The bullying claims against Chrissy Teigen have spread like wildfire. People who have worked with her claim she’s a “bully,” and subsequently people who worked with the people who worked with Chrissy are now being called out for bullying.
It’s a pretty convoluted storyline, so let’s break it down, shall we?
At this point, it’s no secret Teigen has been labeled a “bully,” has had receipts brought against her and she has apologized on more than one occasion.
Now it seems that some people who have called her out for bullying are getting called out for being bullies themselves.
Enter fashion designer Michael Costello and British singer Leona Lewis into the chat.
Earlier this week, former “Project Runway” contestant and L.A.-based designer, Costello, published his account of being bullied by Teigen.
It took place in 2014 after the model publicly called out Costello for being ‘racist’ and then worked to hurt him professionally.
This led him to a very dark place and he said, “I wanted to kill myself and still am traumatized, depressed and have thoughts of suicide.”
He continued, “I didn’t see the point of living. There was no way I can ever escape from being the target of the powerful elites in Hollywood, who actually do have powers to close doors with a single text.”
While it’s devastating to see the power and domino-effect one person can have in a situation, it appears Costello might not be all that innocent when it comes to bullying.
Lewis, who was discovered on “The X-Factor U.K” in 2006, has released popular hits such as, “Bleeding Love.”
The singer took to her Instagram story on Tuesday, June 15 to release her own experience of being bullied while working with Costello.
The same year (2014) he was bullied by Chrissy, Lewis claims she was bullied by Costello.
In a series of six slides published to her Instagram story, Lewis started off by saying, “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,” Leona began her statement. “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.”
Lewis shared that she was asked to take part in fashion show to benefit charity, and Costello was assigned to design her.
Upon arriving to the fitting, Lewis recalls being made to feel “awkward” and “uncomfortable” given the dress she was trying on was a sample size, meaning it didn’t fit her.
She then claims Costello refused to make alterations to the dress in order for it to fit her. At the next fitting, which was the night before the big show, Lewis claims Costello was a no-show, abandoning his commitments to her and the show.
Lewis felt absolutely humiliated by his disapproval of her body, and she ended up sitting in the audience of the fashion show. To make matters worse, she claims the media badgered her about why she was not in the show, to which Lewis had to make up excuse after excuse.
This experience left Lewis with “deep insecurities” that she’s had to work hard to get over. However, she did note that Costello has made strides in his designs as they are made to “fit women of all sizes now.”
Lewis then turned her attention to Teigen writing, “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 to kick them when they’re down.”
Her lengthy story continued with not discounting Costello’s experience, but Lewis felt it was not right for the “pot calling the kettle black.”
Clearly, news of Lewis’ response got around and Costello came across it.
He had a very different experience with Lewis, which he too shared to his Instagram story.
Costello shared a photo of Lewis in one of his designs, an email exchange he had with her team regarding him styling her and topped it off with a lengthy clap back.
“Given that you have publicly shared your experience with me on Instagram without coming to me privately first, I have no choice but to respond to you here as I tried reaching out to you privately without much luck,” he started his message to Lewis.
The designer was “surprised to hear about your traumatic experience with me,” because he remembers them having a “wonderful time.”
He even noted that Lewis’ team reached out to him as recently as May 2021. Costello claims she invited him over to personally ask him to fit her.
“You have never indicated to me how you felt, and you’ve continuously worn me, tagged me and had your team reach out to me to request more dresses… As recent as last month,” the designer continued. “I have lost tons of opportunities, sleepless nights and I’m not in a good mental state of mind. I wish you spoke to me directly instead of Instagram, especially when I am at my most vulnerable moment.”
Costello prays Lewis’ intentions are pure and not some smear campaign against him. He concluded his post by saying he is available for a “heart-to-heart” conversation, should she want to talk.
The drama never sleeps!
