Roommates, Victoria’s Secret is breaking barriers with the company’s most recent casting! The company has officially cast its first openly transgender model.
According to the New York Times, 22-year-old Valentina Sampaio is the latest angel to join the company. Her agent, Erio Zanon, says she’s been hired to model for #Pink, the company’s athletic line for its younger audience.
“Valentina believes that this is a great opportunity to break barriers in the fashion business,” Erio says. “She wants to contribute to creating a bigger representation for everybody.”
The move marks growth for the lingerie company, as the chief marketing officer recently expressed disinterest in casting transgender models.
Ed Razek is now retiring, but is quoted saying he does not think the company needs to hire models who are “transsexuals” in Victoria’s Secret shows. He then takes to Twitter with an apology.
“To be clear, we absolutely would cast a transgender model for the show,” he says. “We’ve had transgender models come to castings…and like many others they didn’t make it…But it was never about gender. I admire and respect their journey to embrace who they really are.”
Victoria’s Secret is still the leading lingerie brand in the United States, but continues to catch backlash for its lack of diversity. The company continues to feature skinny models, and lingerie brands like Savage X Fenty are being embraced for their inclusivity.
It looks like casting Valentina could be a step in the right direction for VS. What do you think, Roomies? Let us know in the comments!
