Walking in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is pretty much the “holy grail” of modeling achievements. It puts models on the map, not just in terms of recognition but also earning potential. There’s an important difference between the models who walk in the runway show and those who have the special designation of being an “Angel,” though.
While walking in the show is certainly a coveted gig for any fashion model, Victoria’s Secret Angels work for the brand year-round, which means they have much more lucrative contracts. What’s more, getting the VS stamp of approval can open doors for models to gain global visibility, and often, even more contracts from other fashion and beauty brands, which is a serious increase in their earnings.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up the current Victoria’s Secret Angels who have the most impressive salaries, from modeling legends to fresh-faced newcomers.
1. The longest-running Victoria’s Secret model took home a cool $10.5 million in 2017, making her the highest-earning Angel at the moment. In addition to her contract with the lingerie retailer, the Brazilian beauty cashes in on deals with Sportmax and Marc Jacobs fragrance. Her future with the brand may be tenuous, though, since she recently spoke out about how she won’t take her clothes off anymore for an “empty cause.”
2.Though Swanepoel’s salary data for 2017 aren’t available yet, she made $7 million in 2016, so it stands to reason that she took home a similar paycheck last year. In addition to VS, she works with Maxfactor and Biotherm, which definitely rounds out her take-home pay.
3.Though Ambrosio has been with VS almost as long as Lima, it appears her contract with the brand isn’t quite as hefty, since she made $5 million in 2016. She also announced this year that she’s retiring from the Victoria’s Secret runway, which leaves her future with the brand uncertain. She’s still listed as an Angel on its site, so as of now, it looks like she may still appear in advertisements and photo shoots for the brand and, thus, take home a paycheck.
4.Tookes has been with Victoria’s Secret since 2015, and she earned $4 million in 2016, making her one of the top 20 highest-earning models that year. Though VS is her highest-profile gig, it’s been speculated that the majority of her income comes from her contracts with Lancome and Calvin Klein fragrance.
5.The Namibian model’s last-known salary info was just under $3.5 million back in 2015. Not too shabby, if you ask us.
6.Aldridge is one of the Angels with the most serious cred in the fashion world, with advertisements for Carolina Herrera, Tommy Hilfiger, and Michael Kors under her belt. Combined with her Victoria’s Secret contract, these gigs earn her somewhere around $4 million.
7.Earnings of $4 million seems to be the sweet spot for many of the newer Angels, like Taylor Hill. She also works with Lancome and Topshop, which fills out her salary significantly.
8.Though information about exactly how much Ribeiro makes isn’t available, she did purchase a $2.5 million condo in NYC last year, which means it’s safe to say she’s doing well financially. She wore this year’s Fantasy Bra in the runway show, so it’s a pretty sure bet she’ll be earning on her VS contract for years to come.
9.Sampaio’s exact salary is still a mystery, but she shared with Fashion Law the fact that her Instagram following nearly doubled when she became an Angel. These days, a sizable following translates directly into dollars and cents, and at 6.2 million followers, it’s likely this Portuguese stunner is raking in the cash — probably to the tune of $1.2 million per year.
10.Hunt is also said to have made a little less than $3.5 million in 2015, and she’s spoken about the financial freedom and security that come with a Victoria’s Secret contract.
