Press at the time,
"Any mockery, whether it's Halloween, Victoria's Secret — they are spitting
on us. They are spitting on our culture, and it's upsetting."
Victoria's Secret said in a statement that they'd pull Kloss' walk in the headdress from the
broadcast of the show. Kloss apologized for the gaffe on Twitter, sort of, writing that she was,
quote, "deeply sorry if what [she] wore during the VS Show offended anyone." Note that she
didn't actually apologize for wearing it — she's just sorry you were offended. Classy.
On an episode of E!'s Model Squad in September 2018, Shanina Shaik lamented the lack of diversity
in modeling and fashion, explaining that she'd been bullied and had previously been denied the
chance to walk in Milan Fashion Week because of her skin color. Instead of sympathizing,
Windsor spilled out her own problems with a response seen by many as tone-deaf and ignorant.
"I literally f**king went through hell and literally lived in different countries like
every other month, and didn't speak that language. I didn't speak Paris, didn't speak Italian."
She also added, quote, "You know how hard it is to be blonde? I have to
get a highlight every month! Do you know how expensive that is?"
"I don't think you can relate to the turmoils of being different."
Windsor later tweeted in her own defense,
admitting that the comment reflects poorly on her. She wrote,
"It goes without saying, that the comments in the show are incredibly insensitive. [...] I
made a comment in jest to infuse levity and I feel terrible that I have hurt others. I'm
even more disappointed that my comments could lead anyone to believe that I have a prejudicial bias."
Former Victoria's Secret Angel and Leonardo
DiCaprio ex Erin Heatherton just can't stay out of court.
In September 2017, The Blast reported that Heatherton was sued for a whopping
$10 million by a stylist and alleged former business partner who accused Heatherton of
suddenly abandoning a sportswear line called RetroActive that they'd been
working on together. Heatherton clapped back with a countersuit,
seeking to be reimbursed for $25,000 she'd reportedly paid out for work on the line.
Heatherton also alleged that the collaboration's resulting sportswear was of poor quality.
In July 2018, it was reported that Heatherton's attorney begged a judge to let her drop Heatherton
as a client. The reason why was allegedly because the model was behind on paying her legal bills
in the RetroActive case, and kept ducking the lawyer's attempts to contact her. The attorney
also claimed that Heatherton "refused" to pay, allegedly saying that she planned to
file for bankruptcy. But as the year came to an end, bankruptcy proceedings never began,
with some concluding that the model was simply blowing off her obligations.
But wait — there's more. In July 2016, Page Six reported that Heatherton's neighbors in
her West Village apartment building sued her for having way-too-loud parties, breaking the
building's rules that no loud music should be played during nighttime hours. It also came out
that Heatherton reportedly owed the building $16,000 in unpaid common charges at the time.
Miranda Kerr used to be a Victoria's Secret Angel, and she's got one heck
of a shady side. Us Weekly reported that Kerr was rumored to have hooked up with
Justin Bieber after the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show — when she was still married to
actor Orlando Bloom. Two years after the alleged incident, Bieber and Bloom nearly came to blows.
In 2014, Kerr reportedly dated Malaysian financier Jho Low, who gifted her a whopping
$8.1 million in jewelry that she was forced to return because, according to The Wall Street
Journal, they may have been given to her as part of a money laundering operation.
Former Victoria's Secret model Cara Delevingne got herself in some hot water in May 2013.
That month, the Daily Mail obtained and published photos of Delevingne trying
to conceal a tiny plastic baggie filled with white powder. The photos went viral,
reportedly leading clothing retail giant H&M — who had signed Delevingne to be the face
of its Divided line — to investigate the model for possible cocaine use.
She came clean in a 2015 interview with The New York Times, saying,
"I think everyone needs a bit of a slap in the face, and a reminder
that no one is invincible. That's what it was for me. […] I want to be clear:
I'm so far away from drugs that I couldn't possibly be further away,
and whatever happened in the past is in the past, it just doesn't exist anymore."
Taylor Swift first performed at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2013,
after which Australian Victoria's Secret model Jessica Hart got real
about her opinions on the performer — maybe too real. When WWD asked Hart if
Swift could make it as a Victoria's Secret model, Hart told the mag,
"No. […] I think, you know what, God bless her heart. I think she's great. But I don't know,
to me, she didn't fit. I don't know if I should say that."
As Jake Gyllenhaal, John Mayer, and Calvin Harris know, Hell hath no fury
like a scorned Taylor Swift. Hart paid for her moment of shade when Swift was signed
on to perform in 2014, reportedly under the condition that Hart not be present.
Though the brand denied the rumor, Hart still seems to be publicly bitter about
something Swift may or may not have done. In February 2018, Hart posed
for an Instagram photo in a sweater that read, "FOUR LETTER BAD WORD TAYLOR SWIFT." Subtle.
