Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio has made history, becoming the first trans woman to model for global lingerie brand Victoria's Secret.
Sampaio is no stranger to paving the way for trans representation in the fashion industry, having been the first trans woman to feature on the cover of Vogue magazine back in 2017, when she made a splash in Vogue Paris.
The star took to Instagram over the weekend to confirm her high profile new gig, sharing a behind-the-scenes glimpse at her new shoot for VS Pink, a Victoria's Secret sub-brand.
The news comes after the company faced heated backlash late last year for its unwillingness to hire transgender models.
“Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should,” Ed Razek, chief marketing officer of Victoria's Secret's parent company, L Brands said in an interview with Vogue.
“Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world, and any other fashion brand in the world would take it in a minute, including the competitors that are carping at us. And they carp at us because we’re the leader.”
Trans models Carmen Carrera and Leyna Bloom have previously expressed interest in walking for Victoria Secret, with a petition gaining steam in 2013 to have Carrera work with the brand.
However, there might not be a show for these models to walk in, with Australian model Shanina Shaik reportedly revealing that the runway show has been cancelled for 2019.
