Published: October 17, 2025, 21:45 EDT
WNBA forward Angel Reese has become the first professional athlete to walk the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway, marking a historic moment for both sports and fashion. The 23-year-old Chicago Sky player joined models including Bella and Gigi Hadid, Adriana Lima, and a diverse cast of transgender, pregnant, and plus-size models — underscoring the lingerie label’s ongoing transformation from its once-narrow beauty ideals to a more inclusive image.
A milestone moment for sports and fashion
The event, live-streamed globally on Wednesday, symbolized the revival of a show that once defined glamour in the 1990s and early 2000s. After a six-year hiatus, Victoria’s Secret returned with a fresh emphasis on diversity and empowerment.
Backstage, Reese told CNN that the experience felt like the realization of a dream she had publicly shared. “I posted on my Instagram Story last year, when I was in the front row, that I’d be a Victoria’s Secret model one day,” she said. “I didn’t know it was going to come this fast.”
A brand redefining beauty standards
Once a cultural juggernaut, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show lost relevance amid criticism that it promoted unrealistic body images. Viewership dropped from 9.7 million in 2013 to just 3.3 million in 2018 before the show was canceled in 2019.
This year’s runway, however, featured a strikingly different tone. It opened with nine-month-pregnant model Jasmine Tookes, who appeared in a gold macrame gown inspired by Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Plus-size icons Paloma Elsesser, Ashley Graham, and Yumi Nu also took part, alongside Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio — two trans women who made history at last year’s revival event. Olympic gymnast Sunisa Lee performed during a “halftime” show segment for the youth-focused sub-brand Pink.
Angel Reese and the new face of inclusivity
“Everybody looks different, but they’re all beautiful,” Reese said while preparing backstage. “That’s the inclusivity of being a Victoria’s Secret model — knowing you can look beautiful in any shape, size, or color.”
Reese’s participation came after conversations with Victoria’s Secret CEO Hillary Super, who reportedly encouraged the athlete to join the reimagined runway. “She told me, ‘You can be here. You’re an athlete, you have the body, you’re confident — you belong,’” Reese shared.
Victoria’s Secret’s long road to reinvention
Under Super’s leadership, Victoria’s Secret has sought to recover from years of declining sales and criticism. Annual revenue grew 1% to $6.23 billion last year — modest progress after a decade of financial turbulence that saw store closures and intense competition from comfort-oriented brands like Savage X Fenty and Aerie.
In 2015, Victoria’s Secret generated nearly two-thirds of parent company L Brands’ revenue, then valued at $28 billion. By 2020, the company had gone private in a deal valuing it at just $1.1 billion. The turnaround effort has since included new partnerships, celebrity collaborations, and a shift toward advocacy-driven marketing.
The VS Collective and a cultural reset
Ahead of its 2024 comeback show, the company launched the “VS Collective” — a campaign fronted by athletes, activists, and influencers promoting empowerment and inclusivity. Among the ambassadors are soccer star Megan Rapinoe and Olympic gold medalist Eileen Gu.
Reese, however, remains the only athlete to walk the actual runway — a fact she says makes her role even more meaningful. “A lot of young women will be watching me today,” she said. “I want them to see that they can be strong, confident, and dream this big.”
A blend of tradition and transformation
The show still nodded to its glamorous past, featuring veteran “Angels” like Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio alongside modern figures like former Euphoria actor Barbie Ferreira and YouTuber Quenlin Blackwell. Musical performances from Missy Elliott and Karol G added star power to a night celebrating empowerment and sensuality.
“I’m not going to shy away from looking like this because I work hard for my body,” Reese said. “Being sexy is something I embrace — it’s a part of who I am.”
Victoria’s Secret’s evolving identity reflects broader shifts across the fashion world, where inclusivity and authenticity increasingly define success. For Reese, her groundbreaking appearance represents not just a personal milestone, but also a signal that the definition of beauty is finally expanding.
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