As the comeback of one of the most glamorous and famous fashion shows in the world approaches, it’s time to remember one of the things that made the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show so unique: the VS Angels. After all, who are they? What’s the difference between them and the regular VS models? Until the end of this article, these questions will be answered and you will be familiarized with some of the most prestigious Angels.
Angels x VS Models
For those of you who aren’t fully invested in the catwalk scene, you must assume there’s no difference at all – they are all models, right? – or, maybe, you can think Angels are the ones who wear a set of wings on the runway. Even though that’s not the case here, the difference is, still, very simple: being a VS Angel means having an actual contract and other obligations with Victoria’s Secret.
They are selected by internal processes at the company, with aspects like popularity, runway walk, overall look – an unhealthy and almost unattainable standard, by the way – and even personality also being taken into account. Edward Razek, former Victoria’s Secret Chief Marketing Officer, who made fatphobic and transphobic comments while still in the position, once said VS “don’t deal with divas”.
To become an Angel, a plain model has other obligations besides only the show. They are required to appear in photoshoots and promotional activities for the brand during the year. If you are asking yourself how much they make, the VS Angels are among some of the highest-paid models in the world, with some of them earning millions of dollars a year. Now that the questions have been answered, let’s get to know some of them.
Adriana Lima
Born in Salvador, Bahia, in 1981, the Brazilian model is seen by many as the greatest Angel of all time. She began modeling when she was 13, winning first place in Ford’s “Supermodel of Brazil” two years later. Adriana joined Victoria’s Secret early on in her career, first appearing in the 1999 fashion show, signing a contract with the brand and becoming an official Angel in the following year, 2000.
Adriana hung up her wings 18 years later, in 2018, in a tearful and emotional last catwalk with VS, but only after becoming the longest-serving Angel. She wore the Fantasy Bra – a crafting luxe lingerie covered in jewels worth million dollars – three times (2008, 2010 and 2014), a record she shares with the notorious Heidi Klum. Till these days, it’s impossible not to talk about Adriana when talking about Victoria’s Secret.
Tyra Banks
Before becoming a television personality, being the host of the reality TV show “America’s Next Top Model”, Tyra, born in California in 1973, made history as a prominent Victoria’s Secret Angel – one of the five original Angels. In 1997, she became the first African American chosen for the cover of the VS catalog, two years after signing the contract that made her an Angel.
Her path in the VS runway lasted for a decade, reaching its end in 2005. During the nine shows she performed for the brand, Tyra wore the Fantasy Bra two times, in 1997 and 2004 – the first of them an item worth $3 million. In August of 2024, the model was joined by Gigi Hadid in a clip announcing the 2024 return of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, scheduled to take place October 15 in New York City.
Miranda Kerr
One of the most recognizable VS Angels is also the first Australian to hit this hotspot. Born in Sydney in 1983, Miranda began her career as a teen, winning the 1997 Dolly magazine model search competition. Before becoming an Angel in 2007, she was named a PINK spokes model, becoming the successor of Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio as the face of the brand, a segment of VS focused on a younger audience.
In total, the Australian supermodel crossed six Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows runways, from 2006 to 2009 and in 2011 and 2012. She wore the prestigious “Fantasy Treasure Bra”, worth $2,5 million in her penultimate year with VS. After retiring her wings, Miranda has become an entrepreneur, being the Founder and CEO of the globally certified organic skincare brand KORA Organics.
Gisele Bündchen
The greatest model of all time couldn’t stay out of this list. A Brazilian born in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, in 1980, Gisele started modeling when she was 14 years. Only five years later, in 1999, she became an Angel and continued until 2006, when she decided to step away because, according to her book “Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life”, she wasn’t sure she still wanted to work for Victoria’s Secret.
During her 6 years as an Angel, Gisele used the Fantasy Bra in two opportunities. The “Red Hot”, her first one, worn in 2000, is worth 15 million dollars and classified by the Guinness Book of World Record as the most expensive lingerie to have ever been made. In 2023, 17 years after hanging her wings, Gisele returned to VS starring “The Icon” collection, along with other icons like Adriana Lima and Naomi Campbell.
Jasmine Tookes
The youngest of the Angels here labeled was born in Huntington Beach, California, in 1991, daughter to a celebrity fashion stylist, she was exposed to the scene from a young age. Jasmine was even discovered while tagging along at one of her mother’s showroom appointments, at the age of 15. She started working with Victoria’s Secret in 2012, but only signed a contract and became an Angel three years later, in 2015.
In the following year, she became the third black model to wear the Fantasy Bra. Jasmine has walked in seven consecutive shows and, besides modeling, she is also the co-founder of an active-wear company alongside another VS Angel, Josephine Skriver. Named after both models, JOJA stands out for its clean style and comfort. Could we expect to see the partners and fellow Angels back on stage in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October?
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The article above was edited by Anna Maria Prado .
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