CANDICE SWANEPOEL RETURNS FOR VICTORIA'S SECRET'S NEW "VERY SEXY" CAMPAIGN, SHOT IN ROME
Candice Swanepoel is back at the center of Victoria's Secret. On July 22, 2026, the lingerie giant released its new "Very Sexy" campaign and collection, photographed in Rome, with Swanepoel joined by Anok Yai, Abby Champion, Imaan Hammam and Paloma Elsesser. The campaign celebrates the brand's push-up heritage and the bra that started it all, unfolding against bold Roman backdrops. Images were captured by photographer Carlijn Jacobs.
Campaign fact sheet
| Detail | Information | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign name | Very Sexy | Victoria's Secret |
| Release date | July 22, 2026 | Daily Front Row |
| Location | Rome, Italy | People |
| Photographer | Carlijn Jacobs | People |
| Cast | Candice Swanepoel, Anok Yai, Abby Champion, Imaan Hammam, Paloma Elsesser | Daily Front Row |
| Key product | Low-Cut Push-Up Bra | Essence |
| Technology | Lifting memory foam | Fashion Times |
| Silhouettes | Five, from bras to slip dresses | Essence |
Five things to know about the collection
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It is a direct tribute to the brand's push-up lineage. The collection pays homage to the original Victoria's Secret push-up bra through lifting memory foam technology applied across bras, corset tops, slip dresses, bodysuits and camis.
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The headline product is new. Alongside modern takes on icons such as the Bombshell Push-Up Bra, the range introduces the Low-Cut Push-Up Bra, built with a lower neckline and the brand's signature memory foam padding.
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The detailing leans decorative rather than minimal. Silhouettes, patterns and textures across the line include animal print, rhinestones, sheer lace and bow detailing. Script iconography also appears on the cups.
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It is designed to be styled as outerwear. With products meant to move between lingerie and ready-to-wear styling, the campaign connects the brand's best-known image to how customers actually dress now. Champion has been pairing the corsets with vintage Levi's and heels.
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It spans generations of the brand's casting. The cast covers several generations of Victoria's Secret talent.
Rome as the set
The location does most of the storytelling. The group posed against European backdrops that included a marble terrace, the bow of a boat and a set built to recall the Trevi Fountain. The imagery uses those elements to give the collection a cinematic sense of Italian romance. Abby Champion, who spoke with People about the shoot, called working in Rome "honestly a dream." Imaan Hammam told Essence that the city's sense of history and romance shaped the mood on set.
Why this campaign matters commercially
Victoria's Secret is rebuilding rather than reinventing. Under chief executive Hillary Super, the company remains the world's largest lingerie brand, holding roughly 20% of the American market, down from about 30% a decade earlier, and forecast full-year 2025 net sales of approximately $6.45 to $6.48 billion. Returning to the push-up bra — the product that built the brand — is a deliberate move toward its most commercially proven territory.
It also continues a busy year of campaign activity. The Very Sexy Spring 2026 campaign featured Abby Champion, Ajok Daing and Celina Ralph, styled by Priscilla Polley and shot by Dan Beleiu alongside chief creative director Adam Selman. The brand also launched a summer campaign with two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese, anchored by the Invisible by Victoria's Secret Strapless Collection and the Bombshell Bronze Eau de Parfum.
Where Candice Swanepoel stands in 2026
Swanepoel remains one of the most recognizable faces in the industry and one of the few who has moved from muse to founder. She launched the swimwear label Tropic of C in 2018. Its Summer 2026 campaign, titled L'Animal, was photographed by Miroslav Kovalenko in Paris and built around animal prints, with styling by Marc Eram. She has also fronted campaigns for heritage American brands, including Anne Klein, where she served as both campaign face and impact partner.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Victoria's Secret "Very Sexy" 2026 campaign released? It was released on July 22, 2026.
Who appears in the Victoria's Secret "Very Sexy" campaign? Candice Swanepoel, Anok Yai, Abby Champion, Imaan Hammam and Paloma Elsesser.
Where was the campaign photographed? In Rome, against backdrops including a marble terrace, a boat and a Trevi Fountain-inspired set, shot by Carlijn Jacobs.
What is new in the Very Sexy collection? The Low-Cut Push-Up Bra, part of a five-silhouette range that also includes slip dresses, corset tops, camis and bodysuits.
Is Candice Swanepoel still a Victoria's Secret Angel? She continues to appear in the brand's major campaigns and runway events, while running her own label, Tropic of C.
Sources: Daily Front Row, People, Essence, Fashion Times, Anne of Carversville, Victoria's Secret.