It’s one of the most coveted jobs in the modelling world – a sign that a young model has truly made it.
And their excitement was palpable as best friends Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, both 20, burst onto the Victoria’s Secret catwalk in New York City on Tuesday.
The rising stars were making their grand debut for the lingerie brand alongside long established Angels Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel and Lily Aldridge – who wore the dazzling $2million Fantasy Bra, this year boasting 6,500 precious gems, including diamonds, blue topaz, yellow sapphires and pink quartz, set in 18-karat gold.
The elaborate, gem-encrusted piece of lingerie is one of the highlights of the show and presented every year by the underwear giant’s favourite model; past Fantasy Bra wearers have included Tyra Banks and Giselle Bündchen.
The event drew an elite crowd of fashion insiders and celebrity guests, but won’t be televised on CBS until December 8 where it will be watched by millions.
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Taking flight: Kendall Jenner stretched her wings on Tuesday as she joined the Angels in New York City for the pre-recorded Victoria’s Secret Show catwalk extravaganza
Making her debut: Model of the moment Gigi Hadid, 20, wowed in a butterfly inspired outfit, complete with feathered shoes
But there was no sign of nerves as new girls Gigi and Kendall strutted out in their underwear to cheers from the celebrity packed audience.
Holding their own against the official Angels, the select few who are bestowed special status by becoming official faces of the lingerie brand, the young models fitted right in.
A grinning Gigi danced with her close friend Selena Gomez, one of the musical guests, while Kendall flashed her dazzling smile as she wowed in a floaty bright peacock-like cape, which billowed out behind her red and blue basque.
Each was chosen to walk the runway twice – with Keeping Up With The Kardashians star Kendall showing her fashion week experience as she sashayed down the runway in a pale blue diamante number.
Strutting the runway: Kendal’s excitement was palpable as she made her debut alongside the experienced Angels, including Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel and Lily Aldridge
Hi mom and dad! The young reality star-turned-model’s father Caitlyn and mother Kris were watching from the audience
The diet worked! Kendall has ditched her junk food habit, even shunning her beloved burgers in favour of protein-heavy egg whites
Well howdy! Kendall – who made her Fashion Week debut in 2014 – fitted in seamlessly alongside the more seasoned models at the event
Her big moment: Fun and flirty Kendall ruled the catwalk in her caped gown with its colourful lace-up corset
Killer body: Kendall showcased her perfectly toned physique in the skimpy corseted number with its billowing skirt
Gigi paraded her perfect pecs in a youthful bright red sports bra and pants from the brand’s Pink label, before switching to a blue butterfly-like number.
The BFFs both looked in incredible condition – a sign not just of their youth, but their intense dedication to preparing for the show.
Showing the willpower of an Olympian, Gigi has hit the gym twice, sometimes even three times a day in a bid to get into shape over the past few weeks.
And a similarly strong-willed Kendall has ditched her junk food habit, even shunning her beloved burgers in favour of protein-heavy egg whites.
The hard work paid off – with the two slotting right in alongside the more seasoned models.
Blue belle: Kendall showed her fashion week experience as she sashayed down the runway in a pale blue diamante number
Picture perfect: Under the tutelage of big sisters Kim, Kourtney and Khloe, the model has grown up to be a natural poser; the model banned her famous sisters from attending the show, as she did not want to add to the pressure she felt
She sure stands out: There was no missing the Kardashian half-sister in amongst the sea of lingerie models at the event, which will be televised on December 8
Duck face! Kendall loves to pull funny faces with her friends; the young model brought her playful side to the catwalk
Unified front: Kendall’s reality star parents Caitlyn and Kris Jenner – who haven’t seen eye-to-eye since Caityln’s decision to undergo gender reasssingment – were both there to support her
The action-packed show seemed to have it all – including a host of celebs both on the catwalk and off – with the themes including snow queens, butterflies, fireworks and carnival.
Behati Prinsloo, 26, opened the show for the second year running in a dramatic costume, while Alessandra Ambrosio, 34, followed soon after in another fabulous confection.
Having made a fast recovery from her bout of flu, Candice wowed in a dramatic butterfly styled outfit. Just a week ago she was hooked up to an oxygen mask as she struggled to regain her health in time for the big night.
And it seemed to have worked. The 27-year-old gave a knowing smile as she posed, hands on hips, in a pale blue bra and extravagant feathered wings.
