An Angel Retires Her Wings
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
Ask a model about her aspirations and she will tell you that becoming a ‘Victoria’s Secret Angel’ is about as perfect as it gets. One angel will fondly remember this year’s annual ‘Victoria’s Secret’ Fashion Show, held in November in New York City and televised on ABC TV on December 2nd, 2018. It will hold mountains of memories for a model who has grown up believing in the brand.
Adriana Lima is iconic in the world of ‘Victoria’s Secret.’ Her commitment to the brand is unparalleled and this Brazilian bombshell is the longest serving Angel ever! Adriana strutted her stuff on the runway at her first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 1999 at the age of 18. Her innocent beauty was absolutely show-stopping with the company casting her in 18 consecutive shows thereafter. With each outfit that was chosen for Lima year after year, she could go from energetic and vivacious to sexy and sultry. Her wings characterized just how important she was to the brand, each show giving her an even greater comfort level than the last. Younger ‘angels’ looked up to Lima, desiring the same goals as this model who became their mentor.
Not only has Adriana accomplished so much in the world of fashion and modeling, but, her perseverance in the industry has gifted her with being the highest paid of all the ‘Victoria’s Secret’ angels. In 2013, Forbes revealed that Adriana Lima was the third highest paid Supermodel, earning $6 million. In 2014, Lima became the second highest paid Supermodel earning $8 million. Her earnings increased by another million the following year. In 2016, Lima’s salary for the annual show surpassed any of the other angels, earning her almost $10.5 million.
As much as Adriana loves the VS brand, the love is reciprocated and can be seen each year at the live fashion event. Lima has opened the show countless times, in 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012. In 2008, 2010 and 2014, she was given the opportunity to wear the ‘Fantasy Bra’ which truly lives up to its name. She can look back and say she wore 3,575 black diamonds, 117 certified 1 carat white round diamonds, 34 rubies, 2 black diamond drops which totaled 100 carats, and, in 2014, the ‘Fantasy Bra’ was valued at $2 million.
In January 2017, Lima was named “The Most Valuable Victoria’s Secret Angel.” This year’s 2018 VS Fashion Show was an emotional one for the successful Supermodel. As her two children, both little girls aged 6 and 9, sat in the audience and watched their mom walk down the catwalk, a sense of pride was beaming in their smiles.
There was even a segment devoted to the veteran ‘Angel’ where she took her solo walk, clad in diamonds and large white feather wings. As she made her way down the runway, she received a standing ovation with a montage of her past walks down the runway appearing on a screen in the background. Her expression was priceless and bittersweet as she was most likely playing all the past years’ shows in her mind. Her fellow ‘Angels’ peeked out from behind the stage, tears in their eyes, knowing that they will miss this Angel that taught them so much about modeling and life in general. That final walk, just before the lights dimmed, was meant for Adriana to own the runway for as long as she desired. It was a moment that will live down in ‘Victoria’s Secret History.’
While Lima has now retired her wings, she continues to thrive in the fashion industry. She is brand ambassador for the Barcelona-based Desigual, the Beachwear Collection of Italian brand Calzedonia and Ready-To-Wear Italian brand, Sportmax. Maybelline New York continues to partner with Adriana as spokesmodel.
Adriana Lima has lived the ultimate ‘Victoria’s Secret’ career, to the moon and back. Her final outfit in the 2018 show was the perfect ending, instead of wings, a sparkling diamond half-moon attached at the back of her waist. For Adriana, she has been out of this world, a graceful and gorgeous angel retiring her wings…………
