Which model became Victoria’s Secret’s first openly transgender model in 2019?

Valentina Sampaio became Victoria’s Secret’s first openly transgender model in 2019.

The Brazilian model announced in August 2019 that she had joined Victoria’s Secret’s PINK division. Her appointment was widely reported as a milestone for the company and for transgender representation in mainstream fashion advertising.

Sampaio had already worked in Brazilian fashion and international modeling before joining PINK. She later became the first openly transgender model to appear in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2020, a separate achievement.

A frequent mix-up is identifying Andreja Pejić or Leyna Bloom, who are also prominent transgender models. They were not the person associated with Victoria’s Secret’s first openly transgender modeling appointment.