Victoria's Secret gave them wings? Models made famous by the lingerie brand

The Victoria's Secret Angels were models selected to become the face and voice of the lingerie brand. Pictured here is Heidi Klum (left) and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Photo composite: AFP, Instagram/Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Victoria’s Secret announced last week that it will be bringing back it’s runway show this year – but updated to celebrate the “individuality of women’s stories and perspectives”.

This was after it got cancelled four years ago for its less-than-wholesome portrayal of women. In the original format, it saw mostly white and thin scantily clad models walking the runway.

That said, you have to credit the Victoria’s Secret runway shows (running annually from 1995 to 2018) for propping up the careers of fashion’s biggest names.

There is even an elite group called the “Victoria’s Secret Angels”. These were those selected to become the face and voice of the lingerie brand.

While Victoria’s Secret has not given any indication so far whether the Angels concept will be making a comeback, here’s a look at the models who made it big from walking the shows.

Adriana Lima

Adriana Lima is the longest serving Angel. She served in the role for 20 shows. When she walked for the very last time in 2018, she was given a grand send off. During the event, Lima received a standing ovation. A video montage of her standout moments played as she took a victory lap on stage with crowds cheering her on.

Read more: Angels will walk among us again? Victoria's Secret brings back fashion show

Gisele Bundchen

The Brazillian beauty was an Angel from 1999 to 2006. It brought her fame, but she eventually tired of it. In her 2018 memoir Lessons: My Path To A Meaningful Life, Gisele Bundchen wrote, “For the first five years, I felt comfortable modelling in lingerie, but as time went on, I felt less and less at ease being photographed walking the runway wearing just a bikini or a thong.”

Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum is the first German model to become an Angel. Despite being one for 11 years, the model has also found success on television with Project Runway and America’s Got Talent. She declined to appear in the 2022 documentary Victoria’s Secret: Angels And Demons, telling Variety in an interview that her experience was “wonderful” and she could not give a negative story.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Alessandra Ambrosio walked 17 Victoria’s Secret runway shows. Her last outing for the brand was in 2017, where she wrote a farewell note on Instagram. She said: “Last night was so emotional to say goodbye to my #angel sisters but we put on the biggest and best show ever. I could not have done this without all the love and support from my fans.”

Miranda Kerr

It is said that Miranda Kerr owes her career to Victoria’s Secret. In 2007, she became the first Australian model to walk the show. This has then led to other opportunities in fashion. She was ranked number two in the Forbes 2013 list of the world’s highest-paid models, behind fellow Angel, Bundchen.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Think of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and most people would remember her as one of the Victoria’s Secret Angels. She got her wings in 2010 after walking the runways for four years. She has however spoken out against the experience since then, telling The Sunday Times in 2021 that the brand “really missed the boat with broadening themselves out”.

Read more: Get to know bra model Jasmine Tookes

Gigi Hadid

Gigi Hadid debuted in the 2015 Victoria’s Secret fashion show, and got her wings the year after. As one of the newer faces, her Angel status has never been confirmed. Whether just a model for the brand or something more, she has, in the past, worn the fantasy bra – the runway show’s glitziest and most expensive attraction worth millions of dollars.

Jasmine Tookes

An Angel since 2015, Jasmine Tookes appeared in seven runway shows. It was always a dream of hers to be associated with the brand. She told StarLifestyle in 2018 that it meant everything to her. She said: “It’s something I wanted my entire life since I can remember as a kid watching Giselle (Bundchen), Adriana (Lima) and Tyra (Banks) walk the runway.”