A Golden Moment Revisited: Candice Swanepoel’s Radiant Runway Return

 

A Golden Moment Revisited: Candice Swanepoel’s Radiant Runway Return

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show made its much‑anticipated comeback in 2024 after a multi‑year hiatus, and 2025 continued that revival in spectacular style. Among the many highlights, one moment in particular captured hearts and headlines: Candice Swanepoel walking the runway in a stunning ensemble with bronze/golden wings, reaffirming her status as a legend of the “Angel” era. 

The Legacy and the Comeback

Candice Swanepoel first walked for Victoria’s Secret in 2007 and officially became an Angel in 2010. Over the years, she has become one of the most iconic faces associated with the brand.

 Her return to the runway in 2025 was not just nostalgic but symbolic — showing that she can still evolve, dazzle, and embody the fantasy that VS built its reputation on.

For 2025, the show resurrected the grand spectacle of wings, angels, and theatricality. In the mix of veteran and new faces, Candice’s presence felt like a bridge — connecting the golden age of VS with its modern reinvention. 

The Outfit That Stole the Spotlight

Candice’s 2025 runway appearance was split into two looks, but the second one — the golden (or bronze) wings look — was the showstopper.

• Her first look: a black lace lingerie set, layered with a sheer cape and dramatic sleeves, accenting her silhouette with dark, elegant contrasts. 

• The second, iconic look: she emerged in a copper/bronze lace ensemble with an ornate wing structure that gleamed under the lights. The wings weren’t just feathered — they appeared sculptural and metallic, catching flashes of light as she moved. 

Publications described her as “radiant,” “a golden goddess,” and the embodiment of “full angel mode” in that moment. 

These wings were more than an accessory — they became a metaphor for strength, transformation, and the enduring magic of fantasy fashion.

What Made It Special

1. Evolving the Angel Mythos

In past shows, the wings were often feather-heavy, delicate, or romantic. In 2025, the design language seemed to shift — toward wings with structure, volume, and a metallic edge. Candice’s wings, in particular, seemed like armor and ornament both.

She didn’t merely wear wings — she inhabited them. Her walk, pose, and presence made them feel like extensions of herself, not props.

2. Timeless Beauty & Reinvention

At age 36 and a mother of two, Candice walked her 11th (or more, depending on counting) VS show — and yet she looked as formidable as ever. Skin, silhouette, poise — she reminded the audience that iconic beauty endures not by stagnation, but by evolution. 

Her runway return underscored that returning veterans can carry fresh relevance when they embrace reinvention rather than nostalgia alone.

3. Caught in the Flash — Wings in Motion

The magic of this shot lies in the dynamic interplay between her movement and the design’s reflective geometry. As light caught the metallic surfaces, the wings seemed to flicker, ripple, and shift — like molten gold. Combined with the lace lingerie and strategic cutouts, the look balanced strength and femininity.

Beyond the Wings: Context & Legacy

The 2025 show was more than just aesthetic spectacle. It embraced a wider notion of inclusivity and modern storytelling. Models of varied backgrounds, identities, and even pregnant maternity walk (Jasmine Tookes) were included.  In that lineup, Candice’s role was both symbolic and aspirational — a veteran Angel asserting her place in a changing paradigm.

Social media erupted in praise — fans called her legendary, timeless, and proof that returnees don’t just remind us of the past, they help define the present. 

The Afterglow: What It Means for Fashion & Fans

• Fantasy as power: The wings remind us that lingerie shows, especially for Victoria’s Secret, weren’t just about underwear — they were about constructing fantasies. Candice’s metallic winged look pushes that fantasy toward something more assertive, more visual, more narrative.

• Women as evolving icons: Her return confirms that fashion doesn’t necessarily cycle women out — when approached thoughtfully, it can elevate them across time.

• Visual memory: That golden wings moment is already etched in fashion’s collective memory. It’s the kind of image that people will refer to when they talk about the revival of VS in the 2020s.

• Balancing nostalgia and reinvention: The show needed to honor its past (wings, angels, drama) while updating it for modern audiences. Candice’s look did both: nostalgic wings turned forward-facing spectacle.

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In Conclusion

When Candice Swanepoel stepped onto the 2025 Victoria’s Secret runway in those golden/bronze wings, she did more than turn heads — she narrated a moment. She wove together legacy and evolution, beauty and power, nostalgia and reinvention.

She reminded us why we remember Angels. Not just for the wings or the lingerie — but for what they dared us to imagine.