Old friends: Gigi Hadid, 20, danced with pop princess Selena Gomez, one of the musical guests
Call 911! Gigi dressed as a fireman in a youthful red sports bra worn under some yellow trousers
Stellar year: 2015 has seen Gigi score a host of high-profile campaigns including Balmain and Tophshop
Playful display: Selena copped a feel of Gigi’s behind (L) while the blonde beauty planted a kiss on Selena’s hand (R)
Party people: Gigi stood out on the runway in her sporty fireman ensemble as the girls paraded down the runway
For the end of the show she was rather more angelic in a glittering jumpsuit, cut with a plunge to the navel, to expose her white bra.
There were more feathers – this time in the form of wings, while a backdrop of snow and white Christmas trees gave the scene a holiday feel.
The big finale saw Candice embracing Alessandra, Behati and Lily on the catwalk, the girls laughing as they hugged.
Selena Gomez, 23, performed the song Me & My Girls off her new album Revival, while British singer Ellie Goulding, 28, delivered a rendition of her hit Love Me Like You Do.
Fancy seeing you here! Gigi fluttered down the runway while her friend, British singer Ellie Goulding, performed on the catwalk
Taking to the air: The young model fluttered her cape in the style of a pair of elaborate butterfly wings
Just wow: Gigi has hit the gym twice, sometimes even three times a day in a bid to get into shape over the past few weeks
From head-to-toe: The butterfly theme ran through the entire outfit, right down to her insect shaped, feather embellished heels
Social media tribute: Gigi shared this snap on Instagram, writing, ‘No one I would have rather shared my VS v-card with 😉 This show is genuinely a dream come true. Can’t thank you enough’
Rihanna pulled out as the main musical guest a week ago but arranged for balloons to be delivered to the models. She wrote a note which read: ‘Wish I was there with you guys. Kill it tonight. See you all next time. Love, Rihanna.’
The Weeknd, 25, who is dating Gigi’s little sister Bella Hadid, sang Can’t Feel My Face during the Fireworks themed segment of the show, followed by In The Night.
This year Lily, 29, who is married to Kings of Leon rocker Caleb Followill, was given the honour of wearing the coveted Fantasy Bra.
Pure Fantasy! The one-of-a-kind Fantasy Bra was decorated by 6,500 precious gems, and paired with matching knickers that are adorned with 126 diamonds and 400 other precious gems
Weighty: While Lily posed effortlessly in the pricey piece – which was being guarded behind-the-scenes at the show – it is actually quite heavy
Ruling the catwalk: Candice Swanepoel, Behati Prinsloo, Lily Aldridge and Alessandra Ambrosio embrace during the show’s finale
Hugging it out: The elite group of Angels, chosed by the lingerie giants to represent the lingerie brand, put on a friendly display
Dream moment:This year Lily, 29, who is married to Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill, was given the honour of wearing the Fantasy Bra
Wild thing: Veteran Angel Lily later emerged in a pair of over-the-knee, leopard print boots and a pirate inspired jacket
The one-of-a-kind item was decorated by 6,500 precious gems, and paired with matching knickers that are adorned with 126 diamonds and 400 other precious gems.
While Lily posed effortlessly in the pricey piece – which was being guarded behind-the-scenes at the show – it is actually quite heavy.
The total weight of the gem stones is 1,364 carats, while the diamonds weigh more than 375 carats.
Martha Hunt wore a pair of light-up wings, which fitted in perfectly with the fireworks sections of the show.
Adriana Lima wowed in a sheer pair of panties and matching bra. It was the 16th time the 34-year-old mother-of-two has walked in the show – she been a Victoria’s Secret model since 1999.
Backstage the sense of excitement was palpable ahead of the show. In an attempt to calm their nerves the models debated what they were going to eat afterwards – with Lily hosting them all at a pizza party.
A kiss from an angel: Alesandra looks ready for Carnival in a nod to her Brazilian roots with a large feathered piece
Hi there: Posing in her panties, the beauty said a hello as she passed by The Weeknd
Well she is an angel: The mother-of-two looks like she has just popped down from the top of the Christmas tree
Ta da! The 34-year-old mother of two worked for months to get into shape for the show, hastagging her workout pics ‘train like an angel’
Bright angel! Martha Hunt wore a pair of glowing lit wings that looked like they were on fire
Gigi, whose reality star mother Yolanda overcame her health difficulties to support her, told Cosmopolitan that she had ‘been planning’ what food she will indulge in after the show.
