If you’ve spent any time on the fashion side of the internet lately, you’ve probably seen the clips. A girl with a "perfect" face card strutting down a runway while a guy in the front row holds up giant cardboard cutouts of their pets. It’s sweet, it’s viral, and it’s basically the epitome of "relationship goals." But there is so much more to the Barbara Palvin Victoria's Secret Fashion Show legacy than just a supportive husband and a bag of Shake Shack burgers.
Honestly, Barbara’s relationship with the brand has been a rollercoaster. It wasn't just a straight line from discovery to "Angel" status. It was a decade-long saga of gaps, massive comebacks, and breaking glass ceilings for Hungarian models.
The 2012 Debut: The "Miss December" Moment
Most people think Barbara has been around forever, and they’re kinda right. She made her debut back in 2012. She was only 19 years old. If you go back and watch the footage, she looks like a literal child compared to the veteran "supers" like Adriana Lima or Alessandra Ambrosio.
She walked in the "Calendar Girls" segment. They dressed her up as a high-fashion Santa Claus—red corset, white fluff, and wings made out of candy canes. It was iconic. But then? She disappeared. For six years, she wasn't on that stage. People whispered about why. Was it her "curvier" (by industry standards, which are wild) body? Was it just a change in direction? Whatever it was, the absence made her 2018 return feel like a massive victory.
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Why the Barbara Palvin Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Return in 2018 Changed Everything
2018 was the year the internet truly claimed her. This was the show where Dylan Sprouse, her then-boyfriend, now-husband, famously waited at the end of the runway with a bag of cheeseburgers. It sounds like a PR stunt, but it felt remarkably real.
But the big news happened a few months later. In March 2019, Victoria’s Secret finally gave her the wings. She became the first-ever Hungarian Angel. This was a huge deal because, at the time, the brand was facing intense pressure to be more inclusive. Barbara was marketed as their first "plus-size" or "curvy" model—a label that sparked a massive debate online because, let’s be real, she’s a size 2 or 4.
Fans were protective. They weren't mad at her; they were mad at the industry for calling a healthy, athletic woman "curvy." Regardless of the labels, she became the face of a new era for the brand.
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The 2024 and 2025 Comebacks: Walking on a Broken Foot
Fast forward to the brand’s big "relaunch." After a long hiatus where the show was cancelled, it came back in 2024. Barbara was front and center. But the 2025 show—the one that just happened this past October—is the one people will be talking about for years.
Here is the part most people missed: Barbara walked that 2025 runway with a broken foot.
Dylan revealed it on Instagram afterward, calling her a "beast." She was out there in towering heels, smiling and doing the classic Angel hair-flip, all while dealing with a fracture and recovering from recent endometriosis surgery. It puts a whole different spin on those "effortless" runway walks.
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A Quick Timeline of Her VS History:
- 2012: The debut. "Miss December" candy cane wings.
- 2018: The big return. The burger moment.
- 2019: Becomes an official Victoria's Secret Angel.
- 2024: Participates in the brand's first runway show in six years.
- 2025: Walks the New York City show despite a broken foot and health struggles.
The Endometriosis Advocacy
In 2025, the Barbara Palvin Victoria's Secret Fashion Show appearance wasn't just about the clothes. It was about a message. Barbara has been incredibly open about her struggle with endometriosis. She had surgery in June 2025 to remove lesions and scar tissue.
During the October show, Dylan was seen wearing a yellow ribbon on his suit. That’s the symbol for endometriosis awareness. It was a subtle but powerful way to use a massive, global platform to talk about something that affects millions of women but is rarely discussed in the "perfect" world of high fashion.
What This Means for You
If you’re following Barbara’s career or looking to understand the modern fashion landscape, there are a few takeaways here that go beyond just "looking pretty."
- Resilience is the real "look." Walking a runway with a broken foot sounds like a nightmare, but Barbara’s professionalism is why she’s stayed at the top for over a decade.
- Advocacy matters. By talking about endometriosis, she’s humanized the "Angel" image. It’s not just about wings; it’s about real-life health battles.
- The "Sprouse-Palvin" effect. Their relationship has fundamentally changed how we view celebrity couples at these events. It’s less about being "cool" and more about being genuinely, loudly supportive.
If you want to keep up with her latest moves, your best bet is following her official Instagram or the Victoria's Secret "behind the scenes" content from the 2025 show. You can see the bronze ensemble she wore this year—it’s easily one of her best looks to date.
Keep an eye on her upcoming campaigns for Armani Beauty and Longines too. She’s currently at the peak of her career, and it doesn't look like she's slowing down, broken foot or not.