Victoria's Secret brought back plenty of familiar faces for its 2026 Fashion Show, from Adriana Lima and Candice Swanepoel to Gigi Hadid and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Then came one runway debut that blindsided people: Kylie Jenner, and it was not just because she wore the sparkliest bra of the night.
The beauty mogul made her first Victoria's Secret runway appearance on Sunday, 18 October, and she certainly was not handed an entry-level assignment. Jenner walked in the returning Fantasy Bra, a Jacob & Co. creation valued at a staggering $50 million (£37.5 million). Made entirely from precious metal and stones, it contains 4,410 natural diamonds, including a 75.54-carat Fancy Vivid yellow diamond. It took 15 artisans more than 1,000 hours to complete the bra that doubled as a work of art.
Some were dazzled, while others weren't hooked on the idea that Jenner deserved her wings or the pièce de résistance. Jenner's surprise casting quickly kicked off a debate over whether the Victoria's Secret runway is becoming less about professional models and more about famous names. The issue arose after the brand spent months searching for its newest Angel through an open casting call. Kylie may have had the most expensive bra in the building, but some viewers weren't buying the casting decision.
Jenner Gets the $50 Million Fantasy Bra on Her First Try
The Fantasy Bra isn't exactly a participation trophy. First introduced in 1996 with Claudia Schiffer, the famously extravagant creation has previously been entrusted to Victoria's Secret legends including Gisele Bündchen, Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Elsa Hosk. Hosk wore the last runway Fantasy Bra in 2018 before the tradition disappeared for eight years. So when Jenner got its grand comeback on her first-ever VS runway, eyebrows inevitably went up.
'The fantasy bra was exclusive for actual angels who EARNED IT. not some nepo who's first show (and hopefully last) was today,' one Redditor complained. Another was considerably more concise: 'WITH THE FANTASY BRA AT THAT.'
The opinions escalated from 'her implants are so big for her frame. it makes her torso look so short' to 'Probs paid her way in'. Other viewers did not hold back on the 'permanent fart smell face' jokes.
Mixed in with the jokes, numerous concerns about the genuine issues surrounding nepotism surged on Reddit. 'So sad how nepotism is now running every single fashion show and TV series... no space for models or actors that don't have connected families,' said one particularly concerned Redditor.
The frustration carried extra weight after Victoria's Secret launched its Angels Among Us competition this year, opening applications across America for aspiring models hoping to earn a place on the iconic runway and an IMG Models contract. Thousands applied. Ultimately, 21-year-old Solange Omon won and was officially named Victoria's Secret's newest Angel.
Fans Ask Where the Models Went
Jenner was not replacing Omon, and there is no evidence she personally took a veteran model's place. Online critics nevertheless couldn't resist comparing the reality star's instant Fantasy Bra moment with models who have spent years building runway careers.
'Imagine being Kendall, nepo-ing your way into modelling but also doing the work expected of a model, and then your sister who didn't even want to pursue it gets to walk the VS fashion show,' one of the thread's most popular comments read.
Another commenter compared the decision to an NFL team letting someone who had 'never touched a football before' start in the Super Bowl, arguing that the show should represent modelling's 'big leagues.'
Perhaps the most brutal assessment came from someone who thought Jenner's presence exposed a bigger problem with mixing celebrities and seasoned runway talent: 'Pick all nepo babies, athletes, and influencers...or pick elite models.'
Otherwise, they argued, the professionals make everyone else look like 'it's their first day on earth with legs.'
Not Everyone Thinks Kylie Is Undeserving of Her Wings
For all the roasting, plenty of viewers thought the outrage had crossed from fashion criticism into plain old Kylie hatred. 'She looks good why is everyone hating,' one commenter asked, while another argued that people would probably praise the same look on somebody else instead of 'picking apart the fit of the bra.'
Others pointed out that Jenner's appearance doesn't erase the enormous roster of professional models who did walk. The 2026 runway included veterans and established names such as Lima, Swanepoel, the Hadid sisters, Elsa Hosk, Barbara Palvin, Joan Smalls, Liu Wen, Behati Prinsloo, and Jasmine Tookes.
Whether that makes Jenner worthy of the Fantasy Bra is up to viewers. One Redditor already had a simpler theory for how the guest list came together: 'So they just picked names out of a hat then.'
