Selita Ebanks is not the first model to publicly criticize Victoria’s Secret. Bridget Malcolm has been outspoken in criticizing the company on social media. She also recently appeared on an episode of 60 Minutes Australia to discuss the lingerie industry and the modeling business as a whole.
Selita appeared on the show True Hollywood Story on the E! television network on Monday night. A clip from the show is on E!’s YouTube page.
She says that behind the scenes, the job was far from being as glamorous and spectacular as it seems.
“There are certain rules you have to follow. You are expected to maintain your weight and unfortunately, we are going against mother nature. This is not something that is natural. This is not something that should happen. It’s hard,” she says.
Ate one apple a day Psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser says in the show that she had heard that some models “in the past” only ate one apple every 24 hours to maintain their slim figure. Such were the company’s beauty standards.
Selita explains further that it was the goal of all Victoria’s Secret models to become an “angel,” which she later became.
“I have been on many fashion runways, but being in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show was more than just a job in my mind. It was the pinnacle,” she says.
The Angels are the most famous and sought-after models, and with that comes more attention and increased pressure. “My life changed drastically, just overnight,” says Selita.
“Suddenly, people know your name. You realize that people you thought were your friends are not your friends. Many other models didn’t think I was worthy of the job, so I really had to fight for it.”
Selita says she is aware that many inappropriate things happened during this time. “I have heard horror stories from other young women, and I hope that everything that was done behind the scenes comes to light,” she says.
