Naomi Campbell takes no chances when it comes to personal protective equipment, as photos have shown her donning a hazmat suit while traveling. Her choices, though, have some accusing her of taking supplies from the people who need them most.
In a chat with the Wall Street Journal, the model, 50, denies that she's "stealing" hazmat suits, as some have claimed. Instead, she acknowledged that she's signed up for a subscription service to buy the suits.
"There was one point when my subscription hadn't come because they'd run out, and I panicked, even though I wasn't going anywhere," she said.
With PPE still at a premium, many have said Naomi should donate her full-body suits to a hospital, rather than use them for private or first-class travel.
Of her critics, she argues, "They were acting like I was stealing supplies from the hospital, like sneaking in Manhattan and going to the hospitals and stealing their supply. That's how it felt when I was reading it."
"So I started answering back, saying, 'I got it on Amazon! I got it on Amazon!' I bought it fair and square on the internet," she maintains.
In May, as the coronavirus pandemic had settled in, Naomi posted a photo while flying. In the image she wore a full hazmat suit, as well as goggles, a face mask and a face shield.
The model has always been a cautious flier when it comes to germs. In a YouTube video posted in July 2019, she showed herself obsessively cleaning her first class pod on a plane, using disposable gloves and antibacterial wipes. "This is what I do on every plane I get on," she said of her routine, which she later admitted she's been doing for the past 15 to 17 years. "I do not care what people think of me. It's my health and it makes me feel better."
She added, "In all honesty, this is not a funny time; it's not a humorous time. I'm not doing this for laughs. This is how I feel comfortable traveling if I have to travel. If I do have to go, I'm going like this."