Winnie Harlow responds to criticism after sharing flight and economy class experience on Instagram

Canadian supermodel Winnie Harlow has had a busy fashion month, walking the runway for the likes of Laquan Smith and Zendaya’s Tommy Hilfiger collection.

After revealing that she hadn’t “slept in 4 days” on Instagram due to a “hectic fashion month”, Harlow posted that she had been forced to give up her business class seats and fly coach to reach a photo shoot in time the next morning. After she was criticised for the post by commenters who felt she was complaining about the issue, she went on social media again to set the record straight.

Harlow initially shared a photo of herself sleeping on a flight alongside her hairstylist Jordan Jay Brumant. Dressed in a Prada tracksuit she had worn to the designer’s show at Milan Fashion Week, she wrote, “I haven’t slept in 4 days, and my flight got cancelled. The amazing airport escort got my team and I put on the fastest flight out but we had to give up our business class seats in order to land in time for a huge shoot at 6am.”

“I realise this may not be a big deal to some,” she continued, “but when a plane is your bedroom and a flight the only time to get sleep during a hectic fashion month, it’s tiresome.”

“Regardless I’m grateful, god works in mysterious ways and everything happens for a reason. It’s not everyday glamour, you have to do what you have to do be successful in life [and] to reach your goals the grind never stops!” she finished.

Harlow’s post prompted divided commenters. One wrote, “People ride in those seats everyday so this really isn’t a big deal but ok.”

Another pointed out that Harlow had an empty seat beside her, on which she had her feet (and artfully displayed Steve Madden hiking boots) up. The user wrote, “Oh wow.. you poor thing.. did you buy that extra seat so you could put your feet up and not have to sit next to us regulars? Also, very important you wear a Prada tracksuit to show people you don’t REALLY belong there... unreal.”

And one user also wrote, “Ohhh I feel so bad for u. U needed to give up your business class tix. That must be soooo hard. Is that the only problem you have in your life ??? Seriously.”

Some also wished they had Harlow’s problems, with another user tagging a friend and writing, “I need these problems… she commenting on flying coach. Lord please bless me.”

Another wrote, “Your caption is goals.”

Many also supported her, with designer Zuhair Murad sharing a string of heart emojis and model Beverly Johnson calling her the “hardest working supermodel”.

In response, Harlow shared a screenshot of an article about her “bemoaning” flying economy and criticised people for focusing simply on her flying economy rather than her being “grateful for being able to get on a flight period because of the amazing work of of [sic] the people in the airport”.

She continued, “All you took was 'had to give up business class flight'. This whole 'woah is me' [sic] take is sickening. Me not flying in business is a statement, not a moan. If the class mattered I could’ve waited for the next availability.”

“If I can post pictures in business class and be proud, I can also take pictures in coach and be proud,” Harlow wrote, “Proud that making it to work is more important to me than how I got there. That is the message. Like I said, 'the grind never stops.' Put that in your headline.”

Beyond walking for major designers, Harlow also recently attended a number of fashion week parties and has been out promoting her new KKW Beauty collaboration with Kim Kardashian-West.

Prior to her economy class photograph, Harlow posted a number of pictures of herself showing off makeup she had done using the KKW Beauty x Winnie collection.