‘Lily’s having a pizza party after this, so I’m really excited,’ she said. ‘And obviously, everyone knows I’m obsessed with burgers, so I’m going to J.G. Melon, my favourite burger place, and then having a French toast bagel. I’ve been planning it. I’ve planned everything in advance.’
Kendall told the NYDN that the night before the show, she enjoyed a healthy dinner of ‘chicken and sweet potato and egg whites and avocado’.
‘I’ve just been eating super clean,’ she noted. ‘I kind of eat whatever I want usually so I was really holding myself down and not letting myself cheat so I’m excited for the pizza party and I’m excited for ice cream and burgers.’
Pure Candice: Swanepoel, an experienced VS model and past Fanatsy Bra wearer, wowed in a dramatic butterfly styled outfit
Knows her stuff: The 27-year-old gave a knowing smile as she posed, hands on hips, in a pale blue bikini and extravagant feathered wings
Best foot forward: The 5ft10 model was born and raised in South Africa and was one of the most recognisable faces on the catwalk
Angelic: For the end of the show Candice sparkled in a glittering jumpsuit, cut with a plunge to the navel, to expose her white bra
Getting her pose on: Diamante glittered on every inch of the angel’s sheer jumpsuit, set off with fluffy white slippers
Twice as nice: Ellie Goulding performed her second song in a white high-low dress with plunging neckline
In good company: The Weeknd and Selena were surrounded by the Angels in their snow-themed ensembles
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star said that while she has walked many runways across the globe, she was thrilled with landing this job.
Her momager Kris Jenner was on hand backstage to cheer her on, while her dad Caitlyn was in the audience.
However the young reality star admitted that she didn’t want her famous sisters Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Kylie to be there for her big moment.
‘I told them all to stay away,’ she told the New York Daily News’ Confidenti@l column.
‘It was too much pressure and I was like, “Mom and Dad are good enough.” I just need the pressure off. There’s enough pressure as it is.’
Love, love, love! Behati Prinsloo rocked a Summer Of Love vibe in her orange velvet fringed number
She’s having a wheely good time: Behati wore a red bra with spiral ‘fireworks’ coming out her back
Time to party! Adriana Lima slipped into a pink basque which she wore with green sandals and coloured feathers
She knows exactly what she’s doing! The Brazilian was walking in the show for her 16th time
No, she’s not naked! Adriana wore a sheer nude coloured bra and panties with delicate silk flowers and butterflies snaking from her back
Who me? The 34-year-old mother-of-two has been a Victoria’s Secret model since 1999
And while walking in the show was a dream come true, she admitted to having a few jitters to control.
‘I’m super excited,’ Kendall told Extra. ‘I’m like really nervous, it’s like really getting to me, but it’s okay, it’ll be good.’
And her nerves showed as she added: ‘I almost cried in my first fitting I was super excited. I just can’t believe it’s actually happening.’
Kendall was delighted to have her closest friend Gigi by her side: ‘It makes you more comfortable and honestly sharing this moment with one of your best friends is so awesome.’
Snow queen: Sharam Diniz from Angola blows a kiss in her fake fur-covered hat and boots
Icy ladies: Vita Sidorkina from Russia, left, and new Victoria’s Secret Angel Lais Ribeiro from Brazil, walked in the snow-themed segment
They’re all white: Model Lily Donaldson from The United Kingdom walks the runway while singer Ellie Golding performed
She’s Frozen! The Disney film looked to have influenced the colours as Flavia Lucini from Brazil walked the runway
She’s hot stuff! Chinese model Sui He, 26, wore furry sleeves and leg warmers with her huge wings
Seasoned model: Joan Smalls was back on the Victoria’s Secret catwalk and looked completely in her element
Ornate underwear: The striking star modelled a host of colourful styles, including a tentacle embellished red and yellow piece
Fab finale: Elsa Hosk, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge, and Adriana Lima danced all together
Dancing queens: Adriana and Izabel celebrated in style as they fluttered their wings
Despite the associated glitz and glamour, walking around in their underwear is not the simple job it might seen.
The girls underwent multiple costume changes – donning heavy wings, long floating capes or even a surf board or two – before navigating the runway in front of a crowd of cheering fans and celebrities.
They then had to do it all again – the show was filmed twice in order to get the perfect camera angles.
