Valentina Sampaio has been named the first transgender model to work with Victoria's Secret.
Valentina Sampaio
The 22-year-old Brazilian model was hired by the lingerie giant for an upcoming Pink campaign and has urged others not to give up on their dreams.
The model posted a backstage image on Instagram along with the caption: "Never stop dreaming genteee #staytuned #bastidores #new #vspink #campaign #representatividade #diversity #beauty #selfie #life #fashion #usa #vstorm #valentinasampaio (sic)"
Fellow transgender actress and activist, Laverne Cox, congratulated the model in the comment section by saying, "Wow finally!"
And Lais Ribeiro, a fellow Brazilian Victoria's Secret model, tweeted: "First transgender to shoot with Vs! This make me so happy! (sic)"
Sampaio also posted another behind-the-scenes selfie, writing: Backstage click @vspink #bastidores #new #vspink #campaign #representatividade #diversity #beauty #selfie #model #life #fashion #usa #vstorm #valentinasampaio #bomdia (sic)"
In 2018, the chief marketing officer for Victoria's Secret's parent company, Ed Razek, caused outrage when he said he didn't think the brand should include "transsexuals" in its famous annual lingerie show in an interview with Vogue magazine.
He said: "Why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It's a 42-minute entertainment special. That's what it is."
However, Razek later apologised for his comments in a statement published on the Victoria's Secret Twitter account, writing: "My remark regarding the inclusion of transgender models in the Victoria's Secret Fashion show came across as insensitive. I apologise."
"To be clear, we would absolutely cast a transgender model for the show."
Just a few weeks ago, Shanina Shaik - who has walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show extravaganza in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018 - revealed that the label has decided to pull the plug on the annual event for 2019 so that organisers can work on "branding."
Tagged in Laverne Cox