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How to Become a Victoria's Secret Angel
Have you ever found yourself wishing that you could model alongside the likes of Adriana Lima and Lily Aldridge? Have you ever daydreamed about walking the runway with Kendall Jenner while wearing a $10 million bra?
Well, duh. We all have. But even though the chances of you accidentally whacking Ariana Grande with our crazy gigantic wings are slim to none, you’re still obsessed with how models actually get to land the ultimate job — becoming a Victoria’s Secret Angel.
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Here’s how it all goes down...
1. They start hustling early. Taylor Hill, who became an Angel in 2015, signed with talent agency IMG when she was just 14 years old and ended up leaving school to pursue modelling. Despite that, she still managed to get her high school diploma, and she did it two years early.
2. Once they get a foot in the door, they work nonstop. Danish model Josephine Skriver walked in 54 shows during her first season, going from New York to Paris and Milan Fashion Week. The hard work paid off though, as she was booked for Italian Vogue soon after.
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3. Grow your social following.
It’s not enough just to look the part when it comes to Victoria’s Secret. Ed Razek, an executive producer of the brand’s annual fashion show, has said that he looks for personality in his castings. Having a hilarious Instagram page won’t just grow your numbers, they’ll probably help get you booked too.
4. Land a spot in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show ... for PINK. It may be referred to as the "kid’s section" by Taylor Hill, but hey, it’s a good stepping stone and obviously good practice. After walking for PINK in 2014, Taylor soon graduated to the main brand ... and was named an Angel in the same year.
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5. Fight for a spot in the main show. Besides the Angels (and probably a few other exceptions) all models have to attend a brutal casting to land a spot in the VS Fashion Show.
Over 500 models are submitted for consideration, and while 300 are shortlisted to walk in front of the top bigwigs, only 44 go on to make the cut.
This behind-the-scenes video shows exactly how hard the process is:
6. Slay on that Victoria’s Secret catwalk. Blow kisses, have some fun with the musical guest, and essentially have fun. It’s worked for this lot:
7. Wait for the call up to the big leagues. Being offered Angel status is a huge deal, but not just because you get to wear some fancy wings once in a while. Models who land these roles become household names overnight, go Kardashian-famous on social media, and essentially become their own brand.
Plus, it may sound boring, but the job security must be pretty sweet too.
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8. Make hella money. In Forbes’ 2016 list of the world’s highest paid models, the five who landed the top three spots (there are some ties) are all either former Angels, current ones, or have walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
Gisele Bündchen, who modeled for VS for seven years, was revealed to have raked in over $30 million last year — despite the fact that she retired from the runway.
So, all in all, it’s not too hard.
This article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan US.