Photo Credit: Leona Lewis/Instagram; Michael Costello/Instagram
Yesterday we reported on Project Runway designer Michael Costello sharing old messages between him and Chrissy Teigen and how her bullying caused him to be suicidal when she was hellben on ruining his career for sheer fun in 2013. Well singer Leona Lewis saw that and felt it was a perfect example of how he exhibited the exact same behavior towards others. Apparently he humiliated Lewis for not being a certain size and she’s still bothered by it.
“I usually don’t speak on subjects like this. But honestly I feel that I have to say something as I’ve dealt with years of insecurity from it. I don’t condone any kind of bully behavior and I’m sorry for what Michael Costello went through. I wanted to share my experience in 2014. I was asked to take part in a fashion show to raise money for charity. Michael Costello was assigned as my designer. As an excited young woman, I flew all the way to New York and was so honored to work with him because I adored his dresses.
When I got to my fitting I was made to feel very awkward and uncomfortable as the dress was a sample size and he/his team clearly did not want to alter it to fit me. This came as a total surprise because weeks prior I was told that they would make the dress work for me. At the next fitting, the night before the show, with no explanation at all, Michael refused to turn up. He no longer wanted to dress me and he abandoned his commitments to me and the show which made me well aware that I wasn’t the body type required.
I was so embarrassed and deeply hurt. Because I didn’t look like a model size, I was not permitted to walk in his dress. I had to sit in the audience and was asked by press why I didn’t walk in the show. I remember having to come up with excuses as I was so humiliated by it all. I feel like I was made to look as though I pulled out and was being difficult and as an affect of those actions I suffered a lot, both personally and professionally. The most hurtful thing is that it was to raise money for charity, and this went against everything we were trying to do.
I was left with deep insecurities after this and I’ve had to work hard over the years to love my body. I’m so proud of how curves are celebrated today but back then it was a different story and there was hardly any representation for women who were not a standard small size. I know that his designs are catered to women of all sizes now, and I’m glad he saw the light over the years. We all make mistakes, I know I have, but at this time I feel that when people apologize (Chrissy) and show sincere remorse and rehabilitation for their actions, we should embrace them and not try and kick them when they’re down.
I’m not discounting Michael’s experience as that is an awful thing to go through and I wish him so much love and healing. I’m sure this will come as a shock as I never told him how this made me feel. But the pot calling the kettle black in this situation doesn’t sit right with me. Bullying comes in many different forms. We need love, we need accountability, we need forgiveness, none of us are perfect.
We are trying our best and learning. I’m sorry for anyone who has gone through any kind of bullying, I’m also sorry if I’ve ever hurt anyone without knowing it as I’m sure was the case with Michael.”
It’s worth noting that at no point has Leona Lewis ever been overweight. She’s simply not a -2 size. We’re seriously shaking our heads over this. He has since responded saying that he left options for her the day of the event she’s speaking of and that he wishes her team had spoken to him about this in all of the times they’ve since been in contact with each other. He also said he’s confused as he’s always been a big fan of hers.
Now it looks like designer Maxie J also came out with an experience of her own with him and apparently whooped his ass over it.
I would like to add that I 100% support Maxie J’s a** whooping she handed this man over calling her the N word. If you don’t want your tail cracked, you should try not being a racist a**hat. After reporting on this yesterday, we received a number of comments on TheIndustryOnBlast where it was shared about his past behavior from people who said they could care less about him experiencing the same. Now we see there could have been something to Teigen’s behavior towards him.
Costello’s also made another statement directed at Teigen through TMZ saying, “I want to be clear — I do not wish ill on anyone. We are all works in progress and we deserve the opportunity to prove that we can do better. But progress takes time. We must show through actions that we have changed. After all, action speaks much louder than a 10-minute apology written on a notepad.”
