Meet Valentina Sampaio, the trans model who made history at the Victoria’s Secret show with Gigi Hadid, Kate Moss and Ashley Graham – but she’s also broken boundaries with Vogue and Sports Illustrated
The Brazilian model was studying fashion design when she was discovered by a make-up artist; she’s made a career of history-making appearances and is a staunch advocate of LGBT rights
After taking several years to recalibrate its approach, Victoria’s Secret re-introduced its show on October 15. Though it was criticised as “boring” and “cheap”, the event served looks aplenty. And among the star-studded line-up of models strutting their stuff, one name stood out: Valentina Sampaio.
The 27-year-old made history as one of two transgender models to walk for the brand – the other was American Alex Consani. But for Sampaio, the show was more than just a dazzling moment in the spotlight. “I’m not working for myself, but for everyone,” she told PopSugar. “For everyone who, like me, faced prejudice and discrimination just for being who we are.”
For Sampaio though, it was all about breaking boundaries and celebrating diversity. “It was a dream come true,” she said after the show, reflecting on how she had once been told this dream was out of reach.
So just who is Valentina Sampaio? Keep reading to learn more about the history-making model.
Valentina Sampaio is Victoria’s Secret’s first trans model
Long before hitting the Victoria’s Secret runway, Sampaio had already made history with the brand. In 2019, she became the first transgender model to star in a VS Pink campaign, just months after the company faced backlash for not championing diversity. “Never stop dreaming,” she said on Instagram at the time, celebrating her achievement.