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The fashion model wrote in a lengthy post, "After being on the show no one would book me ... because of the reality TV stigma."
Winnie Harlow took to Instagram Monday night to clarify her controversial "America's Next Top Model" comments from this past May where she said the show "didn't do anything for my career."
Those comments resurfaced this past week when "ANTM" creator and host Tyra Banks dropped by "Watch What Happens Live," where Harlow made her comments, and chose to take the high road.
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View Story"I have nothing but love for my girls and my girls come from so many walks of life and so much pain and so much hardship and so much story, and a lot of the times when people express themselves in certain ways, there's a reason," Banks said diplomatically.
"It has nothing to do with being ungrateful, and more over nothing to do with 'shade' to Tyra," Harlow wrote Monday night. "She was the first person of higher status to make me feel like I could be a model and not only am i grateful for that, it's something I'll never forget."
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Banks had noted that she discovered Harlow on Instagram. But according to Instagram, appearing on "ANTM" actually hindered her growth in the modeling industry.
"After being on the show no one would book me and no agency would sign me because of the reality TV stigma," she wrote. "That's what I was told by agencies and it was unfortunately something I didn't know before I accepted the offer for the show."
Winnie Harlow Says 'America's Next Top Model' Didn't Help Her and 'Doesn't Do Anything for Any Model's Career'
View StoryThe model said she actually went to Europe, where she was recognized more for an earlier modeling campaign than her "ANTM" stint, and it was there that she was able to properly launch the career that most recently saw her walk the runway in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Sunday night.
Harlow received backlash and criticism from other "ANTM" models, producers and fans for her initial comments, and she responded to these as well in the caption to her post. "We should be able to speak our truths," she wrote. "No tea, no shade, no hate necessary. Just honesty and most importantly understanding."
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