Bella Hadid is opening up about her decision to make a return to the Victoria’s Secret fold.
It was confirmed earlier this week that the 25-year-old model would be re-partnering with the brand for their new VS collective. She joins fellow celebrities Hailey Bieber, Naomi Osaka, Megan Rapinoe, Priyanka Chopra, and more.
This announcement comes after a report from back in 2020 exposing the alleged history of “misogyny, bullying, and harassment” that had been going on within the company. Former CEO Ed Razek was also accused of bullying and sexual assault.
Bella addressed her return to Victoria’s Secret in a new interview with Marie Claire, talking about the Victoria’s Secret culture has changed:
“What magnetized me to coming back was them coming to me and really proving to me that, behind the scenes, Victoria’s Secret has changed so drastically. There was a type of way that, I think, a lot of us women who used to work with Victoria’s Secret felt.
And now, six of the seven [VS] board members are all female. And there’s new photoshoot protocols that we have. So a lot has changed.”
She revealed that she also had another personal reason for rejoining the brand, which was:
“Taking my power back and having the power over my body be released to myself.”
Bella stated that it took her some time before she even felt comfortable entertaining the thought of once again partnering with the brand:
“It took me almost a year and a half to take the meeting with them. Even having that conversation was very complicated for me because of the way that I had felt in the past.
I would never work for a company that not only made me feel a type of way, but made the world feel a type of way, until I knew for a fact that real change was going to be made.”
And she stressed that the environment is now drastically different:
“There is just an energy that’s switched.
We feel supported now, instead of how we used to feel, when it was a lingerie company that used to be run by men for men. I just look around [on set] and I feel empowered again.
I feel empowered in lingerie, instead of feeling like my body is some sort of money maker.”
