Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, the annual Victoria Secret Fashion Show took place in Culver City, Los Angeles. This marks 31 years since the first ever fashion show, Aug. 1, 1995. It is an annual marketing event to showcase models wearing the brand’s clothing. The models are called “angles” and wear extensive wings down the runway.

Some high profile models that have graced the runway for many years, include Adriana Lima and Bella Hadid, who both walked in this year’s show.

Angel Wings

High profile models tend to get the bigger and better wings. Models must “earn their wings” based on their status and standing on the runway. The wings bring attention to the model, with more media, camera, and public focus, on and off the runway.

These wings can sometimes weigh up to 40-60 lbs or can be double a model’s height. Some of the largest wings from this year’s show were worn by Elsa Hosk, Ming Xi, Doutzen Kroes, Bella Hadid, Anok Yai, Gigi Hadid, and Alex Consani.

Elsa Hosk’s wings weighed 50 lbs and were 70 inches long. Hosk gave birth to her second child on July 22, then only three months later walked the Victoria Secret Runway wearing the largest and heaviest wings of the night. 

Wearing these wings requires training of the models for months leading up to the show. Their walks must look effortless while holding heavy amounts of weight on their backs. It takes impressive strength and acting to smile and walk seamlessly down the runway (Vogue).

Because of the weight of Hosk’s wings, some criticized her for her walk. One tweet saying, “Imagine Giselle walking down the runway like this? 😬” Gigi Hadid replied to this tweet saying, “The wings are getting bigger because the viewers love it & they’re MAJOR but NOT aero dynamic, then add the gust of runway fans! It takes 3 men to take these wings off of us. Elsa is stunning, strong, & carried these like a boss. Y’all have no idea” (Page Six). 

Walking with 50lb wings carried on your back would be challenging for anyone, but imagine doing it while strutting down a runway with hundreds of eyes on you.

Slick-Back Strike

After the runway show in 2024, many people on social media have raised complaints about the up-tight high ponies the models were styled in. The sleek, pulled back style has been popular in pop culture in recent years, but when it comes to the famous fashion show, most fans prefer the voluminous, blown out, and bouncy hair.

The 2025 and 2026 runway show gave the fans what they wanted; no slick-backs! The people wanted to see the iconic bombshell hair.

Guido Palau, the hairstylist for Victoria Secret’s hair teams, recognizes the hairstyles shouldn’t be limited to the one signature thing. This year’s show had a combination of blowouts and natural curls rocking the runway. It allowed individual models to stand out and still appeal to the fan’s aesthetic (Fashion Times).

Million Dollar Bra

Every year since 2018, a high profile model wears a million dollar bra called the “Fantasy Bra”, which is made with expensive and precious gems. This year, Kylie Jenner wore the $50 million bra with about 4000 diamonds encrusted on it, making it the most expensive one yet. 

Chief creative officer at Victoria’s Secret, Adam Selman, says the choice for who wore the bra was clear. Jenner has hundreds of millions of followers, is a huge pop culturally significant celebrity, and an unexpected talent. She brings the spotlight to the bra showing off its artistry, jewelry, beauty, and extravagance. Selman said, “It’s almost museum quality” (Vogue).

Model, or Influencer?

Many controversies sparked towards the Victoria Secret show after five-year Angel, Romee Strijd, was turned away from walking the runway at the 2026 show. People have posted their opinions on the situation on social media and claim to “boycott’ the company’s decision. Some comment under videos saying things like, “They are prioritizing influencers over actual models,” expressing their opinions on the company’s newer campaign strategy.

As more influencers are added into the show each year, more models are turned down. These influencers don’t have the same amount of training and earned fame as those Angels do.

Frida Aesen and Lais Ribeiro were two other rejected models from the show, as well as Taylor Hill in 2025, as the show started focusing on a more social media aspect (News).

The Fantasy Bra worn by Kylie Jenner is a point of argument many fans on social media use. They say an influencer like Jenner, instead of a real model, gets the bra just for clout, not for their dedication and work. 

A popular celebrity is easily given something most models work years to get to the level of achieving. In other words, Victoria Secret is prioritizing their popularity and relevance. Fans tend to forget the show is designed to make profit for the company, so many are still upset about their favorite Angles being rejected from the show, disengaging them and their interest.

Interests For All

Despite certain debates on this year’s show, it was just as iconic as past years. With performing artists Tate McRae, KATSEYE, Megan Thee Stallion, and Megan Moroney, the performances wowed the crowd. There was a great variety of music ranging from hiphop to a girl-group. Fans on social media were able to peak interest in the show, as many currently popular artists in pop culture would be performing.

This year’s runway show was just as amazing as ever, if not, it was even better than past years. The show is an event many fans look forward to watching each year, and it brings excitement and discourse surrounding it. Although everyone may have their own opinions and critics on the show, it was still a great production and campaign, yet an entertaining one, for the Victoria Secret brand itself.