Why Did Heidi Klum, Kendall Jenner, Gisele Bündchen and More Past Angels Skip the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show?

Mar. 15, 2025

Heidi Klum, Kendall Jenner, Gisele Bundchen.Photo:Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage; Penske Media via Getty; KMazur/WireImage

Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage; Penske Media via Getty; KMazur/WireImage

Some familiar faces were missing from the 2024Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

The event’s return on Tuesday, Oct. 15 saw some of the brand’s best-known Angels likeTyra Banks,Gigi HadidandAdriana Limacommand the catwalk, but others were notably absent.

After receiving backlash for a lack of diversity, the runway show, which debuted in 1995, was canceled in 2019. In 2023, it returned asThe Tour, a streamed nontraditional show that was filmed in Barcelona, London, Tokyo, Lagos, Nigeria and Bogotá, Colombia.

Victoria’s Secret announced thereturn of the runway showin May, promising more inclusivity.

Ahead, find out the likely reasons why certain VS icons skipped out on the epic reunion.

Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum at the 2003 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.Frank Micelotta/Getty

Frank Micelotta/Getty

Klum began her tenure as a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 1999 and hung up her wings in 2010. The model had several memorable runway moments, including donning the $11 million “Very Sexy Fantasy Bra” in 2003. In 2021, Klum revealed that she wasfour months pregnant with her eldest daughter, Leniduring the 2003 show.

After Victoria’s Secret announced its rebrand, Klum said it was"about time" for major changeswithin the fashion industry during an interview with Australian talk show,The Project.

“As a model, you go there, you’re happy you have a job…you do what you’re told,” she said. “But finally, looking at this now, I’m like, ‘About time. Good.’ Because, you know, things do need to change. They have been changing but it’s been taking too long.”

Since 2022, Klum has served as an ambassador for lingerie brand Intimissimi, which presumably conflicts with her ability to work with competing brands like Victoria’s Secret. On Tuesday, Oct. 15 — the same day as the 2024 VS show — the 51-year-old debuted anew campaignalongside her daughter Leni.

Gisele Bündchen

Gisele Bundchen in the 2005 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Bündchen, 44, served as a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 1999 until 2006.

In a 2022 video forBritish Vogue’s"Life in Looks" series, the Brazilian model said that while she “always had fun” on the VS runway, she was"uncomfortable" with the revealing outfits.

“I always made sure that my back was covered because it just made me uncomfortable walking on a runway with my butt hanging out, from looking from down, up,” she said. “I was like, ‘That’s not gonna happen.’ But I always had fun on the shows. It was always like a production, there was always someone singing, there was always something happening. It was a fun experience.”

In 2023, Bündchen reunited with the brand for itsIcons campaign, which also featuredNaomi Campbell,Emily Ratajkowski,Hailey Bieber,Adriana Limaand others.

However, the model announced herretirement from the runway in 2020and has since said that she has no plans to return.

In a 2022 interview withElleBündchen said that she has “zero desire” to walk a catwalk again. Rather, she shared, she prefers editorial shoots.

“It’s very easy for me to go there and create a character and play that role for the day,” she said. “It fuels me.… I feel inspired to go and create more beautiful things in the world in different ways, too.”

Miranda Kerr

Miranda Kerr in the 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.Randy Brooke/WireImage

Randy Brooke/WireImage

Kerr became the first Australian Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2007. In 2013, it was reported that the model’s contract wasn’t being renewed due to her being “difficult,” per theLos Angeles Times.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, L Brands' former president and chief marketing officer Ed Razek dispelled the rumor, saying that Kerr is “a consummate professional.”

Currently, Kerr is focused on her businesses, cosmetics brand Kora Organics and furniture line One Kings Lane. She’s also mom to four children; one son with ex Orlando Bloom and three sons with husband Evan Spiegel.

Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner at the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

Jenner, now 28, made her Victoria’s Secret runway debut in 2015. She appeared again in 2016 for the Paris show, where shedonned the show’s coveted wingsfor the first time.

The supermodel missed the 2017 show in Shanghai due to her deal with La Perla lingerie. The contract ended in 2018, so Jenner returned to the VS runway alongsideGigiandBella Hadid.

Jenner has also been working with Calvin Klein since 2013, and has posed for several of the brand’s underwear campaigns.

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss at the 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.Randy Brooke/WireImage

Kloss was introduced as a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2013 before parting ways with the brand in 2015. Shereturned to the runwayin 2017 and in 2018, toldThe Telegraphthat the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is “so relevant in the world we live in today.”

“There’s something really powerful about a woman who owns her sexuality and is in charge," she said.

In a 2019 cover story forBritishVogue, Kloss, now 32, said that herdecision to cut ties with VShad to do with her feminist beliefs.

“The reason I decided to stop working with Victoria’s Secret was I didn’t feel it was an image that was truly reflective of who I am and the kind of message I want to send to young women around the world about what it means to be beautiful,” she shared.

These days, Kloss is busy working on her coding program, Kode with Klossy, and serving as host ofProject Runway. She’s also raisingtwo young sonswith husband Joshua Kushner.

Selita Ebanks

Selita Banks at the 2007 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Lily Aldridge

Lily Aldridge in the 2015 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty

Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty

“It’s been such a wonderful journey,” Aldridge told PEOPLE about working with VS. “I just love being a part of the team and that comradery.”

source: people.com