Unveiling the Hidden Details of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show: 5 Insider Secrets Revealed

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show made a grand comeback on October 15, 2025, at Brooklyn’s Steiner Studios, signaling a new era for the legendary lingerie brand. This year, the event celebrated diversity with a mix of seasoned supermodels, including Gigi and Bella Hadid, alongside fresh faces like Iris Law and Angel Reese. A memorable highlight was Jasmine Tookes, who impressively opened the show at nine months pregnant, dazzling in a golden fishnet ensemble embellished with teardrop gems. Adding to the spectacle were vibrant performances by Missy Elliott, Karol G, and the popular K-pop group TWICE.

Curious about what went into crafting this year’s show? Here are five insider tidbits from the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

The show’s executive creative director wanted to show more than ‘1 ideal of sexiness’

The 2025 edition broke away from its usual mold by embracing a more inclusive and diverse approach. Unlike past shows dominated by slim, white models, this iteration celebrated a wider array of women. Jasmine Tookes made a groundbreaking appearance, strutting the runway while heavily pregnant, while athletes such as WNBA star Angel Reese and Olympic gymnast Suni Lee made impactful debuts, showcasing the brand’s dedication to inclusivity.

In previous years, the fashion show faced the threat of cancellation. With this in mind, creative director Adam Selman was tasked with reviving the iconic event with a fresh perspective.

“I aimed to capture the essence of an American heritage brand that’s thrived for over five decades, while expanding the emotional spectrum beyond a singular idea of sexiness,” Selman shared with 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.