Well, at least one loose end in this saga has been tied up!
Leona Lewis has officially accepted Michael Costello’s apology after the fashion designer responded to the Bleeding Love singer’s accusations of body-shaming and bullying. On Wednesday, the British songstress took to her Instagram Stories to share a smiling selfie with a note that she’s decided to “choose forgiveness,” writing:
“I love you guys so much for the support you’ve shown, there are always 2 sides to every story and that’s clear here but I choose forgiveness. Michael, Thankyou [sic] for your apology, I wish you healing and that you feel better. For now today is a new day, spread love.”
Phew!
It’s a relief Leona decided to bury the hatchet, because Michael was shocked and perplexed that the hitmaker even came for him in the first place, seeing as her team contacted him as recently as last month for a dress.
Related: Michael Costello Says He’s ‘Not Out For Revenge’
While the Project Runway alum did issue an apology, he also made it clear he didn’t understand why Leona was targeting him at such a vulnerable time — as, days ago, Costello revealed he’s been on suicide watch because he was allegedly blacklisted and bullied by Chrissy Teigen for years over a whole separate pile of drama.
Earlier this week, the fashion designer took to Instagram to share an ALL CAPS public apology, writing:
“DEAR LEONA, HELLO. IT’S MICHAEL. I REACHED OUT TO YOU DIRECTLY IN AN INSTAGRAM DM AFTER SEEING YOUR INSTAGRAM STORIES, BUT I HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM YOU… 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 ON INSTAGRAM, ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM AT MY MOST VULNERABLE MOMENT… I DON’T TAKE ACCUSATIONS OF BODY SHAMING LIGHTLY, AS I HAVE BUILD A CAREER AS CELEBRATING DIVERSE WOMEN OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. BUT IF I DID UNINTENTIONALLY HURT YOU AND YOU CONTINUED TO SUPPORT ME, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU DIRECTLY. THIS CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE, I AM COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED FABULOUS IN MY GOWNS, AND I THOUGHT YOU TRULY LOVED THEM.”
After Lewis posted the update, Costello went back to IG to post a statement thanking fans for their support. He wrote:
“I have spoken my truth and I’m going to leave it as is. The public can interpret however they like, but you know who I am.”
As we reported, Lewis took to social media on Tuesday to accuse Costello of refusing to make a dress in her size for a 2014 charity fashion show, which made her feel “embarrassed” and “deeply hurt.”
In an earlier response to Page Six Style, Costello said the timing of Leona’s allegations was “bizarre,” seeing as they came right on the heels of his allegations against Teigen. He clarified:
“I have always been a fan of Leona Lewis and she has always adored me. Her team has continuously requested for her to wear us from 2013 up until now… It’s bizarre how her attitude towards me shifted as soon as I spoke my truth in regards to Chrissy Teigen and others trying to blacklist me.”
The 38-year-old went on to note that the sizing incident happened because of logistical issues rather than sizeism, sharing:
“It was nothing personal towards Leona. The plan simply did not work out the way we intended. I have always offered to make something custom and special just for her. I am always here for her.”
Michael explained that because the NYFW charity show was set for the day before his own runway presentation, he “thought it would be ideal to lend her one of my showpieces all for charity and then have it returned just in time for my show.” He continued:
“Unfortunately none of the red options worked out for Leona. There was no way for me to make her an alternative option as I was, and still am, based in Los Angeles. If we had known about the event more than 7 days in advance, which is the timeframe we had, we could have made something custom for Leona without a doubt.”
Well, at least one hatchet has been buried. However, Costello said on Tuesday he was “still waiting” for Teigen to apologize for her actions.
Thoughts??
[Image via FayesVision/Sheri Determan/WENN]
The post Leona Lewis Accepts Michael Costello's Apology: 'I Choose Forgiveness' appeared first on Perez Hilton.
