Suni Lee Defends Her Victoria's Secret Runway Walk
Suni Lee received criticism after her debut walk at the 2025 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, with some doubting her status as a "real model." In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, she responded to those critics and explained why standing up for herself was important.
Her Breakthrough Moment
Lee, an Olympic athlete, made significant strides in modeling by walking in her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in October. She appeared in a cheeky, abs-baring Victoria's Secret Pink outfit, which caught considerable attention.
Responding to Online Criticism
Shortly after the show, Lee addressed the online backlash and comments about her height through a subtle TikTok video set to Ariana Grande's song "Successful."
"Honestly, there was just a lot of people mad because I'm not tall and skinny or wasn't [considered] a real model," Lee, who is 5 feet tall, shared during the CFDA Fashion Awards in New York City.
She added,
"At the end of the day, I was there and [the critics] weren’t, so it was just really exciting. I was really happy to be there, so I wasn't going to let anyone take my moment away from me."
Summary
Suni Lee confidently embraced her success and proved that determination and presence matter more than traditional modeling standards.