Suni Lee Walks Into History: From Olympic Gold to Victoria’s Secret’s Runway

The lights dimmed, the music swelled, and the crowd at the 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show held its breath. Amid the shimmer of wings and couture, one face stood out — not for its fame, but for what it represented.

Suni Lee — Olympic gymnast, world champion, trailblazer — stepped onto the runway with the same poise she once brought to the balance beam. Only this time, the stage wasn’t coated in chalk. It was wrapped in glittering light.

As cameras flashed and the audience rose to its feet, history was being written in real time: Suni Lee had just become the first Hmong woman ever to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

From Gold to Glamour

For many, it was a moment of triumph that transcended fashion. The 22-year-old gymnast from St. Paul, Minnesota, had already defied gravity, expectations, and stereotypes to claim Olympic gold. Now she was defying the boundaries of what it means to be an athlete, a woman, and a representative of her community.

“I wanted to do something that showed a different side of me,” she shared in a behind-the-scenes clip released before the show. “Gymnastics gave me discipline and strength — but this gave me freedom.”

As she glided down the runway in a satin ensemble that balanced elegance and empowerment, the audience erupted. Her walk wasn’t just a strut; it was a statement — a celebration of identity, confidence, and courage.

The Weight of Representation

For the Hmong community, Lee’s presence on that stage was profound. Generations who once watched her flip and soar on Olympic apparatus now saw her walking tall in an entirely new arena. Social media filled with emotional messages from fans around the world — many saying they had never seen a Hmong woman represented in this kind of spotlight before.

But not all voices were celebratory. Within hours, criticism emerged online — some questioning her choice to model lingerie, others targeting her with comments that crossed the line from opinion to cruelty.

Suni’s response came swiftly, in a short, understated video captioned simply:
“can u guys stop bullying me.”

It wasn’t defensive. It was honest. Vulnerable. The kind of quiet plea that reveals the cost of being both a symbol and a target.

The Pressure of Perfection

For Suni Lee, the pressure has always been double-edged. As the first Asian American woman to win Olympic all-around gold, she carried not only medals but expectations. Every step she takes — whether in a gym or on a runway — seems to invite scrutiny from every corner of the internet.

“People forget that I’m still figuring myself out,” she said in a recent interview. “I’m proud to represent my culture, but I’m also human. I want to live, to experiment, to grow.”

Her runway appearance reflected that growth — a young woman exploring her identity beyond sports, beyond stereotypes, and beyond the limited roles society often assigns to women of color.

A Walk That Meant More

By the end of the night, as the lights faded and models gathered for their final bow, Suni smiled — radiant, unshaken.

The moment wasn’t about fashion alone. It was about evolution. About reclaiming control over how an athlete, a woman, and a daughter of immigrants defines her own image.

She didn’t walk to prove anything.
She walked because she could.

And for millions watching around the world, that was enough to make history.