Romee Strijd Explains Why She Won’t Walk in the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

Former Victoria’s Secret Angel Romee Strijd confirmed she won’t walk in the upcoming Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on October 12, 2026. The 31-year-old Dutch model said she endured a long silence and conflicting feedback from her modeling agency, IMG, after her casting appointment in New York City last month.

Romee Strijd will not open the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. She went to casting in September 2026 and was on a “maybe list” for weeks, with no clear word. On October 12, Strijd took to TikTok to say that her agency confirmed she was rejected. She said she likely won’t audition for the brand again, citing a lack of transparency in communication during the process.

Strijd, who walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show every year from 2014-2018, said this year felt like a good time to return to the runway after having two children. Over the summer, she trained physically and had an in-person casting in New York City in September. She said she still had to go through the formal evaluation process, yet she knew some members of the new production team.

Weeks passed without a definitive answer, Strijd said. “I thought I was gonna know pretty soon after if I was gonna do the show or not, but I didn’t hear anything for weeks,” she said in a video posted Oct. 12. “I think I was on some sort of maybe list.”

As the show date approached, the uncertainty was taking its toll. Strijd said balancing preparation with family responsibilities made the prolonged silence especially difficult. “Mentally it’s been a bit of a roller coaster for me because I have to keep training, but I don’t know if I’m going to do it, she said.

In a follow-up video hours later, Strijd confirmed that her agency IMG had officially told her she wouldn’t be in the show. “Rejection is part of modeling, and that’s totally fine,” she said, but was very frustrated with how it was handled.

When Strijd asked for a concrete reason for her rejection to get closure, she got conflicting answers. The casting director messaged her agency that they “weren’t there yet” with her and would let them know before the weekend, she said. But the bottom line was that she was “already released” from contention, a story that didn’t match the weeks she’d been on a “maybe list.” “I don’t feel supported by my agency. “I don’t think I’ve got the straight story.”

If I’d been told the truth, I would’ve been able to move on without the extra mental burden of being kept in the dark,” she said.

Romee Strijd is one of the most recognizable faces of the modern era of Victoria’s Secret. She walked the brand’s flagship fashion show for 5 consecutive years (2014-2018) and was awarded the coveted Shooting Star Swarovski look at the finale of the 2018 show.

In recent years, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned to television and streaming with a new casting strategy, seeking to feature a more diverse range of body types, backgrounds and career stages. Early word on the 2026 lineup suggests a mix of returning veterans and newcomers, with names such as Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Paloma Elsesser, and Ashley Graham mentioned.

Strijd’s statement highlights broader discussions in the fashion industry about modeling agencies’ responsibility to their talent, particularly around the high-stakes casting process. It also highlights the tightrope walk for legacy brands like Victoria’s Secret: balancing relationships with well-known former Angels while moving into a new brand identity.

Strijd has said she considers this chapter closed and has no plans to attend future Victoria’s Secret castings due to her negative experience with the process. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is still scheduled for Oct. 18, 2026. IMG Models has not yet made a public statement in response to Strijd’s comments.

Why Romee Strijd isn’t in the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show?
She went to casting in September 2026 but didn’t get picked. It took weeks for her agency to place her on a “maybe list” before finally confirming she was not booked, Strijd said, and she criticized the lack of open communication.

Has Romee Strijd walked in previous Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows?
Yes. From 2014 to 2018, she walked in the show every year and was officially named a Victoria’s Secret Angel during that time.

What date is Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2026?
The event will take place on Sunday, October 18, 2026.