Former Victoria's Secret Model Bridget Malcolm Slams Brand While Recalling Personal Struggles

Ex-Victoria's Secret Model Bridget Malcolm released a scathing video criticizing the retailer, using a bra from a 2016 fashion show to to show how underweight she was allegedly pressured to become.

Watch: Tyra Banks Calls Victoria’s Secret Rebrand a “Beauty Revolution”

Former Victoria’s Secret model Bridget Malcolm has criticized the retailer’s recent brand makeover in a scathing video, in which she uses one of their bras to demonstrate how underweight she was allegedly pressured to become to walk in one of its annual fashion shows.

The 29-year-old made her comments on TikTok on Sunday, June 27, more than a week after the lingerie and apparel group ended its “Angels” brand, represented by its top models such as Adriana Lima, Behati Prinsloo and Candice Swanepoel, and announced a new roster of women as the public faces of the group, including soccer star Megan Rapinoe, actress Priyanka Chopra and plus-size model Paloma Elsesser.

“Victoria’s Secret,” Malcolm said, “your performative ally ship is a joke.”

In her video, captioned, “too little too late Victoria’s Secret,” the model demonstrated how underweight she was when she took part in the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, her second and final overall. In the clip, she tries on a size 30A lace white Victoria’s Secret bra that she wore at the event.

“I am now a size 34B,” said the 5-foot-11-inch model, “which is healthy for me.”

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OMG Moments at Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows

She continued, “I was rejected from the show in 2017 by Ed Razek. He said ‘my body did not look good enough.'”

Razek served as marketing chief of Victoria’s Secret’s parent company L Brands from 1983 until his retirement in 2019. He could not be reached for comment and a rep for Victoria’s Secret had no immediate remarks about Bridget’s video when reached by E! News.

Malcolm continued, “I wore a size 30B at that point. Look how big it was on me. The sadness behind my eyes from the 2016 show breaks my heart.”

Victoria’s Secret’s recent brand makeover comes amid years of growing criticism of the retailer and changing attitudes about beauty standards and representation of women. In 2019, Razek left L Brands and the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was canceled.

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Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret

In 2020, Victoria’s Secret came under criticism again after The New York Times published an article about allegations of misogyny, bullying and harassment within the group. Razek told the newspaper the accusations described in the report were “categorically untrue, misconstrued or taken out of context.”

But a rep for L Brands did not dispute the reporting. They told The New York Times that the company “is intensely focused” on corporate governance, workplace and compliance practices and that it had “made significant strides.” The rep added, “We regret any instance where we did not achieve this objective and are fully committed to continuous improvement and complete accountability.”

TikTok / Bridget Malcolm

Malcolm’s video is one of several she has posted in recent weeks in which she criticizes the fashion industry. In a TikTok clip shared on Tuesday, June 29, the model responded to fans’ questions about why she did not speak out sooner. She detailed her mental health struggles following past traumas—including being “sexually assaulted multiple times”—and experiencing pressure to meet modeling beauty standards.

She said she had been “told to do cocaine to lose weight” by people involved in her career. Bridget also said, “I’ve been told whilst I was underage to just have lots of sex to lose weight.”

“I was struggling with my gender identity,” she continued. “I’d developed anorexia and orthorexia and anxiety and depression. I couldn’t socialize without drinking and was developing quite the reliance on Xanax and Ambien in order to get me through the night. And that was before I turned 18.”

Malcolm said that on her 26th birthday, she suffered a “nervous breakdown,” adding, “I couldn’t leave my house for a year without panic attacks and severe anxiety. I also had a bout with suicidal ideations, which was terrifying. That was four years ago.”

“Today,” she said, “I am two-plus years sober. I’m four years in recovery from an eating disorder. I’m happy. I’m balanced and I’m strong and I feel the best I’ve ever felt. The reality is, I couldn’t talk about my experiences before I reached this point because I would have intense PTSD flashbacks, I would have panic attacks and I wouldn’t be OK. But I am OK now and that’s why I’m speaking out.”

The model continued, “The only reason why I am doing this is because I am a strong believer that the fashion industry needs to change. I am one of the lucky models. I was able to make a long career out of the fashion industry. My job should not include abuse and that is why I’m speaking out now.”

How Becky G’s New Beauty Brand Empowers the Latinx Community

In an exclusive interview with E! News, Becky G is spilling the beauty tea about her new cosmetics line, Treslúce Beauty, and what it means for the Latinx community.

