When model turned business owner, Karlie Kloss, officially retired from being one of the coveted Victoria’s Secret Angels in February 2015, the US lingerie label cited scheduling issues and said that Karlie’s busy schedule – she was studying at NYU at the time – was the reason behind her choosing to hang up her wings.
However, the newlywed, who celebrated her marriage to Josh Kushner last weekend with a Western-inspired weekend away, has now revealed that the real reason she left the controversial brand was because she didn’t like its portrayal of women.
Karlie revealed that while she was studying feminist theory at New York University’s Gallatin School, she realised that Victoria’s Secret didn’t align with her values and, despite it being one of her most lucrative contracts at the time, ultimately decided to call it quits.
“The reason I decided to stop working with Victoria’s Secret was I didn’t feel it was an image that was truly reflective of who I am and the kind of message I want to send to young women around the world about what it means to be beautiful,” the 26-year-old told British Vogue.
“I think that was a pivotal moment in me stepping into my power as a feminist, being able to make my own choices and my own narrative, whether through the companies I choose to work with, or through the image I put out to the world.”
Following a slew of bad press surrounding Ed Razek explaining why the company doesn’t use curvy or trans models at its shows, it was announced that the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show would no longer be aired on network television in the US.
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