Gigi Hadid is reminiscing about her Victoria’s Secret debut a decade ago. On October 10, the brand announced that Hadid, 30, will return to the iconic runway in 2025 through a heartfelt video shared on Instagram.
In the clip, Hadid recalls her journey to landing her first show in 2015, saying, “I think I tried out two or three times before I got it, so you can imagine how I felt when I got my first show”. She becomes emotional, with tears in her eyes, as she added, “I’m just so happy for her. She just wants it so bad I look back at pictures of that time and the world was so hard on her and not just me, it was hard on girls”.
Hadid reflects on her past, stating, “And then you look back at pictures and you’re like, ‘I was the shit.’ That was an awesome time. I deserved to be there”. She expresses her gratitude for her teenage self, who watched the show, saying, “I continue to come back to this show, just so happy for that girl that got the first show”.
The model expresses her excitement, noting that the show “still makes her heart beat fast”. She acknowledges the responsibility she feels to perform at her best for the large team behind the show.
In 2015, Hadid addressed the scrutiny over her body during her fashion week appearances, including her Victoria’s Secret debut. In an Instagram post at the time, she stated,” No, I don’t have the same body type as other models in shows… I’m a hard worker that’s confident in myself, one that came at a time where the fashion industry was ready for a change”.
Hadid emphasised that while her body type “wasn’t accepted in high fashion before”, the industry is evolving. She stated further, “If they want me in their show, I’m in it; if they don’t, I’m not. That’s just how it is and how it will be”.
She concluded her message by urging critics to “at least be open if not part of the change”, which she believes is “undeniably happening”.
Following her debut in 2015, Hadid participated in the 2016 show in Paris and missed the 2017 event but returned in 2018 alongside her sister, Bella. In 2024, she made a striking comeback, ascending from the floor to kick off the show in a pink ensemble, complete with oversized diamond hoop earrings and gladiator-style heels, adorned with a pair of pink wings.