Karlie Kloss Slams Victoria’s Secret, Reveals Real Reason She Ditched Her Angel Wings

Karlie Kloss is at the top of her game following the busiest and most talked about year of her life — and she didn’t get there by staying quiet. In an interview with Vogue U.K., the supermodel and Project Runway host revealed that she stopped modeling for Victoria’s Secret after she realized the true meaning of feminism.

In 2015, the star enrolled in New York University’s Gallatin School to study feminist theory. At the time, she was in her early twenties and trying to understand her path. She was also getting ready to convert to Judaism for now-husband Joshua Kushner.

It was during this period when she realized her true feminist values and decided to drop one of the biggest modeling roles of her life: being a Victoria’s Secret angel.

“The reason I decided to stop working with Victoria’s Secret was I didn’t feel it was an image that was truly reflective of who I am and the kind of message I want to send to young women around the world about what it means to be beautiful,” Kloss, 26, said. “I think that was a pivotal moment in me stepping into my power as a feminist, being able to make my own choices and my own narrative, whether through the companies I choose to work with, or through the image I put out to the world.”

The newlywed said that if there’s any advice she can share with other young women, it's to speak out!

“Looking back at my late teens and early twenties, I think I was fearful that I would lose a job or lose my position if I said I didn’t want to do something,” Kloss said. “But I did not lose out on jobs. If anything, the more I exercised the power of my voice, the more I earned respect from my peers. And I earned more respect for myself. Only now do I have the confidence to stand tall – all 6ft 2in of me – and know the power of my voice.”