Cara Delevingne Says Victoria’s Secret Debut Was Confusing While She Was Closeted

Cara Delevingne has revealed that walking in her first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2012 was both exciting and confusing because she had not yet publicly embraced her sexuality.

Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the 33-year-old model said she never felt comfortable with traditionally feminine styles while growing up. Although she enjoyed modeling and walking the runway, she felt like she was playing a version of herself that wasn’t entirely real.

Delevingne said she was still in the closet at the time and often felt isolated as a lesbian in the fashion industry. She recalled a humorous moment with fellow model Candice Swanepoel that left her overwhelmed, joking that she experienced “gay panic.”

The actress walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show again in 2013 but declined an invitation to return in 2016.

Delevingne previously identified as pansexual in a 2020 interview with Variety, saying she falls in love with people regardless of gender. More recently, she has said she is proud to identify as a lesbian.

She is currently in a relationship with singer-songwriter Leah Mason, also known as Mink. The couple reconnected years after first meeting at boarding school, and Delevingne has said she hopes to build a future and family with her partner.