Gigi Hadid Returns to Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Oct. 18
Hadid plans her sixth pink carpet appearance at the 2026 show in Los Angeles, which returned in 2024 after a 2019 cancellation.
By AXY Celebrity Desk ·
Key points
- Gigi Hadid is set to return to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Oct. 18 at Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles, according to E! News.
- Hadid is planning to be on the pink carpet for a sixth time, and she debuted on the runway in 2015 at age 20.
- Gisele Bündchen and Heidi Klum have described their years as Angels in different ways, with Bündchen expressing reservations about the costumes.
- The show was canceled in 2019 amid criticism that the brand was stuck in another era, and it returned in 2024 under new leadership with veteran and newcomer models.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid is set to return to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Oct. 18, when the 2026 event takes place at Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles, according to E! News. The 31-year-old model plans to be on the pink carpet for a sixth time. Her return also highlights a point the outlet makes about the show: for many models, a walk in its famous wings has been a turning point in their careers.
Hadid is far from the only former runway star to describe the experience in personal terms. E! News quotes several former Angels, including Gisele Bündchen and Heidi Klum, whose remarks show how the show has shaped the lives and reputations of the women who walked it. Their accounts also explain why the event, and its return after a difficult period, continues to draw attention from fashion watchers and general audiences alike.
How Hadid Got Her Start on the Runway
Hadid made her debut on the Victoria's Secret runway in 2015, when she was 20, according to the report. Before that, she had to audition, a process in which models are judged on their look, walk and presence for a place in a show. Getting cast for a major runway show is competitive, and many models audition several times before being chosen.
In remarks made for the brand in 2025, Hadid recalled the effort it took to get in. “I tried out two or three times before I got it, so you can imagine what I felt when I got my first show,” she said. She described the moment with strong emotion, saying, “Oh my God, my heart’s racing [thinking about it].” Her account offers a personal view of what the show meant to a young model at the start of her career.
Hadid also commented on the brand's image. Victoria's Secret has spent years trying to change how it is seen, after facing criticism that its marketing reflected a narrow idea of beauty and femininity. Hadid said, “It’s not what people think. It’s not just about lingerie and looking hot.” Her comment reflects the company's effort to present the show as more than a lingerie-focused spectacle, though the report does not detail the specific changes the brand has made.
What the Wings and the Fantasy Bra Represent
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is a televised production that combines fashion, music and choreography. Its most recognisable symbols are the large, elaborately decorated wings worn by its models, which have become a visual shorthand for the event. The show's signature piece is the Fantasy Bra, a jewelled lingerie design that the brand has used for years to draw attention to the production.
The term “Angels” refers to the models the brand has promoted as its signature faces. Being chosen as an Angel has long carried prestige in the modelling industry, because it brings repeated exposure, high-profile campaigns and a public identity tied to the brand. The report's central theme is that a runway appearance can have lasting effects on a model's career, beyond the single night of the show.
For readers less familiar with the industry, this matters because the modelling business relies heavily on visibility. Photographs, video clips and interviews from a major show can circulate widely on social media and in the press, and they can influence which models are booked for future campaigns, editorials and partnerships.
Gisele Bündchen’s Mixed Feelings About the Show
Gisele Bündchen was 19 when she walked her first Victoria's Secret runway in 1999, according to the report. Her relationship with the brand was complicated. In her 2018 memoir, “Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life,” she wrote about her discomfort with some of the costumes, including her wish for more coverage. The report quotes her saying, “Give me a tail, a cape, wings, please, anything to cover me up a little!”
Despite those reservations, Bündchen spoke positively about the production itself. In a 2022 British Vogue video, she said, “It was always like a production, there was always someone singing, there was always something happening. It was a fun experience.” Her comments show that the show could be both a demanding work assignment and an entertaining event, depending on how a model experienced it.
Heidi Klum’s Eleven Years as an Angel
Heidi Klum was an Angel for 11 years, a span that gave her a long view of how the show changed. She later became better known for hosting the television competition series “Project Runway,” which focuses on fashion design. In a 2024 episode of the podcast “Call Her Daddy,” Klum said, “I loved it always. I always wanted to wear the big wings.”
Her account contrasts with Bündchen's more mixed view. Together, the two former Angels show that the experience differed from one model to another. Some found the costumes and demands difficult, while others focused on the spectacle and the chance to perform on a large stage.
The 2019 Cancellation and the 2024 Return
The show's future looked uncertain after the 2019 edition was canceled. According to the report, the cancellation came amid criticism that Victoria's Secret was stuck in another era. For a brand that once used its runway show as a major television and pop culture event, the decision was a visible sign that its approach was out of step with audiences who had grown more critical of the lingerie industry's image standards.
The show returned in 2024 under new leadership. The report says the comeback featured longtime Victoria's Secret favourites, including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Irina Shayk and Candice Swanepoel, along with many others. Analysts who follow fashion often say that a comeback of this kind depends on whether a brand can attract new audiences while keeping the loyalty of longtime fans. The 2024 return therefore appears to have been a test of whether the brand could combine its heritage with a new direction.
A Lineup Mixing Veterans and Newcomers
The 2024 show also introduced newcomers to the runway. According to E! News, Ashley Graham, Kate Moss and her daughter Lila Moss, and singer Carla Bruni, a former French first lady, were among those walking the show for the first time. Bruni served as France's first lady from 2008 to 2012, when she was married to then-president Nicolas Sarkozy, so her appearance added a figure known far beyond fashion.
Bringing veteran and new models together can serve several purposes. It can reassure longtime fans who remember the show's earlier years, while attracting younger viewers who follow models and celebrities on social media. The mix of names also reflects how runway shows now function as media events, generating coverage that extends well beyond the venue.
What to Watch Before and After Oct. 18
The key facts reported so far are the date, Oct. 18, and the venue, Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles. The report does not provide details of the show's program, the full list of models or the production plans, so those remain to be confirmed. Readers should expect the event to generate coverage of the pink carpet, the runway walks and reactions from models and fans.
Analysts expect attention to focus on how the brand balances its heritage with its newer image. Hadid's comments suggest the company wants the show to be seen as more than glamour and lingerie. Observers will likely watch which models are featured, how the brand presents its veteran Angels alongside newcomers, and whether the event's tone differs from the years before 2019.
The longer question is whether the return of the show becomes a lasting part of the brand's identity or a single high-profile event. For the models involved, the answer may shape future bookings and public profiles. For fans and fashion watchers, it will show whether a brand once associated with a narrow ideal can build a more varied image around one of the most recognisable spectacles in the fashion calendar.
Topics: Gigi Hadid, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Victoria's Secret Angels, Gisele Bündchen, Heidi Klum, Sony Pictures Studios, Los Angeles, Fashion runway
Sources: E! News
https://axynewsglobal.com/article/gigi-hadid-returns-to-victoria-s-secret-fashion-show-on-oct-18