You’ve seen the wings. The glitter. The runway lights flashing as a model walks like she owns the world. For over two decades, Victoria’s Secret didn’t just sell lingerie-it sold a fantasy. And at the heart of that fantasy? The Angels. But who was really the queen of Victoria’s Secret? Not just the most famous face. Not just the highest-paid. The one who defined the era.
There Was Only One Queen
The answer isn’t complicated: Adriana Lima was the queen of Victoria’s Secret. Not because she was the first. Not because she was the youngest. But because she was the most consistent, the most visible, and the most iconic over the longest stretch of time.Adriana walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show for 19 consecutive years-from 1999 to 2018. That’s longer than most people hold down a single job. She wore the Fantasy Bra twice-once in 2008 and again in 2014. Only three other models in history have done that. And while others came and went, Adriana was always there, holding the show together like a steady heartbeat.
She didn’t just model lingerie. She became the face of the brand’s global identity. Her smile, her walk, her confidence-those were the trademarks. When people thought of Victoria’s Secret, they thought of Adriana Lima. Not just because she was beautiful, but because she was reliable. She showed up. She delivered. She made the impossible look easy.
What Made Her the Queen?
Being an Angel wasn’t just about looking good in a bra. It was about embodying a myth. Victoria’s Secret didn’t sell underwear. They sold dreams of glamour, power, and unattainable beauty. And Adriana didn’t just wear those dreams-she lived them.Her career didn’t start with Victoria’s Secret. She was discovered in Brazil at 15, working in a local store. Within a year, she was in New York. By 18, she was walking for Chanel and Versace. But it was Victoria’s Secret that turned her into a household name. And she never took it for granted.
She was the first Brazilian to become a Victoria’s Secret Angel. That mattered. It opened doors for other Latin American models. She proved you didn’t need to be from Paris or New York to be the face of a global brand. Her success changed the industry’s idea of who could be an Angel.
And then there was the work ethic. While other models took breaks, Adriana was in the studio every day-training, eating clean, staying in shape. She didn’t just show up for the show. She prepared for it like an Olympian. That discipline was part of her brand. She wasn’t just beautiful. She was relentless.
Other Contenders for the Throne
You can’t talk about the Queen of Victoria’s Secret without naming the others who came close.- Gisele Bündchen-the original supermodel Angel. She was the first to bring real global fame to the brand in the late 90s. But she left in 2002. Her reign was short but legendary.
- Kendall Jenner-the face of the 2010s. Young, fresh, and viral. But she never wore the Fantasy Bra and walked only 8 times.
- Candice Swanepoel-the South African bombshell who walked 14 times and wore the Fantasy Bra in 2015. She had the looks and the charisma, but she didn’t have the longevity.
- Behati Prinsloo-the girl-next-door Angel with the perfect smile. Loved by fans, but never the central figure.
None of them matched Adriana’s consistency. None of them stayed as long. None of them carried the brand through its peak and into its decline.
The Rise and Fall of the Angels
Victoria’s Secret peaked around 2014. That was the year they spent $100 million on the show. The broadcast reached over 10 million viewers. The Fantasy Bra sold for $2 million. It was the height of the fantasy.But by 2018, everything changed. The #MeToo movement. The backlash against unrealistic beauty standards. The collapse of the brand’s image. The 2018 show was canceled. The Angels were quietly retired.
Adriana walked her last show in 2018. No fanfare. No final bow. Just silence. She didn’t make a big statement. She didn’t need to. Her legacy was already written.
Today, Victoria’s Secret still exists. But it’s not the same. The wings are gone. The show is gone. The Angels are gone. And the brand is trying to rebuild as something more real, more inclusive, more human.
But for nearly two decades, Adriana Lima was the face of something bigger than lingerie. She was the symbol of a moment in fashion history. And when that moment ended, she was the one who carried it with grace.
Why This Matters Today
The story of Adriana Lima isn’t just about modeling. It’s about what happens when a brand builds its identity around one person-and what happens when that person leaves.She wasn’t just a model. She was the engine behind one of the most successful marketing machines in fashion. Her face was on billboards in Tokyo, Paris, and Dubai. Her image sold millions of bras. She made lingerie aspirational.
And now? Brands are trying to move on. They want body positivity. They want diversity. They want real women. But they can’t replicate what Adriana represented-not because she was perfect, but because she was consistent. She was the anchor.
There won’t be another queen like her. Not because no one is beautiful enough. But because the world changed. The fantasy is over. And the queen? She walked away with her crown still on.
What Happened After She Left?
After her final show in 2018, Adriana didn’t disappear. She stepped back from the spotlight-not to hide, but to live.She focused on her family. She started her own skincare line, Adriana Lima Beauty. She became a spokesperson for women’s health and fitness, speaking openly about postpartum recovery and mental wellness.
In 2021, she launched a documentary called Adriana: The Real Angel, where she talked about the pressure of being a model, the loneliness of fame, and why she chose to walk away. It wasn’t a comeback story. It was a truth story.
She doesn’t miss the runway. She doesn’t regret leaving. She says: “I gave them everything. Now it’s time to give myself back.”
Final Thought: The Crown Was Never Just a Bra
The Fantasy Bra was expensive. The wings were heavy. The lights were blinding.But the real crown? That was the trust. The loyalty. The fact that for 19 years, every time the music started, the world knew who was walking out.
Adriana Lima wasn’t just the queen of Victoria’s Secret.
She was the only one who made the fantasy feel real.
Who was the first Victoria’s Secret Angel?
The first official Victoria’s Secret Angel was Stephanie Seymour, who appeared in the brand’s early catalogs in the late 1980s. But the first Angel to be formally named and featured in the fashion show was Heidi Klum in 1999, the same year the show began broadcasting on TV.
Did any other model wear the Fantasy Bra more than Adriana Lima?
No. Adriana Lima wore the Fantasy Bra twice-in 2008 and 2014. Only two other models have worn it more than once: Gisele Bündchen (2000, 2005) and Candice Swanepoel (2015). But Adriana is the only one to wear it twice in the 2010s, during the brand’s peak.
Why did Victoria’s Secret stop the fashion show?
The show was canceled in 2019 because viewership dropped sharply, sales were falling, and the brand faced heavy criticism for promoting unrealistic beauty standards. The #MeToo movement and changing attitudes toward body image made the old fantasy feel outdated. The company admitted it had lost touch with its customers.
Is Adriana Lima still modeling?
Adriana doesn’t do runway modeling anymore, but she still works in fashion. She launched her own skincare line, collaborates with fitness brands, and appears in campaigns focused on wellness and self-care. She’s no longer an Angel-but she’s still a force.
Who replaced the Victoria’s Secret Angels?
Victoria’s Secret no longer uses Angels. Since 2019, they’ve shifted to a model roster called the VS Collective, which includes athletes, activists, and diverse body types. Names like Simone Biles, Paloma Elsesser, and Chloe x Halle represent the new direction-no wings, no fantasy bra, just real women.
