Designer Michael Costello, who first came to fame on Project Runway, called out Chrissy for allegedly making his life "hell" over the past seven years. "She apparently formed her own opinion of me based on a photoshopped comment floating around the internet which has now been proven to be false by Instagram and since taken down," he wrote in an Instagram post. "When I reached out to Chrissy to communicate that I was a victim of cyber slander . . . she told me that my career was over and that all my doors would be shut from there on." He also shared screenshots of DMs from Chrissy. "Racist people like you deserve to suffer and die," one alleged DM read. "You might as well be dead. Your career is over, just watch."
Singer Leona Lewis then alleged that Michael had refused to dress her for a 2014 charity fashion show because of her size. She wrote in an Instagram Story: "I don't condone any kind of bully behavior and I'm sorry for what Michael Costello went through. . . . When I got to my fitting I was made to feel very awkward and uncomfortable as the dress was a sample size and he/his team clearly did not want to alter it to fit me. . . . I had to sit in the audience and was asked by press why I didn't walk in the show. I remember having to come up with excuses as I was so humiliated by it all. . . . I was left with deep insecurities after this and I've had to work hard over the years to love my body."
Michael has since denied Leona's claims. "In regards to The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection charity event she's referring to on her Instagram Stories, I was very excited to be a part of it when her representative Jordan Bass asked us to participate. His request to dress Leona was sent on January 30, 2014. At the time I was in New York preparing for fashion week and my show day was scheduled for February 7, 2014," he said in a statement. "Coincidentally, I had prepared to show a new collection of red silhouettes so I thought it would be ideal to lend her one of my never-before-seen showpieces for her charity event."
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." Michael said he was "blindsided by Leona's comments because the story she shared on Instagram paints a very different picture than the one she led me to believe for years." He added, "If she felt this way, I wish she could've said something to me about this privately, especially when I just spoke my truth in regards to Chrissy Teigen and others trying to blacklist me. Being blacklisted for years has led me to have to have suicide thoughts and depression. But I understand the risks I assume by coming out. I'm more of a target for smear campaigns, especially amongst those who follow and are close to Chrissy Teigen. I have always offered to make something custom and special just for Leona. I am always here for her. I have reached out to Leona on Instagram to have a conversation offline. I am waiting for her to respond."
On June 18, the situation between Chrissy and Michael took a turn. After Business Insider posted an article alleging that Michael's screenshots were fake, John Legend chimed in to share the story on Twitter. "Chrissy apologized for her public tweets, but after her apology, Mr. Costello fabricated a DM exchange between them. This exchange was made up, completely fake, never happened," John wrote. Later that day, Chrissy released a statement on Twitter defending herself against the allegedly doctored screenshots.
