‘The sadness behind my eyes’: Ex-Victoria’s Secret model hits out at lingerie brand in viral TikTok

Ex-Victoria’s Secret model Bridget Malcolm has gone viral on TikTok after criticising the brand’s culture and calling out their “performative allyship.”

The 29-year-old revealed how she was unhealthy and underweight back when she modelled in their catwalk show in 2016.

You can watch the video in full here.

After years of criticism, the lingerie company has had a serious brand overhaul, announcing that their “Angels” will be replaced by the “VS Collective.”

They have also announced new brand spokespeople, which will consist of athletes, actors and activists representing the brand.

Those include: US soccer player Megan Rapinoe; actress Priyanka Chopra; models Paloma Elsesser, Adut Akech, and Valentina Sampaio; professional skier Eileen Gu; and activist Amanda de Cadenet.

Though it appears Malcolm isn’t impressed with the recent makeover and wrote “too little too late Victoria’s Secret,” as a caption on her TikTok.

In the video, Malcolm shows a glittery bra she wore on the runway while walking the 2016 Victoria’s Secret annual fashion show and shares that it was a size 30A - the smallest size in their range.

She then compares it with a bra that she wears now which is a size 34B that Malcolm says is “healthy” for her.

Malcolm then exposes how she was “rejected from the show in 2017” by someone at VS.

“He said ‘my body didn’t look good enough,’” she added as the reason for her departure.

The model then adds in images of herself at the time of the 2016 catwalk wearing the sparkly bra and reflects.

Malcolm shows images of herself wearing the bra and slams the brand’s “performative allyship”TikTok/bridgetmalcolm

“Look how big it was on me. The sadness behind my eyes from the 2016 show breaks my heart.”

Malcolm ends the video by slamming the lingerie brand once more, adding: “Victoria’s Secret, your performative allyship is a joke.”

Since posting, the video has received 2.4m views, and over 300,000 likes.

People in the comments shared their frustration at the brand and praised Malcolm for now looking after her health.

One person wrote: “The fact they never sold 30A to the public but for models.”

“They actually make smaller than a 32 band??” Another person questioned.

Someone else said: “This company is a joke.”

“Glad you’re healthy and happier! Good for you.” A fourth person replied.

Another commented: “I’m happy you are healthy now.”

It’s not the first time Malcolm has spoken out against Victoria’s Secret.

When she penned an essay back in 2018 for Harper’s Bazaar, Malcolm discussed the unhealthy realities of being a model where she “lived off mostly steamed vegetables and protein shakes” for two years.

She also shared her battle with an eating disorder that “left her with a ruined digestive system and chronic anxiety.”

The annual Victoria’s Secret Angel’s runway show that had ran from 1995 was cancelled in 2019 due to low viewership figures.

“When the world was changing, we were too slow to respond,” Martin Walters, CEO of Victoria’s Secret told The New York Times,

“We needed to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want,” he added.

A spokesperson from Victoria’s Secret told indy100: “There is a new leadership team at Victoria’s Secret who is fully committed to the continued transformation of the brand with a focus on creating an inclusive environment for our associates, customers and partners to celebrate, uplift and champion all women.”