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Natalia Bryant made her debut at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Sunday, October 18, stepping onto the runway in Culver City, California, for a milestone in her developing modeling career.
The 23-year-old is the daughter of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant and wore a Victoria's Secret Pink outfit featuring a black bra with leopard-print lettering, a pink shrug and blue jeans decorated with colorful gemstones.
Vanessa Bryant's emotional Father's Day homage to late husband Kobe
A silver belt with dangling dog-themed charms, a mirrorball handbag and strappy metallic heels completed the look whilst large silver heart-shaped earrings and a headband featuring a pink bow added further detail to the ensemble.
Giving the young model a distinctive appearance at one of fashion's most recognizable annual events, Bryant expressed her excitement about finally participating in an event she had followed since childhood.
“It feels amazing! I can’t wait,” Natalia told Page Six. “I used to watch the show every year — since I was a little girl. I had the shows on repeat, really trying to get into that mindset. And it’s crazy, because now I’m in the room with some of the OGs. Angels are among us!”
The 2026 event featured performances from Tate McRae, Megan Thee Stallion, KATSEYE and Megan Moroney. However, the show generated controversy before the show began.
Dutch model Romee Strijd, a former Victoria's Secret Angel, revealed on TikTok that she would not participate this year, prompting criticism from fans who questioned the decision to exclude the 31-year-old from the event.
Bryant family prepares to mark seven years since Kobe's death
Kobe spent 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, establishing himself as one of the greatest players in NBA history as the shooting guard won five championships, earned 18 All-Star selections and received the league's Most Valuable Player award in 2008.
Nicknamed the Black Mamba for his fearsome mentality on the court, he also claimed two Olympic gold medals with the United States men's basketball team in 2008 and 2012 in Beijing and London respectively.
Bryant entered the NBA directly from high school in 1996, joining the Lakers after being selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick and developed into a franchise icon, forming a dominant partnership with Shaquille O'Neal that delivered three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002.
Bryant later led Los Angeles to further titles in 2009 and 2010, reinforcing his reputation as an elite competitor before he retired in 2016 as the Lakers' all-time leading scorer and fourth on the NBA's career regular-season scoring list at the time.
His life was cut short on January 26, 2020, when a helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California, killing all nine people aboard, including Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
They were traveling to a youth basketball tournament and the tragedy shocked the sporting world and prompted an outpouring of grief from athletes, celebrities and fans whilst the Lakers honored Bryant following his death.
Later, a public memorial at Staples Center brought together family members, former teammates and prominent figures from basketball.