The reason why Gisele Bundchen was absent from the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show revealed

Gisele Bundchen’s absence from the revived Victoria’s Secret fashion show this week left fans deeply disappointed.

But it has been revealed that supermodel icon 44, who was one of the brand’s Angels from 1999 to 2006, was indeed asked to rejoin the lingerie group for the show but turned down the offer as he pulled out in 2020 from the catwalk.

TMZ reports that Victoria’s Secret contacted Gisele’s team in June as they began casting the show, with her agents “politely declining” on her behalf, citing her retirement as a runway model.

Emmanuelle Alt – former head of French Vogue and stylish for the US show – reportedly tried to convince Gisele to retire, but to no avail.

Gisele last worked with Victoria’s Secret in 2023 when she modeled for the brand’s Icons campaign.

She told O Globo in 2020: ‘I never said I would retire, just that I would no longer do catwalks. I will never stop working. My wish is to continue creating until the day I die.

She previously said, “My body automatically tells me if what I’m doing is worth it, and it asks me to stop.” I respect my body, it is a privilege to be able to quit. I have learned to listen to my body.’

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York featured musical performances from BLACKPINK’s Cher, Tyla and Lisa, while Gigi and Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio and Ashley Graham walked the runway.

The fashion show was canceled in 2019 after poor ratings and a slew of wild controversies, and has since made an effort to become more inclusive.

The show was once a star-studded, glamorous affair that started in 1995 and featured a who’s who of the modeling world, including Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen and more.

There were even musical performances from Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd, among others.

But the company canceled the show and removed the Victoria’s Secret Angel title in 2019, amid criticism that the brand was not including models of all shapes and backgrounds.

TMZ reports that Victoria’s Secret contacted Gisele’s team in June as they began casting the show, with her agents “politely declining” on her behalf, citing her retirement as a runway model – March photo

The show was once a star-studded, glamorous affair that started in 1995 with Gisele, one of the brand’s most iconic faces – pictured with angels Karolina Kurkova, Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Adriana Lima

She told O Globo in 2020: ‘I never said I would retire, just that I would no longer do catwalks’ – pictured wearing the $10 million Heavenly 70 Fantasy bra in 2005

Bella and Gigi Hadid were among the other famous faces on the catwalk in New York

Tyra Banks, 50, made a comeback 19 years after her last US appearance, wearing black crystal-studded leggings, a black and silver bustier and a metallic cape

A scathing 2020 article in The New York Times included allegations of misogyny, bullying and harassment by former Chief Marketing Officer Ed Razek.

It also mentioned concerns about L Brands CEO Leslie Wexner’s long friendship with convicted felon Jeffrey Epstein prior to his death in prison.

Epstein was awaiting trial on minor sex trafficking charges at the time of his death.

The 2022 Hulu documentary, Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons, continued to draw attention to the lingerie brand’s corporate culture.

The three-part series included claims of body shaming, misogyny and discomfort that the PINK line, which was aimed at tweens and teens, made girls feel bad about themselves.

Victoria’s Secret separated from its parent company in 2021.

It is now trying to regain its reputation and its grip on the lucrative intimates market.

They now feature models of all backgrounds and sizes, similar to pioneer Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty campaigns and shows.