5 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets From the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
The 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, held on Oct. 15 at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, marked a significant return to form for the iconic lingerie brand. The event showcased a diverse lineup of models, including returning supermodels like Gigi and Bella Hadid, as well as newcomers such as Iris Law and Angel Reese. A standout moment was provided by Jasmine Tookes, who opened the show while visibly nine months pregnant, wearing a golden fishnet dress adorned with teardrop-shaped gems. The runway was further energized by performances from artists like Missy Elliott, Karol G, and K-pop group TWICE.
So, how did the show come together this year? Here are five behind-the-scenes secrets from the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
The show’s executive creative director wanted to show more than ‘1 ideal of sexiness’
The 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show marked a significant departure from its traditional format, embracing inclusivity and diversity. Unlike previous editions that predominantly featured slim, white models, this year’s show showcased a broader representation of women. Notably, Jasmine Tookes made history by walking the runway while nine months pregnant, and athletes like WNBA star Angel Reese and Olympic gymnast Suni Lee made their debuts, highlighting the brand’s commitment to inclusivity.
The fashion show faced potential cancellation in the past. With this in mind, creative director Adam Selman knew he had to breathe new life into the iconic show.
“I wanted to take the best of an American heritage brand that’s been around for more than 50 years but show a broader range of emotions, not just one ideal of sexiness,” Selman said, according to Glossy.
When he first started planning the show, he didn’t look at older versions. Instead, he wanted to go in completely fresh. In the final month before the show, he finally looked at previous iterations to ensure that his vision showed the direction Victoria’s Secret is headed.
Aside from the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Selman previously worked as the chief design officer at Savage x Fenty. And he founded his own brand, Adam Selman Sport.
The Victoria’s Secret Angels each have pre-show rituals to feel their best on the runway
Every Victoria’s Secret Angel has their pre-show rituals that they like to follow.
Angel Reese told USA Today that she changed her diet to walk the runway. “I’m going to eat a lot of food because I definitely changed my diet, not eating as much as I do as an athlete,” the pro basketball player explained. “As an athlete, you fuel up, and for modeling, you fuel down. So, I’m ready to eat.”
Barbara Palvin said she engages in breathing techniques, as she gets extremely nervous before walking.
Adriana Lima, the longest-running Victoria’s Secret Angel, meditates and uses essential oils to stay calm before a show.
While some models prefer to seek calm inwardly, Barbie Ferreira often chooses to phone a friend. She said she talks to the people she loves to find a sense of peace.
Every model is ‘perfectly timed’ for their walk
So, how does every Victoria’s Secret Angel stay so perfectly timed for the big show? Creative director Adam Selman explained it to E! News.
“Whenever you see the show, everyone is perfectly timed in their sections,” he told the publication. “I want this show to feel like a train, so you’re just going through and each one just keeps it moving. It’s just a blast, it’s so fun.”
He also said the show requires “a lot of expenditure.” Despite this, he and the models still have “a blast.”
The models arrive early, but they have plenty of time before the event
According to the call sheet obtained by E! News, the models need to arrive for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at 8 a.m. This means the angels arrive 11 hours before they’re set to walk in the show.
However, that doesn’t mean they’re spending all that time to prepare. Dylan Sprouse, the husband of Barbara Palvin, revealed to E! News that he’d been FaceTiming his wife all day as she prepared for her runway moment. Sprouse admitted that there’s “a lot of time in between” to kill, and he even got to see Palvin at lunch.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show showrunners keep their spending a secret
So, how much does it cost to run the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show? In 2015, Victoria’s Secret President and CEO Sharen Turney told Forbes that they won’t disclose that information — but it might not be as pricey as some believe.
“We don’t disclose [how much we spend],” Turney said at the time. “It’s not as much as you would think, and it actually pays for itself five times over.”
The show earns money back via corporate sponsorships, too. Big names are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to have their branded products backstage with the models.
Additionally, Victoria’s Secret doesn’t sell tickets to the live event. Instead, they give out about 2,000 passes to celebrities, journalists, and corporate guests.