Renowned model and reality TV star Kendall Jenner is no stranger to controversy. In 2017,
she starred in a widely criticized Pepsi commercial where she was depicted
diffusing tensions at a "peace protest" by offering a can of Pepsi to a police officer.
The commercial was immediately accused of appropriating elements of the Black Lives
Matter movement and trivializing its message. Pepsi pulled the ad after only a few days,
with a spokesperson telling The New York Times,
"We did not intend to make light of any serious issue."
Meanwhile, Jenner got emotional while addressing
the controversy in an episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."
"I feel really bad that this was taken such a wrong way and that I genuinely feel like s—."
Just a year later, Jenner caught more heat following an interview with Love Magazine,
during which she made some privileged comments
about being selective with her modeling career. She proclaimed,
"I was never one of those girls who would do like 30 shows a season or whatever the f— those girls
do. More power to 'em. But I had a million jobs, not only catwalks but everything else."
The comment was immediately met with fury from fellow models, who emphasized how crucial it is
to book as many runway shows as possible for the sake of their livelihoods. On X,
formerly Twitter, Jenner suggested her comments had been taken out of context, stating,
"It was intended to be entirely complimentary."
In the '90s and early 2000s, Tyra Banks ruled fashion. From the catwalk to our television
screens, the model was inescapable and hugely influential. In 2003,
Banks created the successful reality competition show,
"America's Next Top Model," which lasted for 24 cycles and 315 episodes. Though still seen
as a cult classic, in recent years, "ANTM" has received its fair share of criticism.
Many former contestants, such as Kahlen Rondot, Shandi Sullivan, and Lisa D'Amato
have alleged that they experienced humiliation and trauma during their time on the show. In a
since-deleted blog post, Cycle 1 winner Adrianne Curry even claimed that she was
never given the contract with Revlon cosmetics or representation by Wilhelmina Models she was
supposed to receive. A spokesperson for Banks declined to comment on Curry's accusations but
told Entertainment Weekly that some aspects of production were beyond her control.
But this only touches the surface of the accusations. Several contestants,
such as Angelea Preston, have accused the show of starving contestants and
dehydrating them for the sake of drama. Of Banks, Preston told the Daily Mail,
"When the cameras stopped rolling it's like she's a stranger."
Banks spoke to "Chicks in the Office" in 2020 about the show's many on-screen
missteps — but not necessarily its alleged behind-the-scenes issues.
"I've apologized for it and we're going to apologize
again and keep apologizing because it was wrong."
Gisele Bündchen first joined Victoria's Secret in 2006 and has since built a
long and fruitful legacy, becoming one of the richest models in the world. Still,
she is not immune to making polarizing comments. On several occasions, Bündchen
found herself at the center of controversy due to her remarks about breastfeeding.
In a 2010 interview with Harper's Bazaar, Bündchen expressed that it should be a
worldwide law for mothers to breastfeed for at least six months. The comments came seven
months after the birth of her son, and she was already back to modeling bikinis. She said,
"I think breastfeeding really helped. Some people here think they don't have to breastfeed,
and I think, 'Are you going to give chemical food to your child when they are so little?'"
From what the model describes, her first experience with motherhood was somewhat ideal,
and many were infuriated by what they viewed as Bündchen's ignorance and
privilege. She eventually backed down. In a since-deleted blog post, she wrote,
"It's unfortunate that in an interview sometimes things can seem so black and
white. I am sure if I would just be sitting talking about my experiences
with other mothers, we would just be sharing opinions. I understand that
everyone has their own experience and opinions and I am not here to judge."
British model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley began her career at 16, appearing in campaigns for Levi's,
Abercrombie & Fitch, and DKNY before being signed to Victoria's Secret at 19. A few years later,
she became an official Angel, taking part in the annual runway show for
five consecutive years. Known for her full lips and double-barrelled name,
Huntington-Whiteley quickly became one of the most recognizable faces of the brand.
However, she soon developed an interest in acting and would ruffle some feathers
along the way. In 2010, tabloids pitted the model against Megan Fox after she
was cast to replace the actor in the third "Transformers" movie. Unaware of the drama
between Fox and franchise director Michael Bay at the time, Huntington-Whiteley auditioned
for and secured the female lead role. However, in an interview with Next Movie,
Fox refused to be baited and had nothing but nice things to say about the model who replaced her.
In 2012, a source told Page Six that the model-turned-actor caused drama on the
set of "Project Runway: All Stars" when she allegedly pulled out of the hosting
gig at the last minute for her role in "Mad Max: Fury Road." The source told the outlet,
"Literally days before filming, the show suddenly had no host. Rosie
had been pushing really hard for the job. She'd charmed everyone."
The insider also suggested that the Weinstein Company threatened
to sue the model, despite claims that she never signed a contract.