For over 20 years, Victoria’s Secret has embodied the ideal “fantasy” to its customers. From the diamonds to the angel wings, each element is created to stand out and seem like a fairytale. Last night, Victoria’s Secret aired their annual fashion show. The show was hosted in New York City on November 8th, when it was originally filmed. In the modeling industry, receiving an opportunity to audition for the show is extremely exclusive. Furthermore, having the privilege to actually walk the runway is a lifelong achievement. To honor the ongoing fantasy, here are some of the greatest models to ever walk and, ultimately, become Victoria’s Secret Angels.
5. Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum was born on June 1st, 1973 in Germany. Accidentally, she submitted photos to a company called Petra, a young women’s magazine, which lead to her signing to a German modeling agency. At the age of 18, Klum took a leap of faith and moved to New York to pursue her dreams of being a model. Luckily, she received the opportunity to work with Victoria’s Secret. In 1997, Klum appeared in her first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The model continued to walk the annual shows each year until 2009. After her retirement from the runway, Klum continued to appear on television in shows like Project Runway and America’s Got Talent.
4. Alessandra Ambrosio
Alessandra Ambrosio is a model many of us grew up watching. Ambrosio was born in Brazil, where she started taking local modeling classes at the age of 12. Two years after the start of her training, she participated in Brazil’s “Elite Model Look” competition and became one of the 20 finalists. Her year of success came in 2000. This year she was signed by Guess and walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret. In 2006, Ambrosio became the first spokesperson for the famous brand PINK. While balancing the life of a model, Ambrosio proceeded to launch her own fashion collections and appear in various television shows. Unfortunately, the supermodel ended her career as an angel in 2017.
3. Chanel Iman
The success of Chanel Iman is quite short but extensive. Iman also began her model journey at the age of 12 in Los Angeles. By the age of 13, she earned a contract with Fords Model. This deal led to her debut on the cover of Teen Vogue. By 2009, she strutted in the Victoria Secret fashion show and a year later became an angel. Sadly, after three years on the runway, Iman retired. She then pursued acting and activism. Currently, Iman is married to Sterling Shepard, an NFL player, and a mother to her daughter, Cali Clay Sheppard.
2. Tyra Banks
For years, Tyra Banks was the ultimate supermodel that everyone aspired to be. Her legacy began with plenty of rejections because of her “ethnic” looks. However, Banks persevered and signed a contract with Elite Model Management. A year later she booked 25 runway shows in Paris, setting the bar for newcomers all around the world. In 1997, she turned out to be the first African American chosen for the cover of Victoria’s Secret catalog. Moreover, she walked in her first Victoria’s Secret fashion show. This angel retired in 2005. Banks continued to venture in the fields of fashion and acting post-retirement. In fact, while this year’s show aired, Bank premiered her movie sequel, LifeSize 2 on Freeform.
1. Adriana Lima
Although it can be argued that Tyra Banks should be number one, Adriana Lima has earned an undeniable spot in our hearts. She proves to be the memorable face of our generation that is sadly missed. Lima moved to New York and received a contract with Elite Model Management as well. She then landed her chance as a Victoria Secret angel in 2000. Her fierce green eyes and psychic made her even more popular. Lima’s legacy is so significant because of the specific years she transformed into an angel. Personally, I was born in 2000 and have watched Lima’s growth until her retirement in 2018. I know for others as well, the announcement of her retirement clawed at our childhood.
While each woman has begun and ended their journeys’ as angels, we are still excited to see what will be created in the future. The fantasies they have all given us, on and off the runway, is quite spectacular. As the audience, we must continue to watch upcoming angels will remembering the icons that walked before.