«Qhen I looked at that lineup — six women, three of color, one trans, one curvy, three over forty — I understood something simple and powerful: I should be there too.” After leaving social media, Bianca Balti he chose Substack to tell his story, open up and share his experiences with sincerity and freedom. Precisely on this platform he revealed that he had wrote a letter to Victoria’s Secret to be included in the cast of Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2025with the aim of parading in the name ofinclusion and bring a message of hope to women affected by cancer. «I represent millions of women who have had or will have cancer. I want to show them that a diagnosis is not the end of beauty, confidence, or sexiness», wrote the model. Despite Balti’s courage and determination, Victoria’s Secret declined the proposal because the cast was already complete.
Bianca Balti’s letter to Victoria’s Secret
The 2024 show had already marked a turning point: more space for different bodies, ethnicities and ages, a first step towards a more inclusive and modern fashion show. With the 2025 editionthe brand wanted to consolidate this vision, demonstrating that sensuality and inclusiveness can coexist harmoniously. “This is exactly why I proposed” – explained Bianca. «As I write, I am watching Precious Leethe Queen herself, announce that she will be parading in this year’s show. She gets emotional as she talks about what it means to her, as a black woman, to be seen.” And again: «I wanted to be there because one in eight women will face breast cancer. I wanted to send a message to these women: “You are complete. You’re sexy. You are unstoppable.”
Inclusivity in fashion
From the 2005 (year in which Bianca Balti debuted as a Victoria’s Secret Angel) to Todaythe world of fashion has changed, overcoming restrictive standards based on thinness and exclusivity. «In my 21-year career, I was a muse of restrictive beauty: white, thin, young. I didn’t understand the value of representation until I got sick. When I lost my hair and saw the scars, I refused to be cast aside. I was still White. I was still worth seeing», wrote the model. Despite the refusal of Victoria’s Secret, Balti confesses that he does not wear any rancor: «Life is too short not to try. Trying never kills you.”
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