Dubai: What do supermodels Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima and a former Dubai school girl have in common?
They all walked the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles this week. And here's the Dubai connection you probably didn't know about.
Gulf News can reveal that Ravleen Varghese, the 25-year-old Indian model who made her Victoria’s Secret debut on October 18, was born and raised in Dubai, where she completed her entire schooling in Delhi Public School before heading abroad to pursue her fashion ambitions.
The Kerala-origin model walked twice at the star-studded show, held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, joining an impressive line-up that included Gigi and Bella Hadid, Irina Shayk, Candice Swanepoel, Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima.
Reality television star and beauty entrepreneur Kylie Jenner also made her runway debut at the event.
For Varghese, it was a significant moment in a career that began far from the international fashion circuit.
And the backstory is particularly charming.
Long before she was sharing a runway with some of the world's most recognisable supermodels, Varghese was sketching glamorous women in elaborate outfits in her school notebooks in Dubai.
Her father, who shared details of her journey with Gulf News, said his daughter studied at Delhi Private School (DPS) in Dubai until Grade 12. Although her family hails from Kerala, the UAE was home throughout her childhood and teenage years.
As a young girl, she would draw tall fashion figures, experimenting with colours, designs and imaginative outfits.
Years later, the girl who once drew fashion models has become one herself.
Why walking for Victoria’s Secret is a big deal
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is no ordinary runway presentation.
For decades, the lingerie brand's annual extravaganza has been one of the most recognisable spectacles in the fashion industry, bringing together supermodels, elaborate costumes, its signature angel wings and performances by international music stars.
The show became synonymous with some of the biggest names in modelling, including Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Gisele Bündchen and Tyra Banks.
After being discontinued following its 2018 edition amid criticism over the brand's narrow beauty standards and declining relevance, the traditional runway show returned in 2024 with a renewed emphasis on diversity and representation.
The 2026 edition brought the spectacle to Los Angeles, where the runway was streamed live across digital platforms.
This year's show featured performances by Megan Thee Stallion, Tate McRae, Megan Moroney and KATSEYE.
For a young model, securing a place alongside such established international names represents a significant career milestone.
Varghese made the most of her debut, appearing in two different looks. She first walked in a pink lace lingerie ensemble before returning in a contrasting black-and-white outfit alongside models Luíza Perote and Malika El Maslouhi.
She also joined a small group of Indian and Indian-origin models to have appeared on the Victoria’s Secret runway, including Ujjwala Raut, Bhumika Arora and British-Indian model Neelam Gill, who returned for her third consecutive show this year.
From Dubai to Delhi and New York
But Varghese's journey to the international runway was not built on modelling alone.
After completing her schooling in Dubai, she moved to India to study fashion design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Delhi, where she earned the Handloom Heritage Award.
It was during her time in Delhi that her modelling career began taking shape.
According to published accounts, she was scouted by Anima Creative Management at the age of 18, setting her on a professional path she had not initially planned.
She subsequently pursued a master's degree in Fashion Management at Parsons School of Design in New York.
Her modelling portfolio grew to include international fashion and beauty assignments, a New York Fashion Week debut in 2022 and work with celebrated Indian designer Sabyasachi.
Her Victoria’s Secret debut now places her on a runway that has helped define the careers of generations of international supermodels.