Alex Kosani and Valentina Sampaio are the first trans models to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is back and there are some changes. After taking a hiatus from its blockbuster televised runway presentations in 2018, the giant underwear brand is back with its first all-female performance lineup as well as an inclusive casting.

Models Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio made history Tuesday night as the first trans models to stop on the runway for the brand's signature event. Of the 52 models in total, these were the maturity of long-standing calls for inclusion in social media and represented a stark contrast to former chief marketing officer Ed Razek's statements. In a 2018 interview for enjoyingRazek said the brand considered casting a trans model but decided not to.

“Shouldn't you have transsexuals on the show? No. No, I don't think we should,” he said. “Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy, it's a 42-minute entertainment special.” Within days of the interview going live, a statement was released by the brand blaming Rajek in response to the massive backlash.

“To be clear, we will absolutely be casting a transgender model for the show. We are into casting transgender models,” it read. “

In 2019, the brand cast its first trans model in a project: Valentino Sampaio. Sampaio, who is the first known trans woman to cover a version of it enjoying with Vogue Paris In 2017, the company's VS Pink line appeared in the illustration. Rajek's retirement from the company was announced within a few days. Sampaio, on the other hand, went on to shoot multiple projects with Victoria's Secret, to be followed by others.

“I've always dreamed of being [in Victoria’s Secret] Because I'm a woman and I deserve to be there,” she told me in 2020 for a cover story out. “I think I represent a change. I think the brand is showing the importance of diversity.” In her wake came Emira D'Spain: the social media content creator signed a sponsored content deal with Victoria's Secret in 2022, becoming the first black trans woman to work with the company.

In 2023, instead of a fashion show, the company offered fans Victoria's Secret: The Tour '23A special documentary slash show spotlights various designers and artists from around the world On that project, they showed their most trans inclusion yet with talent like artist Edun Sodipo, DJ and producer Honey Dijon, as well as models Seval Omar and Alex Konsani — Seval previously appeared in an Instagram post for the brand. But it was all a precursor to last night's show.