What’s the Difference Between a Victoria’s Secret Angel and a VS Model? The Answer Is Kind of Complicated

Ever since the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned from its six-year hiatus in 2024, it seems like fans are constantly asking, “What’s with all the influencers and nepo babies replacing real models?” Last year’s show saw content creators and athletes like Quenlin Blackwell and Angel Reese walk alongside OG Angels like Adriana Lima and Jasmine Tookes, and it seems like we can expect the same mix of models to hit the catwalk in L.A. on October 18.

Of course, finding out that seasoned Angels like Romee Strijd and Lais Ribeiro had reportedly been “rejected” from the 2026 show in favor of celebs like Gabriela Moura (who walked last year as part of the PINK section) and actor Jordan Leftwich (who will be making her debut this year) has the internet in a tizzy, with some even threatening to boycott the show over the casting controversy.

But here’s the thing: There’s a difference between a Victoria’s Secret Angel and a VS model, and now seems like a great time to discuss it.

For starters, not everyone who walks during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is technically an Angel. You might be surprised to learn that there have only actually been 41 models given the official title of Angel between the launch of the program in 1997 and its discontinuation in June 2021.

The complete list is as follows (and I’ve gone ahead and bolded the five OG Angels you can expect to see walking in the 2026 show):

• Alessandra Ambrosio
• Alexina Graham
• Adriana Lima
• Barbara Palvin
• Behati Prinsloo
• Candice Swanepoel
• Chandra North
• Chanel Iman
• Daniela Peštová
• Doutzen Kroes
• Elsa Hosk
• Erin Heatherton
• Gisele Bündchen
• Grace Elizabeth
• Helena Christensen
• Heidi Klum
• Inés Rivero
• Izabel Goulart
• Jac Jagaciak
• Jasmine Tookes
• Josephine Skriver
• Karen Mulder
• Karolína Kurková
• Karlie Kloss
• Kate Grigorieva
• Laetitia Casta
• Lais Ribeiro
• Leomie Anderson
• Lily Aldridge
• Lindsay Ellingson
• Marisa Miller
• Martha Hunt
• Miranda Kerr
• Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
• Sara Sampaio
• Selita Ebanks
• Stephanie Seymour
• Stella Maxwell
• Taylor Hill
• Tyra Banks

In case you forgot, VS announced the end of its traditional “Angel” era five years ago, discontinuing the contracted spokesperson title in favor of The VS Collective, made up of athletes, activists, entrepreneurs, and creatives like Megan Rapinoe, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Eileen Gu.

When the VS Fashion Show returned in 2024 (not long after the launch of the Dream Angels collection), it featured several former Victoria’s Secret Angels—including Tyra Banks, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Behati Prinsloo—alongside former VS models like Gigi Hadid and up-and-coming models like Alex Consani, both of whom sported wings despite (fun fact!) not holding a traditional, long-term Angel contract.

Which brings us to…

Again, prior to the 2024 show, wings were historically earned and reserved for contracted “Angels” as a status symbol within the brand. But over the past two years, a much wider array of models have strutted down the catwalk in custom wings regardless of seniority or title.

In 2025, VS shook things up again by banning wings made with real feathers, opting instead for faux-feather and vegan alternatives. Honestly, love to see all of it.

This year, VS brought back an updated version of the “Angel” concept through its open casting call and accompanying YouTube docuseries, Angels Among Us. The series follows the journey to find the newest Victoria’s Secret Angel...though the winner won’t be an “Angel” in the traditional sense.

Instead, the Angels Among Us winner will get an exclusive year-long contract with IMG Models, as well as the opportunity to walk in the 2026 VS Fashion Show so…chances are that there will only ever be 41 official VS Angels.

The PINK section of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debuted in 2006, four years after the teen- and college-aged sub-brand was launched. The segment typically features fresh faces and newer models before they transition to the main VS line or (up until the discontinuation of the “Angel” era) became official Angels.

Along with Gabriela Moura and Jordan Leftwich, this year’s PINK section will include Yoon Young Bae (who made her debut with PINK in 2025), with more names to be announced.

In conclusion: The whole “Angel” thing is kind of outdated at this point, so if you’re stressed over who does or doesn’t get wings on the runway (or debating who belongs on it at all), maybe just sit back and enjoy the show, mmkay?