Two models make history as first trans women to walk at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Transgender community represent!
Valentina Sampaio and Alex Consani made Victoria's Secret Fashion Show history as they became the first transgender women to walk the runway for the lingerie brand on Wednesday, Oct. 16 (Philippine time) in New York.
During the show, Consani strut the catwalk in VS' Sequin Shimmer Bra Top and High-Waist Short Set paired with timeless wings featuring fabric constructions.
Sampaio, for her part, looked sultry in the brand's Shine Triangle Bralette and V-String Panty Set. Taking her look to the next level were her black ribbon-back dress and voluminous hair.
Sampaio officially joined the lingerie giant’s official roster of models in 2019, while Consani became a VS model at The Tour ’23 last September.
Victoria's Secret faced backlash in 2019 for allegedly being unwelcoming to LGBTQ+ models.
Ed Razek, its former chief marketing officer, previously drew criticisms for his remarks in his Vogue interview. “Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy,” he told the publication at the time. “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. And they carp at us because we’re the leader.”
This year, Victoria's Secret vowed to make the runway show an inclusive one and make it more welcoming to women of any body type and gender identity.
The 2024 VS Fashion Show finally pushed through after a six-year hiatus. It featured performances from BLACKPINK’s Lisa, Tyla, and Cher, among others. It also saw the comeback of Adriana Lima on the VS runway after her retirement as well as the return of Tyra Banks on the same catwalk after nearly 20 years.