Let Me See You Walk! VS Fashion Show’s First Transgender Models Hit the Runway

Controversy struck when Victoria’s Secret’s ex-chief marketing officer, Ed Razek, expressed his unfavorable opinion against casting transgender women in their annual runway event in 2018. According to the catwalk organizer, he (seemingly) felt that such a move would alter the conventional “fantasy” of the famous entertainment special. However, in 2024, Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show’s first transgender models switched the narrative, strutting through doors that weren’t open to them just six years ago.

If you didn’t know, Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show became a staple in the style industry in 1995. The iconic lingerie brand debuted the televised phenomenon in 2001, which would (ultimately) run until its cancellation in 2019. Year after year, the on-screen sensation served as a monumental moment in pop culture, featuring everything from its notable VS Angels to the hottest acts in celebrity culture. Aside from the grand performances, viewers reveled in seeing the models prance around in the company’s seductive wardrobe pieces.

From fragrances and apparel to undergarments and cosmetics, the retailer’s (originally founded by Roy and Gaye Raymond in 1977) feminine-forward image and sensual promotion of sexuality dominated the Y2K era in malls and magazines. Victoria’s Secret heavily focused its marketing on society’s then-beauty norms, but its depiction of diversity suffered and often caused public outrage.

As Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show’s viewership declined, so did the billion-dollar empire’s sales, causing the once-premier corporation to plummet due to its raging competitors. While we saw a similar resurgence of the celebrated affair through Prime Video’s “Victoria’s Secret: The Tour ’23,” it wasn’t until this year that the show officially returned from its hiatus.

Why Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show’s First Transgender Models Is So Legendary for the LGBTQIA+ Community

The lack of inclusion within Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show loomed throughout its three-decade run. In 2019, Victoria’s Secret introduced its first plus-size ad campaigner, Ali Tate Cutler, in partnership with British intimates line Bluebella. That same year, Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio was recognized as the brand’s first transgender hire. In addition, influencer Emira D’Spain made history as the first Black transgender model to work with the brand in 2022.

Undoubtedly, these two relevant occurrences aided in reshaping the landscape of Victoria’s Secret’s expansion trope. However, the frontline representation of LGBTQIA+ individuals didn’t seem to be on the radar for the fashion show.

“Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should,” Razek previously “slurred” in his contentious Vogue interview before stepping down from his top position in 2019. “Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world, and any other fashion brand in the world would take it in a minute, including the competitors that are carping at us.”

But… Oct. 15, 2024, saw the dawn of a new day at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. The glamour mecca held the biggest faces in music and couture, making it an occasion to remember. Accompanying the show’s iconic comeback were VS veterans Tyra Banks, Gigi Hadid, and Adriana Lima, among others. “Water” songstress Tyla delivered a stellar set, along with Cher and Lisa, for an all-women lineup.

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A post shared by Valentina Sampaio (@valentts)

Inarguably, though, the highlight of the revival was Sampaio and Alex Consani (also spotted in “Victoria’s Secret: The Tour ’23”), who made history as the first-ever transgender women (overall) to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Per an exclusive from People magazine, 27-year-old Sampaio donned “a black satin bra with subtle black embellishments, matching low-rise underwear and a fishnet bejeweled midi-length skirt.” Consani rocked a pastel-blue sequin sleeveless bra top with matching bottoms and wings.

“This moment is one I will cherish for a lifetime,” Sampaio told the outlet. “The Victoria’s Secret family has shown the world that being trans is just as exceptional and beautiful as anyone else on that runway. Inclusivity is crucial to the world we’re building, and I’m honored to walk with pride, love, and the hope of inspiring the next generation.”

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A post shared by Alex Consani (@alexconsani)

Consani wrote in an Instagram post, “Victoria’s Secret, [I love you]. Little me is screaming. I can’t even say anything other than thank you.”

It’s safe to say that the reintroduction of Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was an explosive one.

Did you catch the live recording? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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