Transgender models in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Models Valentina Sampaio and Alex Consani strutted down the runway at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York City on Tuesday, becoming the first transgender women to take part in the iconic fashion show.

Sampaio shared a video of herself walking through the show with her more than 400,000 Instagram followers on Wednesday – wearing shimmering black lingerie, huge black bows on the back and a lioness hairstyle – and thanked the brand for making her “made a long-cherished dream come true.”

“The Victoria's Secret family showed the world that being trans is just as special and beautiful as anyone else on this runway,” the 27-year-old Brazilian wrote. “Inclusivity is critical to the world we are building and I am honored to lead with pride, love and the hope of inspiring the next generation.”

This is the second time Sampaio has made history with Victoria's Secret. In 2019, she became the first trans model to be featured in the brand's advertising campaign. The following year, Sampaio made history when she became the first out trans person to model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

“I'm one of the few trans people here today, which I'm really grateful for, and I'm happy that I can be here and represent my community,” Consani, 21, told TODAY.com backstage before the show began. “Plus, just having confidence is something that Victoria's Secret really embodies, and I'm really grateful that I get to do that today.”

Consani, who is originally from California, has more than 3.3 million followers on TikTok after going viral on the app in 2020 during the pandemic. Since then, she has attended shows for several designer clothing brands – including Burberry, Chloe and Roberto Cavalli – and recently appeared in the music video for pop sensation Charlie XCX's hit “360.”

On the runway, Consani wore satin, gray underwear, square wings, and her signature bleached eyebrows.

“Little me is screaming I can't even say anything but thank you,” she wrote, alongside a series of photos she shared of her runway look on Instagram. Sampaio and Consani took part in the show, which first took place in 1995 after years of criticism that the brand excluded plus-size women, transgender people and people of color.

Ed Razek, former chief marketing officer of Victoria's Secret parent company L Brands, sparked backlash in 2018 when he said he didn't believe the brand should include “transsexuals” in its fashion show. The controversy led to the brand canceling its show in 2019, leading to a six-year hiatus.

This year's show, streamed on Amazon Live and Amazon Video, also featured some of the most iconic “Angels” in Victoria's Secret history, including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima and Tyra Banks, as well as an appearance by Cher.