Athletes Join the Angels: Victoria’s Secret Expands Its Definition of Beauty

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show draws millions of viewers each year, with many of the runway-inspired looks hitting stores soon after the event. (Courtesy/Unsplash.com)

On Oct. 15, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned to Brooklyn with a bold new look and an even bolder message. Once known for its narrow standard of beauty, the brand reinvented itself in front of millions. 

The night’s biggest headline came when WNBA star Angel Reese and Olympic gymnast Sunisa “Suni” Lee stepped onto the runway, making history as the first athletes ever to walk in the show. Reese’s appearance stood out even more, as she became the first professional athlete to be crowned a Victoria’s Secret Angel.

This year’s casting signaled a turning point. 

For decades, Victoria’s Secret was defined by a specific image: tall, thin, white and conventionally glamorous. But the brand’s latest comeback has leaned into diversity and body inclusivity. 

The 2025 show featured plus-size icons Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser, trans model Alex Consani and even a nine-months-pregnant Jasmine Tookes opening the show. The lineup celebrated a mix of athletes, models and creators, representing a wider vision of what beauty can be. 

Reese’s decision to participate in the show sparked widespread conversation about representation. She has been very outspoken about not wanting to be sexualized, emphasizing that stepping onto the runway did not mean giving up control over how her body is viewed or portrayed. 

“Everybody looks different, but they’re all beautiful,” Reese told CNN prior to the show. “…the inclusivity of being a Victoria’s Secret model and knowing that you can look beautiful in many different shades, lengths, heights — tall, short — you can be here.”

Six-time Olympic medalist Suni Lee modeled pieces from the PINK line, which were styled to highlight movement and confidence rather than sexiness and glamour. Following the show, Lee received backlash due to her height of 5 feet and her modeling skills.

During an interview with Marie Claire, Lee said that she decided to participate in the show because it was a “dream outside [her] comfort zone.”

“Growing up, I didn’t see many girls who looked like me in spaces like this. To now be here as an athlete, as someone who’s worked so hard to achieve her dreams, it feels powerful,” she said. “I want young girls to know they don’t have to fit into just one box. You can chase Olympic gold and still own your femininity.”

Victoria’s Secret’s transformation has been years in the making. The brand that once dominated television in the 1990s and 2000s, featuring supermodels and angel wings, fell from grace after facing public criticism and internal controversy. 

Former executive Ed Razek’s 2018 comments about excluding transgender and plus-size models marked a breaking point. The backlash led to leadership changes, a canceled show and eventually, a full rebrand. When the show returned in 2024, it promised a new direction centered on inclusivity, representation and authenticity. Critics are still divided, but few can deny that the lineup looks very different today.

The 2025 show continued that shift. The production celebrated athletes, transgender models and women of all body types with equal spotlight and styling. Many viewers saw it as a victory for visibility and representation. Others questioned whether a lingerie show can truly be empowering when it still relies on fantasy and sex appeal to sell products. That tension remains at the heart of the brand’s new identity.

For Reese and Lee, the night was more than just a walk down the runway. It was a statement about representation, confidence and what it means to own your image. Reese’s refusal to be sexualized while taking part in a show built on sensuality captured the complexity of empowerment in today’s culture.

Whether this marks a permanent shift or another marketing moment, one thing is clear. When a WNBA champion and an Olympic medalist step onto a stage once reserved for one kind of beauty, the definition of a “Victoria’s Secret Angel” changes forever.