Victoria’s Secret has long been associated with some of the most recognizable faces in fashion. Over the years, its runway shows and campaigns have featured models whose careers reached far beyond lingerie and swimwear.
From the original generation of Victoria’s Secret Angels to the supermodels who helped define a new era, these women have made lasting impressions on the fashion industry. Many have appeared on major magazine covers, represented international brands, launched businesses, entered television and film, or built successful careers outside modeling.
Below is a look back at 20 of the most memorable and stunning Victoria’s Secret models, ranked from number 20 to number 1. The list celebrates their runway presence, fashion careers, and enduring influence on popular culture.
20. Ana Beatriz Barros
Brazilian model Ana Beatriz Barros became a familiar face in international fashion after being discovered as a teenager in Rio de Janeiro. Her career quickly expanded into major advertising campaigns, magazine covers, and runway appearances.
Barros has worked with prestigious fashion names and became particularly associated with lingerie modeling. Her work with Victoria’s Secret helped establish her as one of the recognizable Brazilian models of her generation, while her international campaigns demonstrated her versatility in the fashion world.
19. Brooklyn Decker
Brooklyn Decker became widely known through her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue before expanding her career into fashion, television, and film. Her work with Victoria’s Secret added another high-profile chapter to her modeling career.
Decker later appeared in movies including Battleship and What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Her transition from modeling into entertainment demonstrated that her career could extend well beyond the fashion runway.
18. Helena Christensen
Danish model Helena Christensen belongs to the legendary first generation of Victoria’s Secret Angels. Alongside names such as Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum, she helped establish the glamorous image associated with the early years of the brand.
Christensen has appeared on countless magazine covers and worked across fashion, advertising, and photography. Her creative career has also included work behind the camera, proving that her influence extends beyond modeling.
17. Stephanie Seymour
Stephanie Seymour became a major fashion name after entering the modeling industry during her teenage years. Her early success led to campaigns and editorial work for some of the biggest names in fashion and entertainment.
Her Victoria’s Secret appearances helped cement her status as a classic supermodel. Seymour also explored acting and writing, adding several creative pursuits to an already impressive fashion career.
16. Karen Mulder
Karen Mulder was part of the generation of supermodels who helped transform fashion modeling into a global phenomenon. Her distinctive look and runway presence placed her alongside other major names of the era, including Claudia Schiffer and Kate Moss.
Her Victoria’s Secret work remains an important part of her modeling legacy. Mulder's career is also remembered as part of the influential supermodel era that dominated international fashion during the 1990s.
15. Karlie Kloss
Karlie Kloss emerged as one of the defining models of the new generation. Recognized internationally by major fashion publications, she became a Victoria’s Secret Angel and worked with numerous prestigious designers and brands.
Her career has also extended into technology and education. Kloss became known for her interest in coding and later created projects designed to encourage young women to explore technology. Her influence therefore reaches well beyond the runway.
14. Lily Aldridge
Lily Aldridge became one of the recognizable faces of Victoria’s Secret during the brand’s highly publicized runway era. Her polished appearance and confident runway style made her a natural fit for major fashion campaigns.
She also appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and worked with a variety of fashion and beauty brands. Her appearances in music videos and fashion campaigns further expanded her profile outside the Victoria’s Secret runway.
13. Erin Heatherton
Erin Heatherton rose to prominence after being discovered as a teenager. Her early modeling opportunities took her onto runways for major designers, including Prada, Tommy Hilfiger, and Marc Jacobs.
She became a regular presence at Victoria’s Secret runway shows for several years, building a reputation for her distinctive look and confident catwalk style. Her international modeling work helped establish her as one of the notable faces of her generation.
12. Izabel Goulart
Brazilian model Izabel Goulart is known for her striking appearance and international fashion career. Her work with Victoria’s Secret made her a familiar face to fashion audiences around the world.
Goulart has also worked with major luxury and fashion brands and appeared on the covers of publications including Vogue, Marie Claire, and GQ Mexico. Her long-running presence in international fashion has earned her a place among the most recognizable Brazilian models.
11. Doutzen Kroes
Dutch model Doutzen Kroes began her international modeling career in the early 2000s and became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2008. Her combination of runway experience and major advertising campaigns helped make her one of the leading models of her era.
Kroes has appeared in prominent fashion shows and campaigns around the world and became associated with the generation sometimes described as the “New Supers.” Her elegance and runway confidence made her a standout wherever she appeared.
10. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley built an impressive modeling career after entering the industry as a teenager. Her work with Victoria’s Secret helped introduce her to an even wider international audience.