Musical magic: Selena Gomez dressed to impress in a plunging black gown cut high on the legs
She’s got a secret: While Rihanna dropped out just a week ago, Selena relished her moment in the spotlight
Wowing the audience: The Good For You singer put on a spirited performance
Time to do the Locomotion! Selena leads her backing dancers in a routine
Racy in lacy leather: Model Bridget Malcolm from Australia gave her girl next door good lucks an edge in a rather raunchy pair of shorts
She’s a beautiful butterfly! Shanina Shaik, 24, from Australia is cute in black
Delicate insects: Magdalena Frackowiak from Poland and British model Stella Maxwell
Model in flight: Ming Xi, 25, from China smiles at Ellie as she walks past
Ornate: American beauty Devon Windsor shimmered in blue and green jewels
See ya later: The 21-year-old revealed the back of the stunning costume and cheeky see-through underwear
Dynamite: Sara Sampaio – a native of Portugal – wore an explosive look
To occupy themselves between their catwalk spells, the girls also took turns snapping cheeky Instagrams of one another – posing semi-naked as they awaited their moment on the stage.
Newly-minted Angels Elsa and Stella were determined to stand out from the crowd and both posted very racy Instagram pictures before the show.
Swedish model Elsa, 27, shared a naked snap while posing in a corridor while Brit Stella, 24, who was briefly romantically linked to Miley Cyrus, shared a cheeky topless image.
Coming through: Valery Kaufman from Russia glided past Ellie in a pink jewel-encrusted look
Seeing red: Jasmine Tookes from California looked red hot in her vibrant ensemble
She’s got the booty! Brazilian Izabel Goulart was a dark angel in a black fringed jacket and golden wings
She’s a natural poser: Gracie Carvalho from Brazil struts her stuff in pink lingerie and a blue silk jacket
Beauty in blue: Pauline Hoarau from Rhode Island strut her stuff in pastel shades
Birds of a feather: Brazilian beauty Barbara Fialho showed off an extravagant feathered look
The finale: In April, Victoria’s Secret announced its 10 new Angels – Elsa Hosk, Martha Hunt, Stella Maxwell, Sara Sampaio, Lais Ribeiro, Jac Jagaciak, Kate Grigorieva, Jasmine Tookes, Romee Strijd and Taylor Hill
In April, Victoria’s Secret announced its 10 new Angels – Elsa Hosk, Martha Hunt, Stella Maxwell, Sara Sampaio, Lais Ribeiro, Jac Jagaciak, Kate Grigorieva, Jasmine Tookes, Romee Strijd and Taylor Hill.
Following last year’s show, two of the most well-known Angels – Karlie Kloss and Doutzen Kroes – parted ways with the brand.
Excitement about the annual show has been building for months. The moment that Gigi nailed her audition – and burst into tears after being told she had been cast in the show – was revealed on Instagram back in October.
What a beauty: Maria Borges, 23, was raised by her siblings during the Angolan civil war and only signed professionally three years ago
That’s cheeky! The show was Victoria’s Secrets chance to show off their new line; seen is Rachel Hilbert
All the girls: The models flooded onto the catwalk for the big finale as a glitter bomb exploded
Pretty ladies: The Victoria’s Secret girls sparkle as they dance to the music
It’s all about the wings: New Victoria’s Secret Angel Romee Strijd and Brit Joan Smalls rocked colourful embellishments
Busy as a bee: Brazilian beauty Bruna Lirio shows off her long legs as she poses in her billowing yellow gown
On Monday evening, the 20-year-old came home to find a pink rose, a T-shirt with the words ‘babe is busy’ scrawled across it and a sweet note from her mother Yolanda Foster, who is currently battling Lyme disease.
Just before the show, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star shared a picture of her daughter as a young girl in angel wings with a note saying she was looking forward to seeing the model’s ‘childhood dream’ come true.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show will air on CBS on Tuesday, December 8 at 10/9c.
What a beauty: Elsa Hosk from Sweden rocked a furry pair of mittens in her lacy white outfit
White hot! Newly-minted Angels Elsa was determined to stand out from the crowd
Backstage cheekiness: Swedish model Elsa posed naked and ran around topless before the show
Steaming up Instagram: Stella Maxwell also teased fans with this racy shot before the show
All together now: The Victoria’s Secret models posed up a storm behind the scenes as they celebrated the successful show
Taking centre stage: Behati reclined on the floor backstage and flashed a big grin for the cameras
What a line-up: There were several fresh faces this year as well as the usual favourites like Alessandra and Adriana