Watch: Becky G’s Tresluce Beauty Is a “Celebration” of Her Latin Culture

Is there anything Becky G can’t do?

The answer, of course, is no. For one, there’s no denying the 24-year-old singer has taken over the music industry with hit after hit. And while the Mala Santa artist is still booked and busy with her music, she’s ready to embark on an exciting new chapter.

Enter: Treslúce Beauty.

That’s right, the Mexican-American pop star can now add makeup mogul to her ever-evolving resume. However, don’t expect her cosmetics line to be like other celebrity-owned brands. Per a press release, Treslúce Beauty “celebrates [Becky’s] Latinx roots, with a mission to uplift the community through authentic and true representation.”

Her message couldn’t ring more true with her first collection, which focuses on the eyes. From a vibrant 18-eyeshadow palette that’s infused with Mexican Blue Agave to an eyelash case inspired by Mexican Talavera tiles and her grandmother, the California native’s products are not only pretty but purposeful.

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Stars With Beauty Brands

To celebrate her new endeavor, Becky exclusively spoke with E! News about creating her own cosmetics line, and why it felt like the perfect time to take this next step in her career.

Michele Andersen, John Parra/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy

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E! News: You’ve collaborated with brands in the past, but why did it feel like the right time to branch out and launch your own line?

Becky G: “There’s been something in the air for me, as a creative person, that felt it was just time. It’s something that I’ve dreamt about since I was so, so young and it’s been on my list of things to accomplish. But there’s two sides to it: There’s a personal side for me that makeup has always been that lane of self-expression. My music is something that I share with everyone, but makeup was always very personal to me and it was something that I was now ready to share on a bigger scale. And then, on top of that, as a consumer of makeup, I think what Treslúce is about and what it represents is something that is very much needed in the beauty space.”

“There’s so many pioneers in the makeup space that I looked up to and been inspired by, and I would just think to myself, ‘What does that look like for me? What would I be about in the makeup space? What would we stand for?’ And as we’ve put together our brand pillars, it’s never felt more right. I know it sounds crazy to say at 24 years old. Like, ‘Now’s the time!’ It could’ve come much later but the truth is, I started wearing makeup so young. We wear makeup so young now, and everyone wears makeup…so, it just felt right.”

Michele Andersen

E! News: Beauty is so ingrained in Latinx culture and it’s empowering that this brand’s mission is to uplift the community. How does it feel to create a space for people to celebrate that part of their heritage?

BG: “I love that you use the word ‘celebrate’ because that’s something that I speak a lot about with the team. When it comes to our Latinidad, one thing I love about our culture is that we love to share. We love to share our food, we love to share our music, we love to share our homes, our drinks—and now, I’m ready to share Treslúce. That part of our culture has definitely inspired me.”

“And going back to what makes Treslúce unique, it’s that celebration. And it’s taking ownership. I know some people are like, ‘Well, you’re pretty without makeup.’ Well, I don’t wear makeup for you. I wear makeup for me because it makes me feel good. It makes me feel identified with myself because this is my favorite way of self-expression. So empowering individuals with knowing, like, you wear makeup for you, not for anyone else. And re-writing that story as Latinas…and I think that that’s really powerful.”

Watch: Becky G Says Makeup Boosts Her Mental Health

E! News: Touching on how beauty can be a way to express yourself and be that “me-time,” does beauty ever feel therapeutic for you and does it help with your mental health in any way?

BG: “100 percent. Even on days where I feel a little sick, I’m just like, ‘I gotta get a face on and I’ll feel so much better.’ [laughs] It’s a peaceful time. To really paint a picture for you: Those times before I go on stage, and I’m doing my own makeup and I’m staring at myself in the mirror, I get to be a part of that transformation of becoming a more elevated and powerful version of myself.”

“That says everything about even who I’ve become outside of being a daughter, a sister and being a partner. All of those things are so important to me, but the fact that I’ve been able to come as far as I have at the age that I am…it’s because of that connection with myself. I think my beauty journey has a lot to do with it because as I’ve learned more, I feel I have a place where I belong.”

Michele Andersen

E! News: Your eyeshadow palette also includes affirmations that are positive reminders to feel good about yourself. Can you share a little more about why it was it important for you to incorporate those messages? 

