Ashley Graham reveals why she ‘hesitated’ before joining Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

The longtime model took to Instagram to share some BTS moments from the show and their beginnings, and got candid about why she was “hesitant” to walk the iconic VS runway.

“When @victoriassecret first got in touch, I’ll be honest, I was hesitant. For years, the brand didn’t feel like it was made for someone like me. Their vision of beauty seemed limited, as if all that they created cast for only one body type, and it wasn’t mine,” Graham began. “But after sitting down with the VS leadership, I saw a real change. They were excited about me joining the show and assured me that this wasn’t just a one-time thing.

After learning that the shift to include body-diverse models on her catwalk wasn’t just to appease the brand’s fans and shoppers, Graham said it was to represent a body type typically absent from the runway shows. underwear and leisure catwalks in recent years.

“Curvy models weren’t just a symbol – VS really wants to be part of the body diversity revolution,” she continued. “They shared their commitment to embracing body diversity in a lasting and meaningful way. So I said yes. I said yes to represent ALL OF US, to show every body that never has felt invisible. And this is a journey I’m proud of 💕”

Graham’s decision to walk the VS runway comes amid the brand’s return to its annual fashion show on Tuesday night after a six-year absence. The show, which aired on Prime Video, returned in a big way, with musicians including Thai star Lisa opening the concert, South African pop star Tyla and the timeless Cher taking to the stage

The yesteryear underwear brand struggles to stay current to “reflect who we are today,” the company said, as it features Graham and other body-diverse models on its catwalk who rose to fame by have impossibly thin models.

The fashion show still highlighted some of the brand’s thinnest and most popular supermodels, with Gigi and Bella Hadid opening and closing the show. Even the legend Adriana Lima brought her back to adorn some angel wings. But they did achieve at least some of their promised changes, celebrating plus-size models like Graham and Paloma Elsesser and including two trans models in the show.

The show also featured Tyra Banks, the brand’s first signed and cataloged black model, with Banks’ voice opening the show as she boasted, “A new Victoria’s Secret fashion show, where women take the reigns and the spotlight.”