GEORGE V MAGAZINE
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Now, after a few rare campaign appearances, Banks has decided to make her grand return, and she’s doing it with the intimates brand that was so closely tied to her world-dominating stretch as a model.
It all started in 1997, when Banks covered her first Victoria’s Secret catalogue, becoming the first Black woman in history to do so. She then became a Victoria’s Secret Angel, walking in nine different shows before her retirement, solidifying her status as a VS legend. Since, the famed fashion show has gone on hiatus, and then returned with a revamped format in 2023. The spectacle for 2024 is sure to be even bigger and better, and Banks feels ready to take the stage.
“I never in a million years thought that I would be back on the runway, but I am so beyond excited and so ready for this,” she told George V Magazine in an exclusive interview ahead of the October 15 show. The event will take place at the brand’s flagship store in New York City and feature headlining performances from Cher, Tyla, and Blackpink’s Lisa.
It’s been almost 20 years since you last walked in a Victoria’s Secret show. How does it feel to be coming back?
It’s a little bit of an out-of-body experience. I walked off that runway and I [had] this big retirement and it was such a spectacle. I felt like that athlete that’s like, “I’m hanging up my cleats … I’m retiring the basketball.” And then, now I’m back! I never in a million years thought that I would be back on the runway, but I am so beyond excited and so ready for this.
How do you feel like you’ve changed since that last Victoria’s Secret show?
You know, it’s interesting, because in terms of diversity, I was diverse. I was considered curvier, and I was a Black girl, and I think it’s important to still acknowledge that at that time … 19 years ago, [it] was, “Wow, they’re putting Tyra on covers and they’re breaking all these barriers and Victoria’s Secret is stepping out and saying she’s the first Black woman this,” and really pushing against the norm. And today, what is even more beautiful is [that] they’ve burst those doors open. I feel like I cracked it open, and now that they’re burst open, I’m so excited. When I look at the video commercial that I did with Paloma [Elsesser] and I’m walking down that hallway, you know, as a woman with Victoria’s Secret that burst so many doors down, handing Paloma that invitation and she is bursting doors down. It’s just like this continuation of beauty and diversity, which is really exciting.
Can you tease anything about what your appearance will look like in the show? Any surprises in store?
I can’t really reveal that much, but I can tell you that I have been walking around in heels. Like, I get in the car and take my son to school and drop him off at the carpool, and what the teachers don’t know is that I have heels on underneath. I’m just like, this is [going to be] live on the runway! This is not like a tape where if Tyra trips, they can just edit it. So I’m making sure that I’m on point, on my game. I got a herniated disk but ain’t nobody gonna know. [Laughs.] So I am ready. But in terms of what’s happening on the show … I can only talk about what the world knows. I am very excited that Tyla is performing because our names are one letter apart … just the r and the a. So I can’t wait to like be like, “Hey, girl! You know, you my name cousin.” We’ve got to do something together. I don’t know what, but we gotta do something social, something crazy fun together because of our names.
What is it about Victoria’s Secret that has gotten you to come back? What is about the brand that you love, and what ultimately convinced you to come out of retirement?
I was a fan of Victoria’s Secret before I was a model for Victoria’s Secret. I got that catalog in the mail … my parents even got me a Victoria’s Secret robe when I turned 16 that I still have to this day. It is like a green, silky type of textured robe. So it really resonated with me, not just as a model for them, but even before I was a model, and it still has felt like family all these years, even as I’ve not been a Victoria’s Secret model and decided to retire.
I think one of the beautiful things—and I don’t know if people really know this—is when I decided to retire, Victoria’s Secret had come to me and had another contract on the table. And I decided that “No, I need to be a talk show host and I need to be trusted for my words. I don’t think I can be taken seriously if I am still a model,” and maybe that was true at that time. But I think the world has evolved in such a way that I can be a businesswoman and have my ice cream company and speak at business institutions and get my certificate from my Harvard course and teach at Stanford and, yes, be a Victoria’s Secret model. I think the world has changed to see that, as women, we don’t have to be a stereotype and to fit into one mold. And so I feel very excited and fortunate to come back and celebrate all of myself and not feel like I have to cut off a piece to be taken seriously. So it feels really, really good.
To that point, how do you think that you inspire the next generation of supermodels? And how do you they inspire you?
So, I won’t say their names but they’re super-duper supermodels right now. But years ago, they were on their way up and I used to do mentoring sessions with them. I used to tell them, “We’re not coming empty-handed. You’re going to have a paper and a pen, and we’re going to chart out your path, right? Because it’s a strategy. It’s business. It’s not who’s the prettiest. There’s a million prettier than you, better body, better this [or that]. It’s not about that. It’s a strategy and it’s about your authenticity.” And we used to chart these paths, and I felt like it was—I wouldn’t call it a responsibility, but there was a happiness and fulfillment that I got from doing it. And they were like, “Well, what can I do back? What can I give you back?” I said, “Baby, just be successful.” [Laughs.] “Just show me that this stuff that I’m sharing with you is taking you to the next level. And the success happens when you don’t call me anymore.” And they don’t call me anymore. You know, I see them in the world. I’m like, “Dang, you a household name, girl!” And I’m not saying that it was because of me at all. But to have something to do with that makes me feel good. So even backstage at [this upcoming] fashion show, if girls want to come to me and say, “Tyra, teach me how to do that,” I’m going to be there as much as I’m going to still be making sure I don’t trip. [Laughs.] You know, even giving those snippets and stuff to the younger girls is going to be great. And if they want to follow up and have the charts and graphs and paper and pen, after the fashion show, I’ll be there for them. I feel like that’s my calling.
So, do you feel like this will be one-and-done for you? Can we expect more runway appearances in the future?
You know, I thought it was going to be like, I’m doing this and then I’m going … but since this video dropped and people are telling me on Victoria’s Secret Instagram that it’s got like 11 million [views], something like the biggest real on there. It’s crazy, crazy. And so I’m getting a lot of incoming, “Will you do this? Will you do that?” But I definitely am not doing a damn thing until I step on that Victoria’s Secret runway first. That’s where I want to come out of retirement and then I can assess all of this other stuff and figure out what I want to do and what I don’t want to do. But I feel like my retirement happened with them, and my coming back is going to happen with Victoria’s Secret too.
The fans are going to love it. Speaking of comebacks, I’d personally love to see you reunite with Lindsay Lohan for another Life-Size, especially in the wake of the Freaky Friday sequel news.
So, I did a second one, but I want to do a third one with Lindsay where she is a doll. How crazy would that be? Now is the time. I just feel like she’s turned into such a beautiful woman. She’s a mama now. Can you imagine, like, [my character] Eve teaching her [character] to be a doll? But Eve don’t know what the hell life is about anyway, so it’s going to be a hot mess. [Laughs.] That is a dream of mine, so we’ll see.
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