BG: “The beauty space is filled with a lot of fun and cool trends, but sometimes trends can make you think, ‘Am I good enough for it? Am I cool enough to do that?’ Growing up on the internet and getting discovered off of the internet, it’s not always been the most positive and uplifting place. But I’m definitely more of a glass-half-full, not a half-empty kind of person…It’s that process of self-discovery and part of that self-discovery has been self-acceptance. That’s something that is a daily practice—some days I’m tuned into that higher frequency and some days me cuesta un poco más [it costs me a little bit more].”

“It’s one of those honest things that I share with my fans all the time. It takes work and it takes effort, and you are worthy of putting that effort into yourself. Especially in minority communities, we’re dealing with so much pressure, not just as young women or young individuals to look a certain way or speak a certain way, but then on top of that, we have to become successful. We have to carry around all of these generational cycles, and prevail, and do great things. And it’s like, ‘Can I just have a moment?!’ So practicing those affirmations has done so much for me, and to infuse that a little bit into something, even if it goes over one’s head, they’re touching something that is so intentional. And I think that that’s really beautiful.”

You can shop Becky’s new line here. Products range from $8-$35.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Victoria’s Secret Officially Ends Its Angels Era for Brand Overhaul Led By Priyanka Chopra, Megan Rapinoe

Victoria’s Secret is ditching its "Angels" for "The VS Collective," a newly announced group of celebrity activists that will "rally" around important causes and create products for the lingerie label.

Watch: It’s Official: Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Is Cancelled

Don’t call them angels, but Priyanka Chopra and Megan Rapinoe are among the newest faces of Victoria’s Secret.

The embattled lingerie brand, which cancelled its famed fashion show in 2019, unveiled a new roster of stars who will represent Victoria’s Secret under its revamped marketing model. Per The New York Times, the Victoria’s Secret Angels are no more.

In their place, the brand launched two initiatives, dubbed The VS Collective and The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers, on Wednesday, June 16.

The first is described as “an ever-growing group of accomplished women who share a common passion to drive positive change,” per the company’s press release. “Through social, cultural and business relationships, The VS Collective will work to create new associate programs, revolutionary product collections, compelling and inspiring content, and rally support for causes vital to women.”

Inaugural members of the VS Collective are models, activists, athletes and artists from around the world, including Rapinoe, the pink-haired U.S. soccer champ, and Chopra, the Baywatch actress who married Nick Jonas in 2018.

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Victoria’s Secret Models’ Baby Boom

Also joining are South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech; Los Angeles-based photographer Amanda de Cadenet; Chinese skier Eileen Gu; British model and body activist Paloma Elsesser; and Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio, who made headlines in 2019 for reportedly becoming Victoria Secret’s first transgender model. 

“At Victoria’s Secret, we are on an incredible journey to become the world’s leading advocate for women,” said CEO Martin Waters in a statement on June 16. He called the new program “a dramatic shift” for VS, adding, “It’s a shift that we embrace from our core. These new initiatives are just the beginning. We are energized and humbled by the work ahead of us.”

The Victoria Secret Collective

But, as The New York Times claimed, “It is a stark change for a brand that not only long sold lingerie in the guise of male fantasy, but has also been scrutinized heavily in recent years for its owner’s relationship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and revelations about a misogynistic corporate culture that trafficked in sexism, sizeism and ageism.”

In 2020, scandal plagued the mall destination when The New York Times alleged that the company has a history of “misogyny, bullying and harassment, according to interviews with more than 30 current and former executives, employees, contractors and models, as well as court filings and other documents.”

A collective known as the Model Alliance issued a response, saying, “We stand with the courageous women who have come forward and shared their stories, despite fears of retaliation or harm to their careers.” De Cadenet signed the letter at the time, along with Christy Turlington Burns, Amber Valletta and more stars.

The year prior, E! News reported that the womenswear brand was facing numerous financial obstacles, including hefty competition from inclusive brands like Aerie and Savage x Fenty, which may have impacted its declining sales. 

The CFO of parent company L Brands, Stuart Burgdoerfer, announced in November 2019 that it was time for the Angels to hang up their bedazzled wings, because the televised fashion show was ending. “We’ll be communicating to customers, but nothing that I would say is similar in magnitude to the fashion show,” he said. “You can be sure we’ll be communicating with customers through lots of vehicles including social media and various, more current platforms, if you will.”