Are you an aspiring model? Do you fancy following in the footsteps of household names such as Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, and Cara Delevingne? If so, modelling for Victoria’s Secret might be the job for you! Here’s what you need to know about working for this top fashion brand.
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Victoria’s Secret & Co. is America’s leading lingerie retailer, trading in beauty products, swimwear, and clothing. VS and its sister brand Pink have over 1,300 shops globally in approximately 70 countries.
US businessman Roy Raymond founded Victoria’s Secret in 1977, naming the brand after Queen Victoria because he thought her name sounded refined—and he added “Secret” to refer to what was hidden underneath all those crinolines!
One of the brand’s most iconic events is its runway show, in which Victoria’s Secret “Angels,” aka its models, walk in lingerie down a catwalk. Becoming an Victoria's Secret Angel has been a big deal in the fashion world, with major names such as Helena Christensen, Adriana Lima, and Gigi Hadid among the roster. The runway show has also been broadcast on TV, boosting the profile of many Angels.
However, in 2018, VS was hit by scandal. Multiple models reported sexual harassment at the hands of Ed Razek, the chief marketing officer of VS’s parent company, L Brands. They also alleged that then-CEO Leslie Wexner failed to respond appropriately to these claims and often engaged in retaliatory behaviour. The same year, Razek publicly made transphobic and body-shaming comments, just before Wexner’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein came to light in 2019.
An unfavourable New York Times investigation and documentary followed, and in 2019, Victoria’s Secret stopped producing its runway show. Razek resigned, Wexner was ousted, and in 2021, the company rebranded and announced its plan to become “the world’s leading advocate for women.”
More recently, VS has employed spokeswomen such as actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, footballer Megan Rapinoe, and tennis star Naomi Osaka to endorse its products. Bella Hadid told Marie Claire she had also returned to the brand, saying, “What magnetized me to coming back was them coming to me and really proving to me that, behind the scenes, Victoria’s Secret has changed so drastically…. Now, six of the seven [VS] board members are all female. And there’s new photoshoot protocols that we have. So a lot has changed.”
A 2022 statement published on the company’s Instagram account reads: “For decades, society and institutions—including ours—defined very narrow expressions that represented beauty, sexiness, and self-worth for women. The truth is [that] the only person who can genuinely define a woman is herself. Our role is to leverage our brand to create opportunities for women everywhere to define themselves on their own terms, and [to] use our platform to recognize and celebrate that individuality and diversity over and over.”
In 2023, “The Victoria’s Secret World Tour” launched on Prime Video. Billed as part documentary, part fashion event, the special was seen as an attempt to refresh the Angels runway show for a new era. Whether Victoria’s Secret has found the secret of a good rebrand remains to be seen.
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If this new Victoria’s Secret sounds right for you, then here’s what to consider.
Be confident and positive
The brand needs models for both commercial and editorial work, and obviously, VS models have to be extremely confident strutting their stuff in their underwear. Agents and scouts look for models who radiate positivity and personality. Since the rebrand, they’re also looking for people who can represent change—so if you’ve got a strong backstory, use it.
Stay in shape
Alessandra Ambrosio told Glamour magazine, “It’s about personality, attitude, and confidence! You’ve just got to do your best.” However, she also stressed the importance of exercise, noting: “I’m normal; I hate going to the gym, but I do it because I have to. For Victoria’s Secret we have to do it. I usually like doing yoga and being outside playing sports. When it comes to the show, I try to work out every day and really do lots of cardio and Pilates. I’ve been doing Barre classes. I try everything that I can.”
Consider your niche
Yoga is great, but the reality of being booked by Victoria’s Secret—and of modelling in general—is that most models are tall (over 5'9") and thin. But things are changing; VS has booked its first transgender model, Valentina Sampaio, and its first plus-size model, Ali Tate Cutler. Cutler told Allure magazine, “I feel like they are headed in the right direction and they are listening to their audience, who have requested to see more women of diverse shapes and sizes.”
Bella Hadid has been impressed by the brand’s new ethos, too. She told Marie Claire that models now have a power of veto in their VS contracts: “It’s incredible to see that a lingerie company had even thought about this—we don’t have to do anything, basically, that we don’t want to do. We don’t need to show parts of our body that we don’t want to show.”
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1. Practice makes perfect
Now you know the Victoria's Secret brand, but your research can’t end here. Take a look at social media, YouTube, and VS campaigns. See how VS models pose and walk, then try to replicate what they’re doing. Take pics on your phone and pose in the mirror. Look at how your body lies and how it shows clothes off in the best possible way. Modelling is a skill and practice makes perfect. Work those angles!
2. Create a modelling portfolio
A model’s portfolio should include high-quality shots, preferably taken by a professional photographer with genuine fashion industry experience. Because Victoria’s Secret is an underwear company, make sure you include full-length shots of your body as well as a headshot and other poses. In your portfolio, provide key information like your height, eye colour, body measurements, and any other unique features—and don’t forget your contact information!
As well as preparing your portfolio digitally, you’ll want physical copies and comp cards to hand out to agents and scouts. Use social media to your advantage by posting your pictures, tagging Victoria’s Secret, and using any relevant hashtags like #victoriassecret, #vs, #vsmodel, #scoutme, and #changemaker. Remember the rebrand and tell your story: What makes you special? What do you do for your community? How do you support other women?
Read: How to Build a Modelling Portfolio
3. Get an agent and keep at it!
Although scouts are increasingly using social media, getting an agent is still the route to a successful career as a model. Agents have the knowledge and the contacts that can get you where you need to be. Because Victoria’s Secret is primarily an American brand, consider approaching some of the bigger US agencies that have UK and Australian offshoots.
A few British and Australian stars who’ve worked for Victoria’s Secret include Alexina Graham, Miranda Kerr, Leomie Anderson, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Agencies with links to Victoria’s Secret and that have international reach include Elite Model Management and Ford Models.
Global player IMG is based in New York, but has offices in Sydney and London, as well. The company reps big international names such as Kerr, Gigi Hadid, and Hailey Bieber. In fact, Australian IMG model Alannah Walton was cast for Victoria’s Secret in her first NY casting.
Walton told Vogue, “When you arrive at the casting, there are a lot of street style photographers and paparazzi trying to take your picture. I walked into the Victoria’s Secret building and saw hundreds of absolutely gorgeous women from all over the world. I was so nervous and definitely started to doubt myself. I really tried to remain calm. I told myself that I had done everything I needed to do and now it’s just time to show my personality and focus on relaxing!”
Remember, with a positive attitude and the right approach, you too could be appearing on a Victoria Secret’s billboard sometime soon.
Good luck!
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