The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show airs December 8, but it has started filming already. The outrageous show may only last a few hours, but months of work go into it.
The women train hard to get into tip-top shape for the show, but the hardship begins from the moment they enter the casting room. In a recent video, Victoria’s Secret revealed the gruelling process the potential models have to overcome to become an angel. The video is part of a larger series that documents what goes on behind the scenes at the show.
The brief video shows several women showing off their best struts, while the casting team — including executive producers Ed Razek and Monica Mitro — decide who’s good enough to walk the runway for the show.
Very few women actually make the cut, and those who do are poised for success. In fact, 10 out of the 11 highest-paid models in the world, according to Forbes, either walked the Victoria’s Secret runway at one point or still model for the lingerie retailer. Former Victoria’s Secret mainstay Gisele Bündchen tops the list, followed by a tie for second place: Cara Delevingne and Adriana Lima, the latter of whom is still an Angel.
Surprisingly, these women need to be more than just sexy: They need to be likable. After all, Victoria’s Secret executives rely on the Angels to sell the underwear, Richard Habberley at DNA Model Management told Women’s Wear Daily.
“The merchants drive the decisions on the Angels. They [Victoria’s Secret] try the girls out, and certain girls sell product. They’re women that appeal to other women. And they’re special because they never appear in men’s magazines. Once you start to do that, they become threatening” to potential female customers, said Habberley.
In other words, it’s imperative that Victoria’s Secret customers like the models it features. It makes sense seeing that Victoria’s Secret is a behemoth in the lingerie industry, controlling a big chunk of the lingerie market.