Angel Reese becomes first pro
athlete to walk in Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
[October 16, 2025]
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
Angel Reese took her game from the court to the catwalk and made
history along the way.
The Chicago Sky forward became the first professional athlete to
walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Wednesday, joining the
brand’s high-profile “Wings Reveal” lineup in New York.
“It was destined for me,” Reese said during an interview before the
show began. “This is already for me. I'm so happy to be sitting in
this room with so many amazing models and women. The team that put
this all together has been amazing. I'm so excited.”
Reese said she hired a modeling coach to “perfect my walk.”
“I walk, sleep, hoop,” she said. “And I hoop, sleep, walk.”
Reese, 23, made her debut on the Victoria Secret runway wearing pink
floral lingerie set adorned with blossoms and lace detailing, paired
with a dramatic feathered stole draped across her arms. The wrap was
covered in soft pink and rose-toned textures.
The 6-foot-3 Reese donned the signature angel white wings that have
defined the show for decades, a new stage for an athlete known for
her confidence, charisma and crossover appeal. She walked to the
tune of Lumidee's “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh.)”
Reese is a former Louisiana State University national champion and
NCAA tournament most outstanding player in 2023.
“One of her biggest dreams was to walk this show,” said celebrity
stylist Law Roach, a co-host on the pink carpet who helped reinvent
Zendaya, turned Celine Dion into a fashion icon and is a close
friend to Reese.
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Angel Reese walks the runway during the Victoria's Secret Fashion
Show on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in the Brooklyn borough of New
York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
“We had a conversation. I told her, ‘I don’t think that’s a big
dream at all.’” Roach said. "And for that to happen in a year or
less, that she’s walking the show and, I mean, she looks stunning,
like the hair, the makeup, her presence, she’s ready, she’s excited.
That makes me the most proud because she’s the one out of most of
the girls I have, you know, the kind of deepest connection with.”
The show was livestreamed on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Prime
Video in the U.S. The show is a mix of music and celebrities, with
Madison Beer sporting pink wings performing “Make You Mine” with
lingerie-clad models strutting on the catwalk.
K-pop group TWICE hit the runway too, performing “This is For” and
“Strategy.” Karol G sang “Ivonny Bonita” before she walked solo in
red wings and lingerie ensemble.
Reese has become one of the most visible figures in women’s sports.
Her style, outspokenness and social media influence have helped
bridge the gap between sports, fashion and pop culture.
The lingerie show began in 2001 and took place annually for nearly
two decades. Victoria’s Secret canceled the show in 2019, but
brought it back last year, with Reese attending.
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Associated Press writer John Carucci in New York contributed.
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