Victoria’s Secret Angel and LAPP founder Leomie Anderson has opened up about what it was like to become the UK’s first Black Victoria’s Secret model.
During an appearance on Capital XTRA’s Breakfast with Yinka and Shayna Marie, she spoke about her first Victoria’s Secret fashion show back in 2015.
“It was an amazing point in my career to be able to say that I’d become an Angel, it’s something that a lot of girls, well most models, really look at it as something that is just the pinnacle of your career. Who gets to get paid to walk around in their underwear? That’s pretty amazing!” she shared.
Anderson continued: “I feel like in 2020, or in 2019 when I got my contract, I feel like there’s a lot of companies that shouldn’t still be celebrating their first Black something,” she said in reference to her making the “30 under 30” Forbes list. “But at the same token, if it has to be someone, I’m glad it was me and I’m going to make sure I use my position to just be everything that I wanted to see when I was growing up as a young Black girl.”
On social media, fans assumed that Anderson was taking credit for being the lingerie brand’s first Black Angel overall –but she quickly explained that she was only referencing the UK.
“I noticed you were the first dark skin angel for sure. I know different countries have a different concept of what is ‘black’ so I was wondering if you all were counting biracial/light skin angels within that context,” a fan wrote.
Anderson quickly responded: “I understand! But she was referring to just the UK as that’s how it was presented in the press here and that’s where they got their research from.”
