The annual Victoria's Secret show is only hours away, and this year it takes place in Shanghai. There was some initial drama in the run-up, with both
, who was due to perform at the show, and
, booked to walk in it, having their Chinese visas denied, meaning that they could no longer take part.
But still, it's been announced that a total of 55 models have
attended their photo call in Shanghai, in what promises to be one of the most hotly anticipated shows of the year.
But can all models set to walk in the spectacular lingerie-and-wings sets call themselves Angels?
Absolutely not.
Well, my lingerie-loving friends, I've got news for you. An Angel is NOT, as you might've previously thought, any model who gets the wear the wings during the show. It turns out those glittering, theatrical, feathery frames which are hoisted onto the shoulders of the world's most foxy models mean nothing. In the laws of the annual VS show,
model + wings ≠ VS Angel
.
Being an Angel doesn't necessarily mean you've got wings, but that you've got something much more valuable – a cold, hard business contract. This year, there are only 14 Angels. In their contract, these models have specific obligations they've promised the brand. They need to be on call
year round
for multiple photo shoots and appearances, as well as events and parties for VS all over the world. The other models in the show don't have to fulfil any of those duties.
Even though the contracts are said to pay less than they did in previous years, they still must be
quite
lucrative. Last year's Forbes list for The Highest Paid Models included 11 Victoria's Secret Angels within the list of 17 women. So it comes as no surprise that it takes some time to earn the title of VS Angel.
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BbetrHZgkfH/?taken-by=hoskelsa]]
Swedish supermodel
Elsa Hosk said that she spent three years dedicating herself to VS sister brand PINK before finally joining the ranks of the other Angels in 2015.
"Becoming an Angel means you are officially part of the family of Victoria's Secret and you are a spokesperson for the whole brand, and that is such a cool thing because it's one of the biggest, most amazing brands in the world," Hosk said in a video.
She's one of the 14 models with the Angel contract for 2017. So who are the others? Well, it's
not
the popular models,
and Gigi Hadid, who have walked the show in recent years. Even though they got to sport a pair of wings in last year's show, neither of them have VS contracts meaning – sorry, ladies – you're not legit Angels.
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BZpCOM-hKAS/?taken-by=adrianalima]]
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BbgWXD1hpxr/?taken-by=alessandraambrosio]]
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BQUPpqch3kO/?taken-by=behatiprinsloo]]
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/Bafovt0nKzj/?taken-by=lilyaldridge]]
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BbreQFFFjtY/?taken-by=angelcandices]]
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BbhZBDKlrpu/?taken-by=jastookes]]
This is alongside
Lais Ribeiro,
Martha Hunt,
Romee Strijd,
Sara Sampaio,
Stella Maxwell,
and
Josephine Skriver. And strutting their stuff alongside the Angels will be models Bella Hadid, Karlie Kloss and Liu Wen.
Now you know not to bandy the title "Angel" around so loosely anymore, so please feel free to use your new knowledge to fill the long silence as you and your friends gawk helplessly at the models strutting down the runway. You can thank me later.