She later expanded into acting, appearing in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, while continuing to feature in major fashion magazines and advertising campaigns. Her ability to move between fashion and entertainment made her one of the most recognizable British models of her generation.
9. Miranda Kerr
Australian model Miranda Kerr became the first Australian Victoria’s Secret Angel and went on to build a highly successful international career. Her distinctive look and approachable personality helped make her a favorite with fashion audiences.
Kerr has appeared in leading publications including Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Vogue, while also working with major fashion and beauty brands. She later expanded her career into entrepreneurship, further establishing herself as a prominent name beyond modeling.
8. Candice Swanepoel
South African model Candice Swanepoel became one of the most recognizable faces associated with Victoria’s Secret. Her striking runway presence and extensive fashion portfolio helped turn her into an international modeling star.
Beyond Victoria’s Secret, Swanepoel has worked with major designers and luxury fashion houses, including Givenchy, Christian Dior, Donna Karan, and Michael Kors. Her editorial appearances and high-profile campaigns have kept her among the most memorable models of her generation.
7. Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks is one of the most influential models ever associated with Victoria’s Secret. As one of the original Angels, she helped shape the public image of the brand during its formative years.
Her career later expanded into television, business, and entertainment. Banks created and hosted America’s Next Top Model, becoming a major television personality while using her platform to encourage greater diversity and confidence within the modeling industry.
6. Marisa Miller
Marisa Miller became a prominent American model through her work with Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated. Her distinctive California style and strong magazine presence made her one of the most recognizable models of the 2000s.
She has appeared in publications such as Glamour, Maxim, Vanity Fair, and Marie Claire. Miller has also explored acting, television appearances, and charitable work, adding several dimensions to her career beyond fashion.
5. Behati Prinsloo
Namibian model Behati Prinsloo became one of Victoria’s Secret’s most recognizable Angels. Her distinctive personality and runway style helped her stand apart from many of her contemporaries.
Prinsloo has worked with major fashion labels and appeared in international editions of Vogue. Her career with Victoria’s Secret established her as a major name in the fashion industry, while her personal style made her a favorite among fashion followers.
4. Alessandra Ambrosio
Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio became one of the defining faces of Victoria’s Secret. Her long association with the brand included major runway appearances, campaigns, and memorable fashion moments.
Ambrosio was also chosen as the first model to represent the Victoria’s Secret PINK line. Outside the brand, she worked with major fashion houses and appeared in numerous international publications. Her charitable work has also added another dimension to her public career.
3. Adriana Lima
Adriana Lima is widely regarded as one of the most iconic Victoria’s Secret models in history. The Brazilian model enjoyed one of the longest and most recognizable associations with the brand.
She began modeling at a young age and quickly gained international attention after winning Ford’s Supermodel of the World competition in her teens. Lima later became one of the highest-profile faces in fashion, appearing in countless campaigns, magazine editorials, and Victoria’s Secret runway shows.
Her distinctive beauty, powerful runway presence, and long-lasting career helped make Lima a defining figure of the Victoria’s Secret era.
2. Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum became one of the earliest and most recognizable Victoria’s Secret supermodels. Her career eventually developed far beyond the runway, making her one of the most successful fashion personalities in entertainment.
Klum became the host and executive producer of Project Runway and later joined the judging panel of America’s Got Talent. Her television work, business ventures, fashion projects, and memorable Halloween costumes have kept her firmly in the public spotlight.
1. Gisele Bündchen
Gisele Bündchen takes the top spot as one of the most influential supermodels associated with Victoria’s Secret. The Brazilian fashion icon became one of the most successful models of her generation and helped usher in a new era of the modern supermodel.
Her career has included hundreds of fashion campaigns, magazine covers, runway appearances, and major international brand partnerships. Bündchen’s distinctive look and strong presence made her a favorite among designers and photographers around the world.
Although her Victoria’s Secret career represents only one part of her remarkable fashion legacy, it remains an important chapter in the story of one of the industry's most recognizable names.
Final Thoughts
Victoria’s Secret has worked with generations of remarkable models, and each woman on this list brought something different to the runway. From Helena Christensen, Tyra Banks, and Heidi Klum in the early Angel era to Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Gisele Bündchen, and the stars who followed, these models helped shape an unforgettable period in fashion.
Their careers also show that modeling can be a starting point for much more. Many of these women have moved into television, film, entrepreneurship, photography, philanthropy, technology, and other creative fields. Their influence continues to make them some of the most memorable names in modern fashion history.