As the longest-serving model in Victoria’s Secret history, Adriana Lima’s time on the runway has been iconic from the very beginning. From her first show in 1999 to what was then believed to be her final walk in 2018, the Brazilian supermodel remained one of fashion’s biggest stars throughout almost her entire 19-year reign as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. And when she returned to the runway in October 2025 to mark her 20th appearance, the fashion world stood still.
Although she officially became the longest-running Angel back in 2018 in New York, surpassing Alessandra Ambrosio, Lima had long been clear about her intentions to continue walking for as long as her body would allow. As she told British Vogue: “I will keep doing this for as long as I can hold back nature. I never want to retire, so I’ll do this for as long as my body can hold out.”
She reaffirmed her love for fashion in an exclusive interview with our Tina Lončar for Vogue Adria: “I love collaborating with talented stylists and photographers, creating images that tell a story. Fashion still draws me in deeply, and the process of storytelling through it continues to inspire me.”
Interestingly, Lima first applied to a Ford Models competition held at her school simply for fun, alongside her best friend. Just a few months later, she left her hometown of Salvador for New York, began attending castings, and before she could fully take it in, she was already shooting with Steven Meisel for Italian Vogue and walking her first runway show for Anna Sui at New York Fashion Week in September 1997.
Today, Lima is a mother of three: daughters Valentina and Sienna, and son Cyan, all of whom, she says, understand very well what their mother does for a living. “Motherhood is the most beautiful journey of my life. Being an active, present mother and spending time with my children is my favourite thing in the world. It has taught me patience above all, but also how to relax sometimes. I’ve always been very organised, and my children have taught me how to let go and embrace a little chaos,” she shared. She has also said she would “definitely” be supportive if any of her children chose to pursue modelling.
When she stepped away from Victoria’s Secret in 2018, she left behind the longest Angel career in the brand’s history and had become almost synonymous with it. In 2013, she became the first pregnant woman to appear in the Pirelli Calendar; in February 2012, she was the only celebrity to star in two Super Bowl commercials in the same year; and in 2008, she wore the legendary Fantasy Bra at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, designed by Martin Katz and adorned with 3,900 gemstones, valued at over five million dollars.
“Victoria’s Secret was such a huge part of my life and my career, I truly grew up with that team. There are countless memories, and they will always stay with me. We shared so many incredible moments together, and in those early days I learned so much about the fashion industry. I’m deeply grateful for that chapter of my career,” she recalls today with pride, again in conversation with Vogue Adria.
Here, we revisit our favourite moments from her era on the Victoria’s Secret runway.