Victoria’s Secret 2025: Bella Hadid, Angel Reese Redefine Runway

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has always been more than just a parade of glitz and glamour. This year, its 2025 revival at Brooklyn’s Steiner Studios marked a distinct turning point, blending legacy with the pulse of today’s shifting cultural tides. On October 15, the runway became a stage not only for established supermodels but also for icons whose stories challenge the boundaries of fashion and representation.

Bella Hadid’s Triumphant Return: Health, Resilience, and Reinvention

Bella Hadid’s presence on the runway was a moment many had anticipated. Just a month prior, she was hospitalized, battling Lyme disease—a condition she’s been confronting since her teenage years. Her return, radiant in a racy red ensemble and a striking bleach-blonde hairstyle, was more than a fashion statement. It was a testament to her resilience and the quiet strength that defines her public persona.

Hadid’s look—a lacy red bra, center-cut underwear, sheer tights, and a flowing satin robe—was unmistakably bold. It wasn’t merely about the clothes; it was about the energy she carried, the vulnerability beneath the glamour, and the story of fighting through pain to reclaim her place in the spotlight. The image of Bella, arms draped in red satin and her gaze fierce, stood in stark contrast to the hospital bed her mother shared on social media weeks before. Her journey, documented by People, is one of enduring hardship but never losing sight of the art, the work, and the life she loves.

Her sister Gigi Hadid joined her on the runway, adding a familial warmth to the occasion. The Hadids, who have been part of Victoria’s Secret’s legacy since 2015, are no strangers to reinvention. Bella’s evolution from her debut in Paris in 2016 to her current role as a VS Collective Member mirrors the brand’s own attempts at transformation in a rapidly changing fashion landscape.

Angel Reese: Breaking Barriers, Setting New Standards

But if Bella Hadid’s return was a celebration of resilience, Angel Reese’s debut was a declaration of possibility. Reese, the Chicago Sky forward, became the first professional athlete to walk the Victoria’s Secret runway—an achievement that redefines what it means to be an Angel.

Victoria’s Secret announced Reese’s participation with the words, “major is an understatement,” and the sentiment resonated far beyond the world of fashion. Reese’s journey from WNBA stardom to the Pink Carpet is emblematic of a new era: one where strength, athleticism, and unapologetic confidence are as celebrated as beauty. Her collaboration with brands like Juicy Couture and Reebok, including the sellout Angel 1 sneaker, signals a broadening definition of celebrity and influence.

On the runway, Reese wore two dreamy pink lingerie sets. The first, adorned with flowers and clear angel wings, was a nod to her own vision of femininity—one that’s inclusive and empowering. As she told People, walking the runway as an Angel was a “surreal and full-circle” experience, one she manifested after attending the 2024 show as an audience member.

Her rise is not simply about breaking into fashion but about challenging the industry’s long-held standards. Reese’s visibility, her advocacy for body positivity and size inclusivity, and her pride in representing tall and plus-size women all reflect a shift away from the restrictive norms that once defined the Victoria’s Secret runway. Her presence signals a move toward authenticity, where athletes and models alike are valued for their individuality and strength.

A Runway in Transition: Diversity, Accountability, and New Icons

The 2025 show stands in the shadow of the brand’s turbulent past. Once a symbol of idealized femininity, Victoria’s Secret faced criticism for its lack of racial, size, and gender diversity. Scandals involving executives and ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as reported by Andscape, led to a reckoning that saw the televised broadcast canceled in 2019.

The landscape shifted further when Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty entered the conversation, offering a more inclusive vision of lingerie and runway representation. Savage X Fenty’s embrace of models of all sizes, backgrounds, and abilities set a new standard, prompting Victoria’s Secret to reevaluate its approach. The 2024 relaunch began to reflect these changes, though the journey is ongoing.

This year’s show, featuring athletes like Reese and gymnast Sunisa Lee, signals a commitment to broadening the brand’s narrative. The presence of women who excel outside of traditional modeling is not just symbolic—it’s substantive. It’s a recognition that femininity, strength, and beauty are multifaceted, and that the runway should reflect the world as it is, not as it once was imagined.

The New Meaning of “Angel”: Strength, Sacrifice, and Representation

For Angel Reese, earning her wings is more than a career milestone. It’s a moment that speaks to the evolving definition of what it means to be an Angel. Where the role once relied on aesthetic ideals and punishing routines, Reese embodies a modern power—a blend of independence, sacrifice, and authenticity. The wings she wore were not just a status symbol but a badge of honor for pushing boundaries and inspiring those who see themselves reflected in her story.

Reese’s journey, along with the stories of Hadid and Lee, is a reminder that fashion’s most iconic platforms are at their best when they celebrate diversity, resilience, and the courage to rewrite tradition. As Reese herself put it, “We can dominate in our field but also chase our goals outside of it.” The 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show proved that the runway can be a place where new definitions of power and beauty are not just possible but celebrated.

Victoria’s Secret’s 2025 show, marked by Bella Hadid’s defiant comeback and Angel Reese’s groundbreaking debut, highlights a shift in fashion’s narrative. By embracing resilience and diversity, the brand is attempting to heal its legacy and redefine what it means to be seen—and to belong—on the runway.