Whoa: Did Adriana Lima Just Announce Her Retirement from Victoria’s Secret?
UPDATE: (December 12, 9:11am): Adriana Lima’s rep has denied rumors the supermodel is leaving Victoria’s Secret with a statement that read, “As Adriana mentioned in her post, she received an offer where she was not aligned with the direction. Adriana is blessed to be able to work with all the brands she does, including Victoria’s Secret.”
The world of Victoria’s Secret was changed forever last month, when one of the company’s longtime Angels, Alessandra Ambrosio, announced she would be retiring after walking in this year’s annual fashion show. Now, rumors are swirling that another VS staple — the longest-running Angel in the game, Adriana Lima — may also be on her way out after 17 years thanks to a cryptic message of empowerment she posted to social media.
Featuring a photo of text presumably written by the model, she discussed the pressures her job has put on her to maintain her physical appearance, saying, “My job puts me in such big pressure to look a certain way… I am tired of the impositions, we as “woman” can’t be continuing living in a world with such superficial values. It’s not fair to us, beyond fair, it’s physically and mentally not healthy what society is imposing to “us” to be, to behave, to look… I want to change it. On the name of my grandma, my mother, and all her ancestors, that have been labeled, pressured, misunderstood. And has to live according to society… I will make that change… I will start with me… Let’s f*cking change the world.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Adriana Lima (@adrianalima) on
She also gave some context to her remarks with a lengthy caption, adding, “I had received a call for the possibility of filming a sexy video of me to be posted and shared to social media. Even though I have done may of this type, something had changed in me, when a friend approached me to share that she was unhappy with her body, then it made me think… That everyday in my life, I wake up thinking, ‘How do I look?’ Was I going to be accepted in my job?” she shared.
The revelation apparently shook Lima down to the core, with the 36-year-old explaining, “And in that moment, I realized that [a] majority of [women] probably wake up every morning trying to fit into a stereotype that society/social media/fashion ect. Imposed… I thought, ‘That’s not a way of living,’ and beyond that… that’s not physically and mentally healthy, so I decided to make that change…. I will not take my clothes off anymore for an empty cause.”
Despite the fact that the runway strutter recently shared her goal of continuing to walk in the VS fashion show until age 40, the remarks shed some serious doubt on the Angel’s future with the company, particularly if she considers lingerie, the bread and butter of the brand, to be part of “taking off her clothes for an empty cause.”
Fuel was only added to the fire when rumors on Twitter began to swirl that she had “unfollowed” the brand on social media, as well as several of its key figures, including senior creative Ed Razek and fellow Angel Candice Swanepoel.
Adriana lima unfollowed candice pic.twitter.com/07G5Cl8wbi
— chicago (@blenecl) December 10, 2017
I’m just imagining Victoria’s Secret headquarters shaking and crying underneath their desks because they know damn well if Adriana Lima leaves it’s game over
— iz (@vuIgaire) December 10, 2017
Adriana Lima leaving VS and she unfollowed all the angels except Lily, Lais, Behati and Ale. And she also unfollowed Ed Razek and Victoria’s Secret. ☕️👀 BTW thank you Adriana for your existence. pic.twitter.com/6c75XSkJxu
— Nobody Cares (@NobodyCaresBy) December 10, 2017
Adriana Lima unfollowed all of the angels except for Behati, Lily, Alessandra and Lais. She also unfollowed Ed Razek and Victoria’s Secret and posted a message like this. What do you think does that mean? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/eTIA8xpPmV
— Victoria's Secret.⭐️ (@AngelsOnRunway) December 10, 2017
miss adriana lima annoucing her retirement from victoria's secret in the coolest way, what a queen pic.twitter.com/bXVOMgBj4v
— xx (@leemcquxxn) December 10, 2017
With no direct confirmation from the company or Lima herself, we guess we’ll have to wait and see, but from where we’re sitting, it certainly appears that this could very well be her final swan song.
Do you, Adriana!
Do you think Adriana is leaving VS? Vote yay or nay over @BritandCo.
(Photos via Frazer Harrison/Getty)