This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.
Sunisa "Suni" Lee isn't a stranger to historic firsts. She's a two-time Olympic gymnast and all-around gold medalist, who became the first Hmong-American to win the latter title (and compete for Team USA, period) back in 2021. Still, booking the 2025 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show—where she's one of the first athletes to walk the runway, alongside WNBA star Angel Reese—left her in "complete shock."
"Stepping into something like the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show felt like a dream outside of my comfort zone," Lee tells Marie Claire the night before she hits the catwalk in her first pair of wings by Victoria's Secret Pink. "But that’s exactly why I said yes."
Since returning to the airwaves in 2024, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has revised its approach to casting with inclusivity at the fore. Angels aren't one size-, age-, or background-fits-all, like they seemed in its earlier iteration. That shift resonated with Lee.
"Growing up, I didn’t see many girls who looked like me in spaces like this. To now be here as an athlete, as someone who’s worked so hard to achieve her dreams, it feels powerful," she says. "I want young girls to know they don’t have to fit into just one box. You can chase Olympic gold and still own your femininity."
Walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show may feel like a dream, but it's not one Lee necessarily planned to come true. The element of surprise worked to her advantage.
"Honestly, I didn’t have much time to prepare for this, and that was probably for the best," she says. "It allowed me to show up here exactly as I am. Just me, not trying to be something I’m not."
In a few hours, Lee will appear in a Victoria's Secret Pink-dedicated segment alongside Iris Law, Barbie Ferreira, and Quenlin Blackwell. She couldn't reveal her full micro short, bra top, and hoodie before the show, but she did confirm she's "obsessed" with it.
"It’s literally the coziest thing ever," she says. "It’s like sporty meets glam in the best way."
She'll also pull on her own pair of wings: the final touch that makes a Victoria's Secret look "special" compared to any other runway. Of all the VS signatures, though, Lee is most excited to try the signature bombshell glam, revamped by Dame Pat McGrath.
"I always like to wear my hair blown out because it instantly makes me feel confident and put together, so I’m excited to get the supermodel makeover that will take the look to a whole other level," she says.
Olympic bars and a Victoria's Secret runway couldn't be more different, aesthetically speaking. The potential reward remains the same for Lee: "I want young girls, especially those who look like me or come from communities like mine, to see that they can own every version of themselves, strong, soft, bold, or glamorous."
Veterans' wisdom for conquering the runway also had a bit in common with Lee's gold medal performances. "The best advice I got was to have fun and to trust myself—and that’s exactly what I plan to do out there."
Photographer Brian Meller | Stylist Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele | Hair Jawara Wauchope | Makeup Pat McGrath | Head of Movement Charm La'Donna
Editor's note: This post will be updated with Suni Lee's full Victoria's Secret Fashion Show look following the event. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show streams at 7 p.m. E.T. on Instagram, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video.
