With their picture-perfect pouts and impossibly toned figures, the Victoria’s Secrets Angels never fail to live up to their name as they take to the world’s most famous catwalk in barely-there lingerie.
But one model who took part in this year’s fashion extravaganza has revealed exactly how much work goes into looking that good – and admits it is nowhere near as ‘glam’ as it appears from the outside.
Portuguese beauty Sara Sampaio, 25, revealed she needed to cut back on her favourite food and exercised three times a week to make sure her body was in peak condition for the show, which was held in Shanghai today.
Revelations: Sara Sampaio walks the runway during the 2017 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show In Shanghai. The model has opened up about what it takes to get ready for the catwalk
Double trouble: Sara Sampaio, left, and Elsa Hosk strut their stuff on the catwalk in Shanghai
Backstage: Sara, photographed getting ready for the show in Shanghai on Monday. The model admitted she needs to be ‘careful’ with what she eats and has cut down on pizza and pancakes
Speaking to The Edit, she she said: ‘I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted, but now I have to be more careful. I would eat a burger and pizza and pancakes every day if I could. I won’t stop myself from eating anything, but I try to eat cleaner.’
The model, who made her debut as an Angel in 2013, also works out two to three times a week to stay fit and toned, mixing toning classes and pilates with runs and personal training sessions to keep herself interested.
The Angels also use their experience in front of the camera to make sure they look as good as possible once they step onto the runway but that it’s all an illusion.
Sara continued: ‘People need to realize that models get [professional] hair and make-up, incredible lighting, and we know how to pose.
Insider tricks: Sara Sampaio, pictured backstage today, admitted models know how to work their angles when they are on the catwalk and that it’s not how they look in ‘real life’
Camera ready: Sara has her make-up done backstage ahead of the lingerie extravaganza
Girl gang: Sara, far right, with Angles including Karlie Kloss, far left, and Romee Strijd, second from left, ahead of the show in Shanghai. Sara made her debut as an Angel in 2013
‘I’ve been doing this job for almost 10 years so I know how my body looks good from different angles. But I don’t look like that in real life.’
Sara was among the models who jetted to Shanghai for this year’s show.
She was snapped getting ready backstage alongside some of the brand’s most popular Angels, including Alessandra Ambrosio, Lily Aldridge, and Romee Strijd.
They were spotted being attended to by a team of hairstylists and make-up artists while they chilled out backstage in their iconic pink Victoria’s Secret robes – which are worn by the models each year as a kind of pre-show uniform.
Catwalk ready: Portuguese model Sara Sampaio, right, with fellow Victoria Secret’s Angels Taylor Hill, left, and Martha Hunt at the show in Paris in November last year
Angels (l-r): Alessandra Ambrosio, Jasmine Tookes, Adriana Lima, Taylor Hill, Lily Aldridge, Lais Ribeiro, Elsa Hosk, Sara Sampaio, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd and Josephine Skriver in 2016