Twenty-one shows. Twenty-seven years. And Adriana Lima still gets the last word. The Brazilian supermodel walked the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway for a record 21st time on Sunday, October 18, and then the brand handed her the most symbolic slot of the night: she closed the show. Page Six, Nine.com.au and Marie Claire all reported the moment, and fans are still replaying it. Forget the comeback. This was a coronation.
The closing walk that stopped the room
For her final look, Lima “floated down the catwalk in white lace and massive beaded wings, hands clasped in front of her and eyes gazing skyward,” Page Six reports. Marie Claire described a “fringed little white look” that “only became more breathtaking when unmissable wings joined the mix,” and wrote that ending the night with an original Angel “paid homage to the show’s roots.”
Nine.com.au said she looked “like she’d dropped from the heavens in a delicate, glittering set of wings,” and called her “a fitting choice for the honour.” Right after her walk, confetti exploded as the full 2026 cast came back out together for the final bow. Brazil’s TMC wrote that she looked moved and grateful on that last stretch of runway. Goosebumps.
Electric green and cherry-blossom wings
Before the angelic finale came pure voltage. Lima’s first look was a neon green lace teddy with criss-cross straps up the sides and pink floral wings, per Page Six. Vogue Brasil adds the details: a green lace bodysuit with a deep neckline, sheer panels and side cut-outs with lace-up details, matching green heels, sparkling earrings and wide cuffs on both wrists, with her dark hair worn loose in soft waves.
Marie Claire noted she “followed Hadid’s lead” in neon green after Bella Hadid opened the show, and said the wings “looked more like cherry blossoms.” Two looks, two moods, one undisputed queen of the runway.
See the looks: the posts everyone is sharing
Official posts from E! News and Page Six show both of Adriana’s runway looks, plus Adriana looking back on her favorite VS moments.
21 shows: the record nobody can touch
The numbers are unreal. According to Page Six, Lima made her Victoria’s Secret runway debut in 1999 at age 18 and then walked every single show through 2018 except 2009, which makes her the longest-running Victoria’s Secret model ever. Vogue Brasil reports she became an official Angel in 2000.
She has also worn the legendary Fantasy Bra three times, in 2008, 2010 and 2014, per Page Six. That ties her with Heidi Klum for the most Fantasy Bra wears in the brand’s history. So when Kylie Jenner wore this year’s $50 million version, she was stepping into a story Adriana helped write.
“The icon of all icons”
Victoria’s Secret did not hide how big a deal this was. When the brand announced in late September that Lima would walk the 2026 show, its Instagram video said: “You asked, we delivered. The icon of all icons,” Page Six reports.
It is a full-circle moment. When she stepped away in 2018, Lima wrote, “Dear Victoria, Thank you for showing me the world, sharing your secrets, and most importantly not just giving me wings but teaching me to fly,” as Us Weekly reported at the time. Page Six notes she returned to the runway in 2024, and Vogue Brasil says she walked again in 2025. Now, at 45, she is closing the show. Retirement? She clearly never got the memo.
A night of legends
Adriana led an all-star class of returning icons. Page Six reports Alessandra Ambrosio walked her 20th show, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley returned after 16 years in an ice blue lace set, per Page Six. E! News lists Candice Swanepoel, Gigi Hadid and Barbara Palvin among the Angels on the runway, while TMC reports fellow Brazilian Carol Trentini made her VS return after 17 years. Gisele Bündchen appeared by video at the start and end of the show, TMC adds, teasing in Portuguese that fans will see much more of her very soon.
And of course, Kylie Jenner stole headlines in the $50 million Fantasy Bra, which we broke down in Kylie Jenner’s Fantasy Bra moment, while Tate McRae opened with the live debut of “Housewife,” covered in Tate McRae’s butterfly bra look.
Adriana Lima’s Victoria’s Secret timeline
- 1999: Runway debut at 18 (Page Six).
- 2000: Becomes an official Victoria’s Secret Angel (Vogue Brasil).
- 2008, 2010, 2014: Wears the Fantasy Bra three times, tying Heidi Klum’s record (Page Six).
- November 2018: Says goodbye with “not just giving me wings but teaching me to fly” (Us Weekly).
- 2024: Returns to the runway (Page Six).
- Late September 2026: VS announces her as “the icon of all icons” (Page Six).
- October 18, 2026: Walks her record 21st show and closes it in white beaded wings.
Our take
Models come and go. Adriana Lima became the role. For a whole generation, “Victoria’s Secret Angel” simply meant her face and her walk, and Sunday proved the title still belongs to her. Kylie brought the diamonds, Bella opened the show, but the brand trusted the final image of the night to the longest-running model in the show’s history. We’ve followed her career on her Scandal Planet hub for years, and this might be her most iconic chapter yet. Legendary.
FAQ
How many Victoria’s Secret shows has Adriana Lima walked?
21. Page Six reports the 2026 show on October 18 was her 21st, making her the longest-running Victoria’s Secret model ever. She debuted in 1999.
Did Adriana Lima close the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show?
Yes. Nine.com.au and Marie Claire report she closed the show in white wings, before the full cast returned for the final bow.
How many times has Adriana Lima worn the Fantasy Bra?
Three times, in 2008, 2010 and 2014, according to Page Six. That ties her with Heidi Klum for the most Fantasy Bra wears in Victoria’s Secret history.
How old is Adriana Lima?
She is 45, according to Page Six. She made her Victoria’s Secret runway debut at 18 in 1999.
What do you think? Adriana in electric green or angelic white: which look was the moment of the night? Tell us on X @celeb124.
Photos: Adriana Lima in 2019 (card and hero) by Glenn Francis (Toglenn), CC BY-SA 4.0; Adriana Lima with the Fantasy Bra, 2010 by Adam Bielawski, CC BY-SA 3.0; Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel and Adriana Lima, 2011 by Miss Maven, CC BY 3.0; Adriana Lima at Venice 2023 by LucaFazPhoto, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons). Archive photos, not from the events described.
