Ashley Graham made her 2024 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show debut as the lingerie brand returned to the runway after a six-year hiatus.
The 36-year-old curvaceous model — who shared her to a BTS production event — was announced four days in advance for her participation in the event.
In a joint Instagram post, Graham and a line of intimates wrote, 'Did you think we were done? Not even close. @ashleygraham will join the iconic cast of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.'
Fans had mixed reactions to the news, with social media users taking to the comments to share their thoughts.
Ahead of the event, Ashley told People magazine, 'I feel really excited.'
Ashley Graham makes her 2024 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show debut as the lingerie brand returns to the runway after a six-year hiatus
The 36-year-old curvaceous model's participation in the event was announced four days in advance
She elaborated, 'I'm not nervous, everything is very safe; We're not going to pop anything out, which makes me feel good so I can build it up and I'm honestly really excited for the full representation that's going to happen during the show.
Graham, who shares three young sons with husband Justin Erwin, requested a look with more coverage after initially being offered a short dress.
She has twins, Malachi and Roman, and a first son, Isaac, four.
'The first thing they gave me were these tiny, tiny little underwear, and I said, “Hello, I had three kids,” explained the mother-of-three.
She added, 'Enough of two years ago, can I put any more?' So I got a bodysuit that I felt really sexy in, and then when the wings came out I was like, “Oh, I feel like an angel. This is hot,” I thought.
Graham hit the catwalk in a sheer black lace bodysuit, layered over a thick banded thong.
He added gold floral decals across a coordinating, long, thin robe and delicate black wings.
Teamed with black, strappy heels customized by designer René Caovilla.
Fans had mixed reactions to the news, with social media users taking to the comments to share their thoughts
One person on Instagram wrote of the beauty's introduction: 'Ashley is leading the way'
Someone else said 'sorry but I love the old VS show with the skinny models'.
One person on Instagram wrote of the beauty's introduction: 'Ashley is leading the way.'
And another said, 'Come on… we want Adriana Lima and all the Brazilian bombshells!'
Another admitted, 'Sorry, but I love the old VS show with the skinny models.'
And someone called out Victoria's Secret and wrote, 'It's hypocritical that a brand that has fired Barbara Palvin from modeling in the past is now trying to gain sympathy with plus-size models.'
Balvin was booked with Ashley on this year's show.
A fan has X come to Ashley's defence, writing: 'People are so upset because Ashley Graham happened, but honestly if she was skinny it would be completely different.'
And of the beauty's debut, another wrote: 'Ashley is leading the way.'
Graham graced the catwalk in a sheer black lace bodysuit.
L-R Jasmine Tookes, Paloma Elsaesser, Barbara Balvin and Ashley Young at Tuesday's event
Victoria's Secret made its runway debut in 1995, and three years later Tyra Banks hit the stage wearing the first set of angel wings.
Ed Razek, the former chief marketing officer of VS's parent company L Brands, once described the catwalk show as a 'fantasy' that excluded transgender and plus-size models from the '42-minute entertainment special'.
The controversial report landed the brand in hot water, and the show was canceled in 2019 due to Razek's resignation and backlash and poor ratings.
Victoria's Secret later moved to promote diversity by including larger models in subsequent campaigns.
Valentina Sampaio, the company's first transgender model, was also hired to star in the VS Pink campaign after Razek left.
