Victoria's Secret ditched its Angels after a successful decades-long partnership. Take a closer look at how the concept was born - and why the lingerie chain thinks Angels are no longer relevant.

Mary Hanbury,Zahra TayebJun 27, 2021, 15:24 IST

Alessandra Ambrosio walks the runway during the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion show in Shanghai.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret Angels have been synonymous with the lingerie brand for decades.
However, as part of an extreme brand turnaround, the lingerie label is bidding them farewell.
But how did Angels come about? Insider tapped into the history of the tradition since its inception.

This month, after nearly two decades, Victoria's Secret confirmed that it is ending its Angels brand.

Victoria's Secret Angel Miranda Kerr walks the runway during the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory on November 7, 2012 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Instead, it has taken on a group of seven new spokeswomen - a mix of activists and entrepreneurs to promote its new image.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Courtesy Dan Schawbel

So how did the concept of an Angel first come about and why is it being abandoned?

Victoria's Secret's first Angels. Victoria's Secret

From then on, the Angels became an elite group of models that were carefully selected to become the face and voice of the brand.

Victoria's Secret

Though there have been hundreds of Victoria's Secret models over the years, many of which have walked its runway show, not all have made it to the elite status of an Angel.

Victoria's Secret Launches "Angels 2000" Bra. Daniela Pestova, Stephanie Seymour, Karen Mulder, Ines Rivero. Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Though there have been hundreds of Victoria's Secret models over the years, many of which have walked its runway show, not all have made it to the elite status of an Angel.

Victoria's Secret was previously vague about how their contracts worked and what they are actually expected to do.

Elsa Hosk wears The 2018 Dream Angels Fantasy Bra at The Plaza Hotel Palm Court on November 5, 2018, in New York City. Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret

Angels get to go home with multi-million dollar pay cheques.

Adriana Lima. Jamie Mcarthy/Getty Images

But the level of commitment has meant that Victoria's Secret has lost Angels in the past.

Karlie Kloss pictured (R). Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret

There have been 41 Angels in total since 1997 when Christensen, Mulder, Peštová, Seymour, and Banks were first taken on.

Tyra Banks walks the runway at The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the 69th Regiment Armory November 9, 2005 in New York. Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Over the years, these women became a defining part of its increasingly elaborate runway shows and risque brand image.

Gisele Bündchen walks the runway at the 1999 Victoria's Secret Fashion show. PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty Images

The year after that, Angel Gisele Bündchen walked the runway in what was then the most expensive item of lingerie ever created, a $15 million diamond-and-ruby-encrusted 'Fantasy Bra.'

Gisele Bündchen. Evan Agostini/ImageDirect

The year after that, Angel Gisele Bündchen walked the runway in what was then the most expensive item of lingerie ever created, a $15 million diamond-and-ruby-encrusted 'Fantasy Bra.'

The shows became more lavish over the years.

Taylor Swift performs at Victoria's Secret fashion show in 2014. Karwai Tang/WireImage

Carrying the wings was no easy feat.

Alessandra Ambrosio walks the runway during the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion show in Shanghai. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret

Some of the world's top supermodels including Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner were among the catwalk's line-up but never made it to Angel status.

Kendall Jenner walks the runway at the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Timothy A Clary/AFP

This came to a head in 2018, just weeks before its annual fashion show was due to air on television.

Ed Razek. AP Photo/Terry Gilliam

When the show aired on TV, viewership numbers sank by 34%.

Razek speaks to the 2018 Victoria's Secret runway models backstage during the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Getty Images/Dia Dipasupil

The Angels stayed on and in early 2019, a new Angel was announced - Barbara Palvin.

Barbara Palvin. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Over the course of 2020, the company underwent some major changes.

Getty/Astrid Stawiarz / Stringer

And under new leadership, the brand is refocusing its image.

A Victoria's Secret store in the UK. Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images

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Victoria's Secret ditched its Angels after a successful decades-long partnership. Take a closer look at how the concept was born - and why the lingerie chain thinks Angels are no longer relevant.

This month, after nearly two decades, Victoria's Secret confirmed that it is ending its Angels brand.

Instead, it has taken on a group of seven new spokeswomen - a mix of activists and entrepreneurs to promote its new image.

So how did the concept of an Angel first come about and why is it being abandoned?

From then on, the Angels became an elite group of models that were carefully selected to become the face and voice of the brand.

Though there have been hundreds of Victoria's Secret models over the years, many of which have walked its runway show, not all have made it to the elite status of an Angel.

Victoria's Secret was previously vague about how their contracts worked and what they are actually expected to do.

Angels get to go home with multi-million dollar pay cheques.

But the level of commitment has meant that Victoria's Secret has lost Angels in the past.

There have been 41 Angels in total since 1997 when Christensen, Mulder, Peštová, Seymour, and Banks were first taken on.

Over the years, these women became a defining part of its increasingly elaborate runway shows and risque brand image.

The year after that, Angel Gisele Bündchen walked the runway in what was then the most expensive item of lingerie ever created, a $15 million diamond-and-ruby-encrusted 'Fantasy Bra.'

The shows became more lavish over the years.

Carrying the wings was no easy feat.

Some of the world's top supermodels including Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner were among the catwalk's line-up but never made it to Angel status.

This came to a head in 2018, just weeks before its annual fashion show was due to air on television.

When the show aired on TV, viewership numbers sank by 34%.

The Angels stayed on and in early 2019, a new Angel was announced - Barbara Palvin.

Over the course of 2020, the company underwent some major changes.

And under new leadership, the brand is refocusing its image.