Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Sparks Controversy Over Model Selection
Backstage preparations were underway while one model expressed disappointment at being cut from the show.
As preparations for the Victoria's Secret fashion show commenced in Los Angeles, models Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Iris Law were seen getting ready backstage. Huntington-Whiteley, 39, was photographed while having her hair and makeup done, preparing to walk the runway. Law, 25, also appeared in good spirits backstage.
Other models expected to walk in the show include Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, Elsa Hosk, and Barbara Palvin.
This year's event has been met with controversy following the announcement that model Romee Strijd would not be participating. Strijd, who had previously walked in the show from 2014 to 2018, revealed on TikTok that she was informed she was not a "good fit" just one week before the show. She stated that she attended a casting call in New York in September and had been awaiting confirmation for weeks.
"I thought I was gonna know soon after if I was gonna do the show or not, but I didn't hear anything for weeks," Strijd said in a tearful video. She explained that she had continued training for the show, even after having two children, feeling it was the "right timing" to return. She expressed frustration with the lack of clear communication from her agency and the casting directors, which she felt caused significant mental stress.
"The whole story doesn't sum up, which makes me feel even more horrible than not getting the show," Strijd commented. She later received confirmation that she would not be participating. "It's a no, which is fine, because rejection is part of modelling, and that's totally fine," she added, though she noted that the way the situation was handled left her feeling unsupported.
Fellow model Frida Aasen, who had also auditioned for the show, commented on Strijd's video, expressing her sympathy and stating that she too had been told it was a "no."