Angel Reese took her game from the court to the catwalk, making history along the way.
The Chicago Sky forward became the first professional athlete to run at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Wednesday, joining the brand’s high-profile “Wings Reveal” lineup in New York.
“It was meant for me,” Reese said during an interview before the show started. “This is already for me. I’m so happy to be in this room with so many amazing models and women. The team that put this all together was 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 in a pink floral lingerie set decorated with blossoms and l
beautiful details, paired with a dramatic feathered stole draped over her arms. The shawl was covered in soft pinks and pinks.
The 6-foot-2 Reese wore the signature white angel wings that have defined the show for decades, setting 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 national champion at Louisiana State University and the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
“One of her biggest dreams was to walk this show,” said the celebrity stylist Law Roacha pink carpet co-host who helped reinvent Zendaya, made Celine Dion a fashion icon and is a close friend of Reese.
“We had a conversation. I told her, ‘I don’t think this is a big dream at all.'” Roach said. “And for that to happen in a year or less, she’s walking the show and, I mean, she looks beautiful, 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 that I, you know, have the deepest connection with.”
The show was on streamed live on YouTubeInstagram, TikTok and Prime Video in the US The show is a mix of music and celebrities, with pink-winged Madison Beer performing “Make You Mine” as lingerie-clad models parade down the catwalk.
K-pop group TWICE also hit the catwalk with ‘This is For’ and ‘Strategy’. Karol G sang “Ivonny Bonita” before walking solo in Red Wings and lingerie ensemble.
Reese has become one of the most visible figures in women’s sports. Her style, candor and influence on social media have helped bridge the gap between sports, fashion and pop culture.
The lingerie show started in 2001 and took place annually for almost twenty years. Victoria’s Secret canceled the show in 2019, but brought it back last year, with Reese in attendance.
Associated Press writer John Carucci in New York contributed.
